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The USA Tomahawks have been the fairytale story of the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, but can they spread the game back home?

If veteran commentator Andrew Voss had his way, rugby league would have a World Cup every two years. 

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An unabashed flag-bearer for international rugby league, Voss believes his revolutionary concept would grow the code and strengthen the standard of the game across the world.

"If you really want to take international league to another level, I'd have a World Cup every two years," Voss told NRL.com.

"There are athletics championships every year, golf and tennis majors every year; there is no reason why we need to follow the Olympics or soccer World Cup scheduling [with four year cycles]. 

"It would mean international league has more meaningful matches more often with a trophy up for grabs.

"How good would that be?"

The main focal point of his theory is that the maligned player eligibility issues that again came to the fore in 2016 would not be as prevalent if international teams had more structured competitions, more often.

The blueprint would involve the World Cup alternating between the Northern and Southern hemispheres every two years and would give players something tangible and meaningful to strive towards.

"The World Cup is a great opportunity to be a springboard for the international game, especially with what we do directly after the tournament," he said.

"That is why I've got the radical proposal to have the World Cup every two years, it helps international teams develop and stops players being lost to other codes.

"It makes representing your country a much more viable option and it certainly goes a long way to stopping the outrage of a player like Semi Radradra changing his allegiance to play for Australia. 

"That can only be a good thing for the game."

While Voss's concept won't be adopted any time soon, there is still plenty to look forward to at the 2017 tournament and he has a simple message for fans. 

"This is my message and I'll deliver it bluntly: bugger what soccer fans and rugby union fans think, this is our World Cup, this is what we've got and from personal experience in 2013, 2008 and I can go back to 2000, it is a great sporting event to be a part of. 

"There is something special about this tournament and you only need to look at the tears in players' eyes as the national anthems play to show how much it means to them.

"Any league fan and doubters of international league should go in with an open mind and appreciate it for what it is, different styles of rugby league to what we are used to seeing, with plenty of passion."

As the 2017 Rugby League World Cup draw was launched on Tuesday, Voss recalled one of his fondest memories calling a game involving Italy and Tonga. 

"The greatest example of how a rugby league public can embrace a World Cup was the last qualifying game in the pool stage, in Halifax in 2013," he said.

"It was Tonga v Italy, it was the biggest crowd for any event in Halifax in over 20 years. I worked with a young statistician who had tears in his eyes because he had never seen the ground so full.

"It was a great day for rugby league."

For more information visit RLWC2017.com

 

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