The Princess of Wales sends World Cup welcome message

The Princess of Wales has welcomed players and teams to the Rugby League World Cup.

On the eve of the opening match of the tournament in Newcastle, The Princess of Wales congratulated @RLWC2021 CEO Jon Dutton and his team for their tireless work to overcome numerous challenges to ensure the World Cup took place.

"To everyone competing in the World Cup, I wanted to extend the warmest of welcomes to you as you arrive in England for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup," The Princess of Wales wrote.

"It such an honour for our nation to be able to be able to host you all as we showcase this fantastic sport to a global audience.

"I know that it has been a long time since the previous World Cup but I couldn't be more pleased that we are finally able to kick off what promises to be an exiting few weeks of rugby.

"I'm particularly proud of the tireless work that the organising committee has undertaken to make sure this is the biggest and most inclusive Rugby League World Cup to date, with men's, women's and wheelchair tournaments taking place on the same stage at the same time.

"Good luck for the weeks ahead. I hope you enjoy your matches and are able to take great pride in what you achieve. I'll be tuning in to see you all go."

The Princess of Wales in the Patron of England's Rugby Football League.