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BRISBANE - Ireland are considered minnows at the upcoming Rugby League World Cup - and they certainly felt like it when they boarded their flight for Australia at Manchester yesterday.
Irish officials were left seething after they took their seats in economy - and England boarded the same flight in business class.
Management saw it as a slap in the face for a team contesting just their second World Cup.
But a British Rugby Football League spokesman said it was not "malicious".
"It's all to do with the funding that each team has available," the spokesman told The Guardian newspaper.
"England are partly funded through Sport England (which distributes lottery money) and also bring in more sponsorship money.
"There is nothing malicious in it, and we do all we can to support both Ireland and Scotland as well as England."
Ireland - featuring former Wests Tigers premiership winner Pat Richards - are not considered a chance of making the semifinals.
They are pooled with Samoa and Tonga in Pool 3.
The top teams in Pool 2 and Pool 3 play-off to qualify for the semifinals.
Ireland's hopes have not been helped by losing Wests Tigers winger Shannon McDonnell and Melbourne's State of Origin prop Brett White due to injury.
To put Ireland's depth in perspective, White was replaced by Brendan Guilfoyle of the Carlow Crusaders of the Irish Carnegie League.
Their team also features town planning student Stevie Gibbons who spent the 2008 season with third tier National League 2 outfit the London Skolars.
Ireland also boasts the World Cup's oldest player, 35-year-old Mick Cassidy.
But Ireland's Bradford recruit Michael Platt said they wouldn't be going over to Australia simply for a "craic" - sort of.
"Everyone knows the Irish like a good time and I'm sure we will but only in the right manner," he told The Telegraph and Argus newspaper.
"Gone are the days when you can drink and play rugby league.
"We're not just going to make up the numbers and have a holiday. We are going to do a professional job."
In their full World Cup debut in 2000, they lost to England in the quarterfinals.
They play their 2008 World Cup opener at Parramatta Stadium on October 27 against competition dark horses Tonga.
- AAP
