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The World Cup has made a profit of A$5 million but rugby league's international body will not be spending any of it on the old Tri-Nations tournament. Instead a new Four Nations tournament will be kicked off over the next three years, involving Australia, New Zealand, England and France.
The Rugby League International Federation is putting together a new international calendar, building on the success of the 2008 World Cup, which ended with last night's Australia-New Zealand final in Brisbane.
Many have accused the Cup of being one-sided, with Australia winning games by wide margins. But teams such as Ireland, which reached the semi-final qualifier, and Scotland, which won its first World Cup match in five attempts, PNG and Pacific island nations of Tonga, Fiji and Samoa, showed out well.
Those countries will be the main beneficiaries of the $5million surplus from this year's 13th World Cup, after the initial budget of $21m was reached, according to the Australian newspaper.
It said development officers will be appointed by the RLIF to emerging nations and resources, rather than bundles of money, will be provided, such as training gear and equipment, better grounds and stadiums, travel and accommodation assistance.
Tournament director Colin Love said it was the first time he could recall a World Cup making a profit. It is a significant turnaround from the A$2 million loss the 2000 event generated.
"It was always one of the intentions of this tournament to lay the foundations so the federation could generate some real money to plough back into the game and help lift some of the other nations to a higher standard," Love said. "We've seen the potential in those other nations for that to happen."
Ticketing reached budget, television rights exceeded forecasts, corporate hospitality was a little flat but paid its way, and merchandising was over budget, according to Love, who said he could not release exact amounts because of confidentiality requirements.
RLIF deputy chairman Richard Lewis told the Australian he would be surprised if anyone lamented the passing of the Tri-Nations tournament between Australia, Britain and New Zealand.
"What's happening now is progression that we've planned for many years now," Lewis said, adding that the Tri-Nations (2004-06) was always going to be only one part of the platform to grow the game. The others have been the World Cup qualifying matches and the European Nations Cup over the past three years for second-tier league nations.
For the next three years during October-November, a Four Nations tournament featuring Australia, New Zealand, England (no longer Britain) and France will operate in alternate hemispheres, starting with the north next year, while a South Pacific Cup will be held comprising Fiji, PNG, Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands.
The winner of the Cup will be given a start in the next Four Nations tournament (France drops out when the event is in the southern hemisphere).
There will be no major tournament in 2012 to guard against burn-out while the 14th World Cup is scheduled for 2013.
Love hopes the new global calendar leading into 2013 will give rugby league a chance to compete with rugby union.
"We've never tried to compare ourselves with the soccer World Cup but, if you cast your minds back to when the rugby World Cup started in 1987 and one of the semifinals was played at Concord Oval in front of 15,000 people," Love said.
"I think that event was a moderate success, but in 21 years that event has now become a major international sporting event. I believe the product we've got in rugby league is as good as any other code and there's no reason we can't head in that direction in a much shorter period of time."
