Australia and New Zealand to host 2017 Rugby League World Cup

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Australia and New Zealand to host 2017 Rugby League World Cup, beating ambitious South Africa bid

Australia will defend its newly-won rugby league World Cup title on home soil, with the announcement that the 2017 tournament will take place in Australia and New Zealand.

The joint trans-Tasman bid beat out an audacious attempt by South Africa to host the tournament.

"This was not a simple decision but with fans of international rugby league buoyed by the recent success of RLWC2013, we were determined to get it right," Nigel Wood, the vice-chairman of the Rugby League International Federation said.

"Both bids were thoroughly compelling but the joint Australia/New Zealand bid was selected as the one with the greatest chance of success in providing more compelling games in world class environments in front of big, passionate crowds."

South Africa, who entered a team in the 1995 and 2008 World Cups, have only a fledging domestic game but argued they could help spread the game internationally.

"The bid from South Africa was very strong, prepared professionally and clearly demonstrated a passion for rugby league that is growing by the day in that country," Wood said.

Meanwhile, the NRL has announced that this year's mid-season Anzac Test will be in Sydney.

The Kangaroos and the Kiwis will meet for the first time since Australia won last year's World Cup final when they line up at the Sydney Football Stadium on May 2.

The Test will be part of an exciting round of representative football that also includes the Test between Fiji and Samoa at Penrith on May 3 - with the winner to compete in the end-of-season Four Nations tournament in Australia and New Zealand - as well as the Country vs City match at Dubbo on May 4.

For the first time, a women's match featuring an All Stars team and Indigenous All Stars team will also be played as the curtain-raiser to the Kangaroos-Kiwis Test.

http://www.abc.net.au/

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Not surprised but excited. The 2008 tournament was fantastic and having co-hosts will be a big success.

Love to also see some games in PNG, the Hunters Queensland Cup side needs blaze that trail.

Id have liked to have seen what South Africa proposed. But without a proper comp or even government recognition, forget it.

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Confusion over PNG hosting Rugby League World Cup matches

There has been confusion over suggestions that Papua New Guinea would host two matches of the Rugby League World Cup, with another games possibly being played in Fiji or Samoa

Australia and New Zealand have just been named joint host nations for the 2017 tournament.

According to the CEO of New Zealand Rugby League, Phil Holden, part of the joint bid included games being held in Papua New Guinea.

"That was one of the things we put forward with our presentation in November," he told Radio Australia.

"So definitely Papua New Guinea will be hosting a couple of games.

"And then one of the things that we floated was the prospect of playing a game in Fiji or Samoa for example

"The logistics of that still need to be worked through but it was something that was on our radar screens and part of the proposal."

A spokesman from Australia's National Rugby League told Radio Australia no decisions have been made on where games will be played.

He said a tender process for towns wanting to host games would take place in the future.

Despite the confusion, Phil Holden says hosting the World Cup in the region will be a massive boost to the sport.

"We're absolutely stoked, it has been a lot of hard work over the last six months, to have that bid confirmed late last night was just amazing," he said.

"Certainly for us in New Zealand and in the broader Pacific Rim, it is a tremendous honour and achievement to hold a pinnacle event such as this.

The joint trans-Tasman bid beat out an attempt by South Africa to host the tournament in 2017.

Radio Australia