Rugby League World Cup 2021 boss Jon Dutton has been forced to defend the decision not to use Wigan’s DW Stadium as a venue.
The RFL announced on Tuesday where the games will take place in the 2021 competition and Wigan, home of the arguably the most famous team in England the Warriors, have missed out.
Dutton has explained the reasoning behind what was described by Wigan MP Lisa Nandy as an ‘inexplicable decision’.
The chief executive of Rugby League World Cup 2021, said: “We’ve had some really tough decisions to make. “If you look at the proliferation of venues we’ve selected across the north west, someone unfortunately had to miss out. “It was really tough when we had such great bids.
“If you look at the borough of Wigan, we had Leigh and we’re going to Bolton, which is around the corner but I think offers an opportunity with a different audience. “For a rugby league fan, whether you live in Wigan, Warrington or Widnes, you can get to all those games and enjoy watching those teams.”
Just two fixtures to be held south of Sheffield with Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium and Coventry’s Ricoh Arena both hosting games, all the rest are in the north of England.
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