Prince Charles gives Rugby League World Cup the seal of approval

HRH The Prince of Wales welcomed RLWC2013 Tournament Director Nigel Wood and RLWC2013 General Manager Sally Bolton along with representatives of all 14 nations including Australian captain Cameron Smith and England forward Sam Burgess, as they continue in their campaigns to lift the historic Rugby League World Cup trophy at the final at Old Trafford on Saturday 30 November.

RLWC2013 Tournament Director Nigel Wood, said: “To receive support from His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is another great boost for the tournament, the competing nations and the sport of Rugby League.

“We’ve had such positive backing from some of Britain’s greats and this wonderful invitation from Clarence House cements the tournament’s credibility and this world cup securely within Great Britain’s fabulous decade of sport.”

RLWC2013 officially began last weekend with a spectacular opening ceremony and a double header at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Followed by a sell-out match between New Zealand and Samoa at Warrington’s Halliwell Jones Stadium and a closely run contest (9-8) between France and Papua New Guinea at Hull’s Craven Park.

RLWC2013 will be only the eighth major sporting world cup ever to be held in the UK. Following on from the huge success of London 2012 this is the global sporting event of 2013 and will see 14 nations including reigning champions New Zealand along with co-hosts England and Wales; Australia, Scotland, Ireland, Fiji, Tonga, Italy, USA, Cook Islands, France, Samoa and Papua New Guinea compete for the RLWC2013 trophy.

Pictured left to right:

Fiji – Petero Civoniceva,
USA – Curtis Cunz,
PNG – Michael Marum,
Ireland – Matthew Hadden,
Italy – Gioele Celerino,
Scotland – Andrew Henderson,
HRH The Prince of Wales,
England – Sam Burgess,
Wales – Ben Flower,
Tonga – Sydney Havea,
Samoa – Teofilo Lepou,
Australia – Cameron Smith.