The coach of Australia’s Rugby League team has quit his post after intense and widespread criticism regarding his behaviour at the recent World Cup.

Ricky Stuart behaved inappropriately towards match officials after the tournament’s final, which Australia lost after an impressive performance from New Zealand.

Stuart did later apologise for making offensive remarks to the officials and was fined over eight thousand pounds but this did little to calm the feelings of those offended by his outrageous actions.

Numerous rumours have been circulating ever since the incident, which occurred after the final match of the tournament on the 22nd of November in Brisbane.

There has been mounting speculation that Ricky Stuart made actual physical contact with the match officials from England, Ashley Klein and Stuart Cunnings, the day after the World Cup defeat to bitter rivals, New Zealand. Furthermore, the verbal abuse was said to be disgusting and entirely inappropriate.

The Australian Rugby League revealed that Stuart would not be applying for the job as national coach for next season and the ex-coach has now stated that this was a “difficult decision to make”, particularly in the light of the “honour and enjoyment that comes from coaching our national team”.

However, he believes that the tough decision will suit both the game as a whole and his own needs. Stuart apparently remains aware of how important it is to protect and continue to enhance the image of the sport and, in such circumstances, it was clear that he had to quit.

Last weekend, the Rugby Football League revealed that it was to introduce major changes to the Super League play-offs. These changes will be introduced next season and officials revealed that all fourteen clubs have been informed of the alterations. One of the biggest changes will see the highest-placed team after the first round able to pick their opponents for the semi-final in week three.

Furthermore, following the expansion of the league to include two extra clubs, the series, which lasts for four weeks and ends in October, will involve the top eight teams.

The format will now be as follows: the eight qualifying teams will play on the opening weekend, with the leaders of the League meeting the team in fourth position, and the second and third teams competing against each other as well. In addition, the fifth placed team will play the eighth placed team and sixth will come up against seventh.

The winners of the games which involve the top four clubs will progress straight to the third week and the qualifying semi-finals. However, the losers will face the winners of the elimination play-offs.

During the third week, the teams successful in week one’s qualifying play-offs will come up against the winners from the second week. The highest-placed team will also be able to pick from one of two opponents.

The eight team play-off series is a “tremendous” alteration for both “the sport” in general and “the competition” as a whole. This is the view of the chief executive of the Rugby Football League, Nigel Wood, who also believes that the new format will increase the drama of a period of the season which is already extremely exciting.

The earlier stages of the season will also benefit from the format, since more matches will have additional significance as clubs struggle to give themselves a good chance at winning the title.

Officials for the National Rugby League in Australia are set to decide whether or not to start a groundbreaking trial which would see two referees involved on the field of play during a match.

The trial would start next season and one referee would monitor the action surrounding the ball whilst the other would constantly monitor the 10m line in defence. It would only be implemented in the National Rugby League, with the current system remaining in place for every other rugby grade and competition.

The officials on the National Rugby League board will meet in early December to decide whether to set the trial in motion and the chief of the League, Dave Gallop, is keen to see the scheme approved. He believes that having two referees on the pitch will lead to “greater consistency” and a game which flows and is generally more attractive and exciting for spectators.

As well as the aesthetic benefits of the proposal, it would also improve the accuracy of decisions made on the field. Gallop revealed that the board is currently keen to continue to raise the standards of such important decisions and the proposal has already been supported by numerous players and coaches in the National Rugby League, as well as individuals responsible for making important decisions in the world of rugby.

If the proposal is approved by the board but the game fails to benefit from two referees, Gallop has revealed that further reviews would be made and changes could be introduced if necessary.