The Millennium Rugby League World Cup will be held in Britain, it was confirmed yesterday.

The 2000 tournament was awarded to the Rugby Football League last year but South Africa, who had planned to submit a late application to the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF), withdrew their bid.

Preparations for the 16-nation tournament are well under way. France are expected to stage one of the four pools and, with the hosts represented by England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, matches are set to be held as far apart as Cardiff, Dublin and Edinburgh or Glasgow.