Even for rugby league fans it is a really ill-thought through conspiracy theory to suggest the RLWC organisers would want to postpone the tournament - the costs alone would be enormous. They'd have to retain all their staff for another year, there's all the costs of planning and events they'e already shelled out for, the re-branding, they might even have to find new venues. It would cripple the RLWC and, ultimately, the RFL.

What this is all about, as usual, is the NRL clubs not wanting their own seasons to be disrupted - in this case by players returning in late November (which they already hate) and then having to go into quarantine, having a post-season rest, then returning to their clubs in January having missed most of their pre-season. They couldn't give a stuff about international RL - hence the cancellation of the mid-season Pacific fixtures - nor anything outside of their own backyard. Even helping fund junior development in New Zealand is beyond the pale, despite being very keen to sign players from there. They just want to use this as an excuse to cancel the RLWC.

In the next week's and months the Aussies are sending an Olympic size team to Tokyo and their cricketers will be in the UAE to the T20 world cup....if they bottle the rugby league then it makes the game look even more tin pot

As was pointed out on another thread, the organising committee have based income on ticket sales rather than sponsorships & tv deals. That must limit potential for decent profit. Think the last RL World Cup generated profits of £5m or so. Obviously better than a loss but that's not a lot to go around. You can see why the Aussies maybe are less bothered despite almost being guaranteed to win it.

In comparison, with their sponsorships & TV deals + ticket sales the last RU World Cup in Japan had reported profits of around £50m. Our tourne is more bacofoil than tin pot.

I freely admit to predicting failure in 2013 only to pleasantly wrong.......this time I'm keeping schtum......but hope to pleasantly wrong again