League: Joint hosting of World Cup looks likely

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Transtasman event offers record profits plus Pacific games to widen league future.

The New Zealand Rugby League and their Australian counterparts are expecting to find out today whether they will host the 2017 World Cup and, if successful, are promising to deliver the highest profits the world tournament has enjoyed.

The international board were due to vote overnight on who would host the 2017 event with a joint bid from Australia and New Zealand likely to win out over South Africa.

South Africa presented a number of challenges and risks and the international board don't have the financial resources to take the game's showpiece to an emerging league nation. It also doesn't help that the South African government refuses to recognise league and that four of the 10-strong international board due to vote on the host venue are made up by Australians and New Zealanders.

The detail would still be needed to be worked out if the Australia/New Zealand bid is successful but the plan would be for a 14-team tournament based along the same format as last year's one in the UK and France.

New Zealand would host one of the four pools and at least one quarter-final but would also bid to host a semifinal and possibly even the final. Decisions on this would be made by a working committee set up to oversee the tournament and would be made based on which venue would deliver the best profits.

Another aspect of the bid was to stage one or more games in Papua New Guinea and there has been thought to widen this to Fiji or another Pacific island.

Profits from last year's World Cup are due to be announced soon and are believed to have surpassed the A$5 million made from the 2008 World Cup hosted by Australia.

"We expect it to be one of the most profitable if not the most profitable World Cup in history," NZRL chief executive Phil Holden said.

"You would think that South Africa would be a risky proposition. A key thrust of our presentation was that now is the time to consolidate the gains made in 2013 and set up the game forever. Between Australia and New Zealand, we run these events, we know what we are doing and the passion and interest is high in our community.

"The expansion aspects of including Papua New Guinea are really important in terms of growing the reach of the game. That's another compelling argument."

Stephen Kearney will be confirmed as Kiwis coach on Friday and his first task will be the annual Anzac test, which is likely to be staged in Sydney on May 2. Some findings from the failed World Cup campaign will also be released on Friday, with most interest around the investigation into the use of sleeping pills and energy drinks by players.APNZ