A TOP Rugby League World Cup official last night described the enthusiasm for the sport in Limerick as “overwhelming.”

The 2013 Rugby League World Cup will be staged in four countries, the Rugby Football League announced today.

Australia forward Tony Williams has been charged with a high tackle on England second rower Ben Westwood.

Ireland have launched a bid to take the 2013 Rugby League World Cup to the Munster rugby union fortress of Thomond Park.

AUSTRALIAN rugby league is coming to terms with the one of the biggest scandals to ever hit the sport.

MARTIN JOHNSON’S bid to keep his management team in place for the Six Nations could be undermined after it emerged Mike Ford is being considered for the England rugby league head coach’s job.

Wigan and England forward Gareth Hock is facing an automatic two-year ban after his B sample tested positive for a banned substance.

The last time the Heineken Cup final was played in Edinburgh in 2005 there were around 16,000 empty seats in the 67,778 capacity Murrayfield stadium as Toulouse defeated Stade Francais 18-12 to lift the trophy for the third time.

The 2008 World Cup in Australia will cost an estimated £9.7m but is set to become the most successful, it was claimed today.

NEW ZEALAND’s leading newspaper has fuelled the British and Irish Lions’ sense of injustice over the Brian O’Driscoll ‘spearing’ controversy.

Rugby league players involved in the type of spear tackle which ended the Lions tour of Brian O’Driscoll would have faced immediate disciplinary action, according to officials.

Andy Farrell, Wigan and Great Britain’s record-breaking rugby league captain, is poised to claim a place in history by becoming the first high-profile rugby league forward to make the switch to union.

Opera star Katherine Jenkins will sing the British national anthem at this year’s Rugby League Challenge Cup Final, it was announced today.

New Zealand coach Gary Freeman launched a fierce attack on the Rugby Football League over their choice of referee for the Test series against Great Britain.

The Rugby Football League are to appoint an outsider as their first executive chairman.

Former rugby league chief Maurice Lindsay flew out to Sydney today with a mission to rebuild the international game.

It was almost like old times at Rugby League headquarters with Maurice Lindsay back in the hot-seat.

The Rugby Football League has acted to dispel fears over the Ashes series in November.

The Rugby League say a compromise has been reached over the club-versus-country dispute involving Super League leaders Bradford Bulls.

Super League leaders Bradford Bulls are on a collision course with the Rugby Football League after announcing they will put club before country later this year.

Rugby League chiefs in Britain have unveiled plans for a slimmed-down Super League at the top of a pyramid of summer rugby.

The Rugby Football League have moved to react to comments by legendary forward Martin Offiah that the RFL are refusing to acknowledge his record feat in scoring over 500 tries at club level.

Officials from rugby union and rugby league are expected to meet later next week to thrash out a dispute which has emerged over the 'poaching' of young talent from the 13-man code.

The Rugby Football Union have denied allegations that they are planning a raid on rugby league.