Teams representing England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will all be entered in the 16-team tournament which will be held in Britain and France in the autumn of 2000.

Shaun Edwards: It's going to be very exciting

The Rugby Football League took the decision in order to obtain funding from the Sports Council - and to improve the status of the sport in the Celtic nations.

But the move - announced at the end of a two-day meeting of the International Federation in Sydney - means the chances of home success in the World Cup have been severely harmed.

Coach Goodway admits his job has been made more difficult

Britain's top players will now be scattered between the four home nations, which is bound to favour the world's top two teams Australia and New Zealand.

Of the Great Britain side that took on New Zealand this year, Shaun Edwards, Gary Connolly and Terry O'Connor have committed themselves to Ireland, Dale Laughton will play for Scotland and Iestyn Harris and Keiron Cunningham are regulars for Wales.

"It was tough enough before, now it's going to make it even harder," said Great Britain coach Andy Goodway.

"But they've got to go with separate countries to get the funding for the World Performance Programme and that's more important than my ego."

The RFL is bidding for £750,000 from the Sports Council as part of the World Class Performance Programme - and a grant would be made on condition that separate teams play in the World Cup.

GB star Iestyn Harris will be turning out for Wales

But league bosses are also concerned about following up the pioneering work that has been done in taking the 13-man game to Dublin, Glasgow and South Wales as they bid for a bigger audience.

Wales coach Clive Griffiths welcomed the move: "I am absolutely delighted and I'd love to be involved again," he said.