Tony Smith, the Warrington Wolves and England head coach, went through contrasting emotions yesterday as news of the arrests of two Warrington players soured the announcement that the United Kingdom had succeeded in its bid to host the 2013 World Cup.

Chris Bridge, 25, and Ben Harrison, 21, were arrested in the early hours of Monday on suspicion of causing affray. The alleged incident occurred outside Panama Jack’s nightclub in Warrington. The players have been released on bail until September 16.

Warrington play away to Leeds Rhinos on Saturday and Smith said that the pair will be considered for selection. “You can’t persecute or penalise people until you know what needs to be penalised, if anything,” Smith said.

The revelations at club level will have distracted Smith from the unexpected announcement regarding the next World Cup. Australia was believed to be the front-runner to host the event after it successfully staged last year’s tournament.

“It’s fantastic news,” Smith said, while also revealing his desire to coach England into the tournament. “I don’t look that far ahead but I would certainly like to be involved if things pan out for both sides.”

No venues have been confirmed for the competition, although it is believed that the RFL will adopt a more cautious approach after the failings of the overly ambitious 2000 tournament that included games in Gloucester, Reading and Belfast.

While there are obvious front-runners, the intriguing prospect of a potential fixture at London’s Olympic Stadium is likely to prove the most eye-catching.