Cash-Strapped Nations Forced to Pay for World Cup Boxes as Perks Row Erupts

The Rugby League World Cup has been a success on the surface, drawing strong crowds and television ratings, but behind the scenes a row over corporate perks has exposed a landscape of haves and have-nots. Officials from some of the cash-strapped nations are disgruntled at having to fork out tens of thousands of dollars for corporate boxes at their own games to the Australian Rugby League Commission, the organiser. ARL Commission chairman Peter V'landys has hosted guests in plush facilities at the Kangaroos' two matches to date, against the Kiwis at Allianz Stadium and against Fiji at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, while other nations have had to dig into limited funds to entertain their own VIPs and sponsors. According to sources, Papua New Guinea officials even considered abandoning hosting games if boxes were not made available, and the policy was eventually relaxed for PNG. Other nations, however, have had to stump up as much as $30,000 for corporate facilities, a departure from the Pacific Championships, where boxes were supplied to competing countries. The disparity extends to the players: members of Kevin Walters' Kangaroos squad will receive $40,000 for the World Cup, while players from other countries will earn only $850 per game. V'landys defended the planning on Friday, pointing to the funds provided to competing nations, but the row has fuelled debate about the sport's future — with sources saying the International Rugby League will no longer sell World Cup rights to a host and may instead run future editions itself.