A record Test crowd for Saturday's World Cup final between Australia and New Zealand at Old Trafford and the commercial success of the tournament may prompt NRL officials to seriously consider taking a premiership match or Origin fixture to England.

The success of the World Cup and the fact 74,468 fans attended a match not featuring the host nation demonstrated that the British public has a genuine interest in watching rugby league played at the highest level.

Success: The Rugby League World Cup has exceeded all crowd and financial expectations. Credit:Getty Images

While England is home to 13 Super League clubs, there is no doubt the NRL is a superior competition that many view in a similar way as they do the NFL and NBA.

Certainly, leading football administrators, including Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, are believed to think that way after meeting NRL boss Dave Smith during his 10-day visit to the UK for the World Cup.