Anger mounts as 'selfish' Australia and New Zealand pull out of Rugby League World Cup

Australia and New Zealand have withdrawn from the Rugby World Cup. Picture: Gregg Porteous/PA

Anger is mounting over the decision by Australia and New Zealand to pull out of the 2021 World Cup.

The southern hemisphere giants say they made the call because of the worsening Covid-19 situation in the UK which made it “simply too unsafe to send teams and staff over” but they were branded “cowardly” and “selfish”.