Troy Grant the IRL Independent Chairman has weighed in on Australia and New Zealand pulling out of the 2021 Rugby League World Cup in the UK.

He’s disappointed with the decision by the ARLC and NZRL mainly because players haven’t been given a voice or the opportunity to make the decision themselves.

Troy would’ve been much more satisfied with the decision if the Chairman “let the players choose rather than taking that chance away from them”.

As far as he knows, no players were consulted on the decision which makes it even more frustrating.

He’s describing the move to pull out without consultation as a “reputational smack in the crackers”.

Although the ARLC and NZRL are calling for the tournament to be postponed, the Independent Chairman doesn’t think it’ll be possible.

Due to the commercial and contractual agreements but also the clash of events in 2022, postponement isn’t being considered at this point.

The FIFA World Cup and Commonwealth Games in Birmingham have both been scheduled for next year, and that makes it difficult for the Rugby League World Cup to be postponed.

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