Rugby League World Cup 2013
Growth Reflected in Expanded Competition
Rugby Football League Chairman, Richard Lewis, immediately announced an expansion from 10 to 12 teams as well as the retention of the controversial 'super group' from the successful 2008 event held in Australia. This sees the top four rated nations grouped together, battling for three of the semi-final places whilst the final place is fought over by the remaining eight teams.
Richard Lewis said, 'It is a great boost for Rugby League in the Northern Hemisphere to secure the World Cup in 2013. I thought that the 2008 tournament was an outstanding success and our goal is to deliver a successful and profitable tournament that further enhances the International prestige of Rugby League.'
Rugby League World Cup History
The world cup has a chequered past ever since frenchman Paul Barriere pushed for it in 1951, the first tournament being held in 1954, the format was chopped and changed many times, never quite settling down. Played in the main between Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and France under various structures, the last 14 years has seen attempts at establishing it as a front line tournament.
Despite a successful 1995 World Cup the lack of planning and consistent organisation saw a disastrous and loss-making 2000 attempt. This caused a hiatus of 8 years before the next more profitable event in 2008. Held in Australia this made an A$5m profit, the widest yet exposure on television and record crowds. New Zealand made history by breaking a 33 year Australian stranglehold, defeating the Kangaroos 34-20 in front of over 50000 fans at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.
Rugby League Expands
Despite the dominance of Great Britain and Australia over the years Rugby League has remained a strong sport in both France and New Zealand. It has also put down roots in some unlikely places including Serbia, which has just hosted a successful under-16s European Cup, and Lebanon, Jamaica, Catalonia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, the Ukraine and Russia amongst others. Great Britain has split into England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Although some of these nations (especially Scotland and Ireland) rely on the Grandparent or Residency rule to recruit a full team, teams in continental Europe are almost all home grown. This has encouraged the rugby league administrators to develop a qualification tournament, which despite the increase to 12 teams at the finals, will still be necessary and is keenly contested.
The Golden Decade of Sport
The UK government has declared the decade in which the tournament takes place to be the 'golden decade of sport' including:
- 2010: Ryder Cup, Celtic Manor, Wales
- 2012: Football Champions League Final
- 2012: Olympic and Paralympic Games, London
- 2013: Rugby League World Cup
- 2014: Ryder Cup, Gleneagles and Commonwealth Games, Glasgow
- 2015: Rugby Union World Cup
- 2018: Football World Cup - not confirmed but England is in a very strong position.
- 2019: Cricket World Cup
These events are significantly or even immeasurably bigger then the Rugby League World Cup but as the pinnacle of the sport, as well as a focus and aim for the smaller nations, then serious progress has been made for this toughest of sports. If the excitement and sheer exuberance of the previous world cup is anything to go by then the tournament will deserve its place in the 'golden decade'.
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