England coach Tony Smith is confident that hosting the World Cup in 2013 will be a major boost for the sport in the United Kingdom.
UK game set for more exposure thanks to showpiece event
England coach Tony Smith is confident that hosting the World Cup in 2013 will be a major boost for the sport in the United Kingdom.
The Rugby League International Federation confirmed on Tuesday that the UK will host their flagship event in four years' time.
"It's fantastic," said Smith. "It's going to give us great exposure nationally and worldwide - that's what we need.
"When we introduce new faces to our game they usually stay, and it's just a case of getting more exposure and gradually bringing more people in.
"It's going to help in terms of attendances and producing young players.
"It also gives us the advantage that hosts get - it's going to be on our turf, our grounds and with our weather.
Incentive
"All of those things give the national team the incentive they need."
The World Cup was last held in the UK in 2000 when poor weather and low attendances combined to make the event a financial disaster that left the RFL in debt.
The whole concept was mothballed for eight years after that, until the tournament in Australia last autumn restored its credibility.
Combined crowds of 290,000 attended the games, and a global television audience of 19.2million made it the most widely broadcast event in the game's history.
Richard Lewis, the deputy chairman of the RLIF and executive chairman of the Rugby Football League, announced the 2013 decision after a two-day meeting in Singapore.
Boost
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 build on that success and to deliver a profitable tournament that further enhances the international prestige of rugby league."
