World Cup 2021 delay could have silver lining: women's tournament was due to begin in Leeds today

November 9 was set to mark the opening of the women’s World Cup, a double-header at Leeds Rhinos’ home ground featuring England against Brazil and Papua New Guinea’s clash with Canada.

Instead, the tournament is on hold, having been postponed in August after Australia, the 11-time men’s champions and New Zealand, who won in 2008, said they would not be taking part because of the pandemic.

Leeds had been due to stage eight matches, with three men’s group games and four in the women’s tournaments being played at Headingley.

Elland Road was set to host a men’s semi-final, on Friday, November 19.

The World Cup - which also includes a wheelchair competition - will retain its 2021 name, but has been rearranged for next autumn.

It will begin on Saturday, October 15 and a men’s and women’s final double-header has been announced for Old Trafford, in Manchester, on Saturday, November 19.

The full schedule has yet to be revealed, but the same host cities are likely to be used and Leeds is expected to stage games in both the men’s and women’s competitions.

The controversial decision to delay the 2021 event, which came just weeks after organisers had said it would definitely go ahead, was a blow to the sport as it attempts to recover from the impact of coronavirus.

While the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) and New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) cited player welfare and safety concerns, other nations accused them of lacking commitment to the international game.

Tellingly, the Wallabies, Australia’s rugby union side, have made the trip to Europe for their autumn internationals and will play England at Twickenham on Saturday, before facing Wales in Cardiff a week later.

Organisers had promised strict biosecurity measures to keep teams safe and some individual players made it clear they did not support the decision to withdraw.

An angry Rugby Football League (RFL) chairman Simon Johnson described the ARLC and NZRL’s refusal to take part this year as “selfish, parochial and cowardly”.

Many outside those two nations felt the impact an October and November tournament would have on clubs’ preparations for the 2022 NRL season was the true reason for their decision to withdraw.

Continuing without the Kangaroos and Kiwis was considered, but the various competitions would have lacked credibility with their two powerhouses both absent.

The 11th hour delay meant venues and training bases have had to be rebooked and the event - which was four years in the planning - will now clash with the build-up to the Fifa World Cup which kicks off on November 21.

The men’s 2022 Betfred Super League Grand Final has been brought forward to September 24, two weeks earlier than this season and the knock-on effect of that will be more fixture congestion during the domestic campaign.

But, there could be a silver lining for England.

The postponement gives all three teams an extra 12 months to prepare and offers an opportunity for players who would not have been considered this autumn to force their way into contention.

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