IRL holds key as rugby league chases exposure it craves and deserves on back of promising World Cup

The delayed 2021 World Cup provided five weeks of pure bliss for supporters who grew up on a diet of rugby league.

Then there are the first-time observers who were introduced to the sport thanks to the BBC's wall-to-wall coverage.

Invariably, those people are left hooked and wanting more.

Rugby league's issue is that the joy the international game provides is quickly forgotten.

Once the domestic competitions restart, international talk is viewed as an inconvenience and something that can wait for later, particularly in Australia where the NRL is king.

Simply getting the power brokers to the table is an achievement in itself let alone nailing down plans for the three years leading into the next World Cup in France.

Aside from a men's and women's double-header between England and France scheduled for April next year, the diary is empty.

In sharp contrast, football, cricket and rugby union map out schedules years in advance.

International Rugby League, the organisation responsible for running the global game, is hoping to produce a 12-year calendar by the end of this year.

Supporters could be forgiven for thinking they have heard it all before.

The most pressing priority is to finalise the qualification process for the 2025 World Cup, while there are hopes that Australia will raise the profile for that tournament by touring the UK and France in 2024, which would be the first full Kangaroos tour for 30 years.

For the good of the international game, it simply has to happen.

England and Australia have not locked horns since the 2017 World Cup final, making it the longest gap between meetings since the rivalry began.

In the shorter term, England do not have a series scheduled for this time next year, although the Rugby Football League remains hopeful of convincing a southern hemisphere nation to revisit these shores.

In the absence of meaningful internationals, any momentum gained is lost and the cycle begins again at the next tournament.

There is so much to build on, from Samoa joining Tonga as serious contenders alongside traditional powerhouses Australia, England and New Zealand to the feelgood factor generated by debutants Jamaica, Greece and Brazil.

That is without mentioning the wheelchair stars who won an army of new fans on the road from the Copper Box Arena to Manchester Central, where England defeated familiar foes France in a gripping final.

The brutal blows, silky skills and astonishing athleticism on show captured the imagination of non-rugby league fans and traditional supporters alike.

The sky is the limit for the wheelchair game as it continues to grow in popularity and nations such as the USA and Spain become stronger.

World Cup chief executive Jon Dutton was among those to call for a long-term international plan after delivering the most inclusive event in the sport's history.

“I understand it’s complicated but something has to change,” he said. “I think it’s going to take some bravery, some boldness and some vision – but all the components are there.

“The women’s, wheelchair and PDRL games can take to the sport to new heights alongside the men.”

The women's game has come a long way since the last tournament on these shores in 2013 when only four teams participated.

Although a huge gap remains between Australia and New Zealand and the rest, women's rugby league is enjoying exponential growth, as evidenced by the rising attendance figures.

For England, the next step has to be professionalism if they are to become a genuine threat to their southern hemisphere rivals, three-time champions Australia in particular.

Shaun Wane's men are at the bottom of a similar-sized mountain after seeing the Kangaroos win a 12th title.

Not only are they as far away from Australia as they have ever been, England now have other nations for company in the chasing pack.

Ironically, after championing the need for a stronger international game, England are in a position where they face a scrap to even make the semi-finals.

The challenge for every men's and women's nation is to catch the all-conquering Australians after a familiar finish to the 2021 World Cup.

The five-week festival of rugby league delivered enough drama and excitement across the 61 fixtures to make the blowouts a mere footnote.

Furthermore, it was beamed into more homes than ever before after the BBC reported a record of almost 30 million viewers.

The challenge now is to keep those people hooked by giving them regular England games to feast on against the world's best teams.

If the IRL can deliver on its pledge to produce a 12-year calendar, rugby league may finally get the exposure and following it craves and deserves.