Carney backs Ireland World Cup plan

Wigan and Great Britain winger Brian Carney has called for Ireland to be included in rugby league’s 2008 World Cup as a stand-alone nation.

Carney, a one-time Gaelic Footballer, made an impressive debut for Britain in November’s Ashes series but what he really wants is to wear the green of Ireland when the World Cup returns in four years time.

“I think having Ireland involved as a separate entity has to be the best way forward,” said the Wicklow-born winger.

“Having an Irish team involved in any World Cup creates a great atmosphere, and that’ll be no different in rugby league.”

Carney’s call has been supported by Rugby League Ireland chairman Dave Southern, who says his organisation are eager to work alongside the Rugby League International Federation in order to make Ireland’s World Cup dream a reality.

“I hope we’ll be able to sit down with the authorities and show them our development plans and fund-raising strategies,” said Southern.

“We want to take this on as a project, and I’m sure they will be happy to support us.”

Ireland reached the last eight of the 2000 World Cup, losing out to England in a tightly-contested quarter-final at Headingley.

Rugby League Ireland (RLI) will stage a St Patrick’s Day dinner, in association with 1895 International, at Huddersfield’s historic George Hotel on Saturday March 20 to raise funds for both the international team and the country’s proposed domestic league, which is set to launch this summer.

RLI say the event is vital to their development plans, and Carney has urged British-based followers of the sport to throw their support behind the initiative.

“The game here is strong at the moment, and therefore it would be fantastic if the second and third-generation Irish people in the UK got behind what we’re doing in order to help the game take off back home,” he said.

“The more people who get behind the organisation and events like this, the stronger the voice we will have and the more progress we will be able to make back home.”