75 replies to this topic

[Rubber Schnib]

USARL Chairman appointed http://www.jaxaxe.co...73/Default.aspx

He has a pretty serious CV in terms of youth work, that's for sure. Hopefully he's a successful chairman, too!

[jannerboyuk]

He has a pretty serious CV in terms of youth work, that's for sure. Hopefully he's a successful chairman, too!

Yeah i get a feeling that the lack of youth work has been one of the frustrations that has lead to the new league. The axeman seem to be going ahed with a 3 team mini league in florida, if they can add a youth element then thats real progress. I always think that any real progress fr league should be by state to really embed itself. Florida is a relatively compact state with a population of 18 million people after all.

[jannerboyuk]

Interesting analysis of the split. Apparently another amnrl team is rumoured to be joining the USARL.
http://www.rugbyleag...a-rugby-league/

[jannerboyuk]

I think we've had our answer in regards to the Tomahawks selection
"The Tomahawks, the US national team, consist of the best players in the AMNRL"
http://www.wearerugb...e-landmark-year
A sad error and Niu seems to prefer elimination from the world cup to giving any ground.

[nadera78]

Put some money on Jamaica qualifying for the world cup then.

[druzik]

Interesting analysis of the split. Apparently another amnrl team is rumoured to be joining the USARL.
http://www.rugbyleag...a-rugby-league/

Well its not an analysis on my part ... I just put out the facts that were given to me by members of the USARL that I spoke to.

I am open to any rebuttal from the AMNRL and will happily post anything they want to give me.

Till then I will keep all my opinions to myself till I get both sides of the story.

Though being threatened with legal action does not help.

[jannerboyuk]

Well its not an analysis on my part ... I just put out the facts that were given to me by members of the USARL that I spoke to.

I am open to any rebuttal from the AMNRL and will happily post anything they want to give me.

Till then I will keep all my opinions to myself till I get both sides of the story.

Though being threatened with legal action does not help.

A little bit of bitterness being spat out on twitter as well. As professional as ever.

[druzik]

A little bit of bitterness being spat out on twitter as well. As professional as ever.

mmm... yes its a bit surprising.

[Bleep1673]

You are ALMOST correct Yanto - Championship1 however remains fairly amateurish.... at least to anyone watching it.

er.....? Yes!

[HappyDave]

As far as I am aware there is no "amateur" RL in the Uk,
BARLA used to be the amateur strong hold but despite the name is it not all "Community clubs" now.

Aren't 'Community Clubs' still 'Amateur'? Aren't ALL the teams in the RLC still Amateur? And if the RFL pay for any of the travel in the RLCN does that make the clubs 'semi-pro'?

[jannerboyuk]

mmm... yes its a bit surprising.

I think the clearest indication of what way Niu is going to attempt to handle this is his willingness to risk missing out on qualification to RLWC13 by excluding USARL players. Head in the sand stuff.

[Maximus Decimus]

A really tragic situation looks again to be developing.

I liked the idea that they could have set up a Super bowl type thing, two rival competitions with different ways of running the game where they play for a prize at the end.

Unfortunately the amount of bitterness will probably prevent this and they'll prefer to try and kill off the other competitor.

I'm not sure what's best for the game. I follow Niu on Twitter and I like the guy but I can't help but feel like there must be big problems if what is essentially an amateur sport has been forced into a split.

[HappyDave]

Aren't the Axemen one of the best RL teams in the US & if the USARL teams are barred from the US Tomahawks how many players would they lose? So Nui is biting off nose to spite their face?....

[del capo]

Aren't the Axemen one of the best RL teams in the US & if the USARL teams are barred from the US Tomahawks how many players would they lose? So Nui is biting off nose to spite their face?....

I believe that GB Community Lions are pencilled in to tour USA for 2012.

The US need to make a strong and united fist of this or they will be blown away( if it still happens ) by a non professional squad nevertheless capable of ravishing South Africa's best and even giving it a go in the Australian Quad series, as good as it gets outside NRL and Superleague.

The SA Rhinos took a lot from the Lions games designed as they were as 'stepping stone ' fixtures towards the World Cup.

Are the USA losing the plot? Trying to put a credible bid for World Cup status selecting from three or four clubs is a joke. Get it sorted or lose out to South Africa or Jamaica for that trip to Europe in 2013 , as well as the prospects of an incoming major tour in 2012.....

[DIEHARDTITAN]

This split could really cost the USA at the WCQs.

[Phil]

Please let this not be another lost opportunity, there must ne some room for negotiation between the parties concerned.

[HappyDave]

Please let this not be another lost opportunity, there must ne some room for negotiation between the parties concerned.

We can only hope. I wish the USARL the best of luck.

[frombanginfront]

I don't see how this could ever be a potential lost opportunity. In both camps are people who are in rugby league for the long haul. These aren't people who pack up when things get "too hard".

David Niu has the game's interests at heart, but it would seem he has most certainly gone about building the code as his own project, with others around to help "him" rather than build the game into a self sustaining entity. I have no doubt he pours a lot of resources into the AMNRL, but at the same time why wouldn't he, when he owns it, and is answerable to nobody.

At the same time, Niu has achieved a lot. He has given the US a solid foothold. Yes it's small time, but it's a very important step. However, if he were to pull out it would seem there will always be others in both the AMNRL and USARL to fill the gap created. Niu has given the game a rather strong amateur league on which to build, and where guest clubs can find occasional competition. Great stuff. But really, too much has been said, rather than done. Niu himself often attempts to shoot down any criticism he receives online, not ever stopping to consider that sometimes it may at least in part be warranted.

Promises of a league in Hawaii, California, and clubs in Utah and elsewhere often arise. We're promised that the league website will be updated "soon", and these promises are made every year, and have been done so since day 1. What does that achieve? How is telling the world that a TV deal is impending, and that a new Pro league will soon be up and running any good, especially when we hear the same thing every year? Perhaps the league would still be in one piece if Niu just stopped spinning yarns, trying to talk matters up, when all it does is serve to deflate everyone who might occasionally believe the man's ability to get things done when he says he will.

I wish the USARL all the luck in the world. I just hope that they are as driven as Niu is. Because on the surface it would seem that they are a lot more open and professional about how to deal with people both within and outside their organisation. That is a great starting point and puts them ahead of the AMNRL already.

On another note, it would seem a silly proposition that a small regional league might be able to call itself a national body, especially in a country as large as the US. It makes it difficult for other leagues to spring up around the country without conflict or having to answer to people without the resources to be able to contribute or understand the unique difficulties other groups might be facing in their own regions. The RLIF would be best served by ordering that no single league can control the national team, and that national selections be made up via a panel of members voted in via each member league.

[jannerboyuk]

I don't see how this could ever be a potential lost opportunity. In both camps are people who are in rugby league for the long haul. These aren't people who pack up when things get "too hard".

David Niu has the game's interests at heart, but it would seem he has most certainly gone about building the code as his own project, with others around to help "him" rather than build the game into a self sustaining entity. I have no doubt he pours a lot of resources into the AMNRL, but at the same time why wouldn't he, when he owns it, and is answerable to nobody.

At the same time, Niu has achieved a lot. He has given the US a solid foothold. Yes it's small time, but it's a very important step. However, if he were to pull out it would seem there will always be others in both the AMNRL and USARL to fill the gap created. Niu has given the game a rather strong amateur league on which to build, and where guest clubs can find occasional competition. Great stuff. But really, too much has been said, rather than done. Niu himself often attempts to shoot down any criticism he receives online, not ever stopping to consider that sometimes it may at least in part be warranted.

Promises of a league in Hawaii, California, and clubs in Utah and elsewhere often arise. We're promised that the league website will be updated "soon", and these promises are made every year, and have been done so since day 1. What does that achieve? How is telling the world that a TV deal is impending, and that a new Pro league will soon be up and running any good, especially when we hear the same thing every year? Perhaps the league would still be in one piece if Niu just stopped spinning yarns, trying to talk matters up, when all it does is serve to deflate everyone who might occasionally believe the man's ability to get things done when he says he will.

I wish the USARL all the luck in the world. I just hope that they are as driven as Niu is. Because on the surface it would seem that they are a lot more open and professional about how to deal with people both within and outside their organisation. That is a great starting point and puts them ahead of the AMNRL already.

On another note, it would seem a silly proposition that a small regional league might be able to call itself a national body, especially in a country as large as the US. It makes it difficult for other leagues to spring up around the country without conflict or having to answer to people without the resources to be able to contribute or understand the unique difficulties other groups might be facing in their own regions. The RLIF would be best served by ordering that no single league can control the national team, and that national selections be made up via a panel of members voted in via each member league.

I think the position from the RLIF should be this: how can one of two leagues be determined to be the governing body of the code in the USA, a vast country of 300 million people and several time zones, just because they got there first? They should keep it simple but demand a small body, two people from each side, and say get together, work together (but keep seperate leagues if you feel the need which they clearly do) to select a national side. No likee, no world cup. SA and Jamaica can play off for a place. Personally i'm just as happy to see jamaica over here with the large west indian descended population as the yanks.

[deluded pom?]

I don't see how this could ever be a potential lost opportunity. In both camps are people who are in rugby league for the long haul. These aren't people who pack up when things get "too hard".

David Niu has the game's interests at heart, but it would seem he has most certainly gone about building the code as his own project, with others around to help "him" rather than build the game into a self sustaining entity. I have no doubt he pours a lot of resources into the AMNRL, but at the same time why wouldn't he, when he owns it, and is answerable to nobody.

At the same time, Niu has achieved a lot. He has given the US a solid foothold. Yes it's small time, but it's a very important step. However, if he were to pull out it would seem there will always be others in both the AMNRL and USARL to fill the gap created. Niu has given the game a rather strong amateur league on which to build, and where guest clubs can find occasional competition. Great stuff. But really, too much has been said, rather than done. Niu himself often attempts to shoot down any criticism he receives online, not ever stopping to consider that sometimes it may at least in part be warranted.

Promises of a league in Hawaii, California, and clubs in Utah and elsewhere often arise. We're promised that the league website will be updated "soon", and these promises are made every year, and have been done so since day 1. What does that achieve? How is telling the world that a TV deal is impending, and that a new Pro league will soon be up and running any good, especially when we hear the same thing every year? Perhaps the league would still be in one piece if Niu just stopped spinning yarns, trying to talk matters up, when all it does is serve to deflate everyone who might occasionally believe the man's ability to get things done when he says he will.

I wish the USARL all the luck in the world. I just hope that they are as driven as Niu is. Because on the surface it would seem that they are a lot more open and professional about how to deal with people both within and outside their organisation. That is a great starting point and puts them ahead of the AMNRL already.

Couldn't agree more with that summary.

On another note, it would seem a silly proposition that a small regional league might be able to call itself a national body, especially in a country as large as the US. It makes it difficult for other leagues to spring up around the country without conflict or having to answer to people without the resources to be able to contribute or understand the unique difficulties other groups might be facing in their own regions. The RLIF would be best served by ordering that no single league can control the national team, and that national selections be made up via a panel of members voted in via each member league.

The problem there is that there would be nothing to stop anyone with the money and resources starting up their own rival to the RFL/SLE or the NRL and they would be given the right to have their players play for the Lions/Kangaroos. There HAS to be someone or something in place to oversee the organising of the international side that is recognised by the RLIF. At this moment in time, like it or not, that's the AMNRL in the USA.