Ticket sales for the postponed 2021 Rugby League World Cup are already up to 350,000 ©Getty Images

The postponed 2021 Rugby League World Cup (RLWC2021), which starts in England on Saturday (October 15), has already sold 350,000 tickets - 100,000 up on the official total announced in August.

Troy Grant, chair of International Rugby League, updated insidethegames this weekend on the latest figure, which he described as " great". 

"Cost of living increases means late minute ticket-buying will be a likely outcome, so we're optimistic targets are being met," Grant added.

Grant, a former Deputy Premier of New South Wales who has also been Minister for Police and Minister for Emergency Services, acknowledged that the postponement due to differing COVID-19 restrictions in the northern and southern hemispheres had "caused some consternation" but .

"I'm confident now that all relationships are back on track and there have been some clear benefits, especially commercially, with the postponement," Grand said.

“As always with additional challenges in the conflict in Europe, cost of living rising rapidly and more political instability that has presented even more challenges for organisers especially with ticketing.

"Despite all this I couldn’t be more grateful to Jon Dutton, the RLWC2021 chief executive and the team for their resilience and commitment to our tournament, which I know will be the best we've ever had."

Meanwhile Grant is underlining his Olympic ambitions for rugby league, particularly in the light of the awarding of the 2032 Games to Brisbane.

IRL chair Troy Grant predicts the postponed Rugby League World Cup in England will be "the best we've ever had" ©IRL
IRL chair Troy Grant predicts the postponed Rugby League World Cup in England will be "the best we've ever had" ©IRL

"I absolutely stand by our vision of having rugby league showcased for men and women in the nines format at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics," he said.

"It’s a decision for the IOC [International Olympic Committee] and we have to make our case.

"I absolutely believe that our sport is a better TV and viewer option than sevens - without diminishing the rugby sevens in any way.

"And if you can have varying disciplines of the same sport across swimming, running, rowing, canoeing, shooting to name just a few in the Olympics currently there is absolutely no reason sevens and nines can't co-exist.

"They are different games and could co-exist without diminishing from the other.

"In that pursuit we will also seek to include wheelchair rugby league for the Paralympics in 2032 as well.

"As a sport it is leaps in front of wheelchair rugby and truer to the sport than others.

"So we will strongly make that case."

Click here to see the full interview in the Big Read.