World Cup in Mead’s 2022 plans

The National Sports

By PARKER TAMBUA
BRISBANE Broncos veteran and Papua New Guinea international David Mead has declared himself available for the Rugby League World Cup despite the deferral of the sport’s showpiece event to next year.
The World Cup, initially scheduled to be held in England this year, was last week postponed to next year due to the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Kumul No.227 Mead, who will turn 34 in January, told The National yesterday that his focus now was to finish the National Rugby League (NRL) season strongly and train hard in the offseason.
“Hopefully, I play a few games for the Broncos before the end of the season,” said the former Catalans Dragon, who won the Challenge Cup in 2019.
“I will work hard in the offseason to make sure I have a good campaign next year and play in another World Cup.”
Mead said the postponement of rugby league’s showpiece event was a good decision by the International Rugby League.
He said it was in the best interests of the Kumuls.
“In my opinion, I think it was a good decision because of all the uncertainty surrounding the situation with Covid-19,” he said.
“And with Australia and New Zealand withdrawing, it had to happen that way.
“The decision probably worked out good for the Kumuls too because a lot of our players come from the SP Hunters.
“They have been away from their families all year, staying in Queensland and playing in the Intrust Super Cup.
“An additional eight weeks in England after the season would’ve been very hard for them.”
Meanwhile, the Tubusereia native, from Central, has so far scored five tries across 10 NRL games this season.
His last game was against the St George Illawarra Dragons in round 13 two months ago.
In other club news, fellow Papua New Guinean Xavier Coates has finally earned a recall to the starting line-up for the Brisbane Broncos after a six-week exile.
The 20-year-old Maroons winger was not carrying an injury, as coach Kevin Walters left him out in the cold. The Melbourne Storm-bound flyer will line up for tomorrow night’s round-22 clash with the Sydney Roosters at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.