CanadianRugger

The whole saga is Kabuki Theatre of the highest order. I really couldn't care less about playing in the Challenge Cup as we get no games. I don't know how the RFL expected us to sell tickets when we get no home games to the Challenge Cup?

I'm happy we won't play in the Challenge Cup. More rest periods for the players and we can focus 100% on promotion. We get zero games in Toronto anyways so who cares.

Just made a record profit as well. Washington Capitals just signed a local TV deal worth as much as the entire Super League deal with Sky.

Proof will be in the pudding. The RFL didn't want games played in blocks, ok no problem. Now they want games played Saturday at 1pm so teams can fly out the same night. A bad move because Rugby clubs play Saturday afternoon throughout the summer here. TWP now have competition with the Toronto Arrows RUFC who will be playing games Sunday afternoon. The RFL could be setting themselves up for another fail 😶

Relegation was hard on USAP but they were one of the top clubs in all of Europe as little as eight years ago. They are back in the top flight this year but will probably be relegated again. Part of the problem with teams like USAP is they are having problems competing in the new Top14 due to the size of their markets as they are a relatively small town team. Other clubs like Biarritz and Bayonne have the same problem. Tough to compete against big city teams like Clermont, Montpellier, Stade Francais, Racing, Toulon, Toulouse, Lyon, etc as they don't have the financial muscle or corporate support the big city teams do.

Does it really get more media coverage? The last tournament was poorly attended and barely made a profit. Yes Tonga did well but that is inconsequential because all the Pacific Island countries will always do well given that rugby is already popular in the Pacific Nations and Rugby League is popular amongst the polynesian communities living in NZ and Australia. The fact that RL allows heritage players for the Home Nations and "Lebanon" at the expense of Nations that field actual home grown teams makes the international game a total farce. If RL wanted a real World Cup, make it eight teams and do not allow heritage teams. Great Britain, France, Australia, NZ, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. The current format actually devalues the international game. It doesn't even register in the media outside the traditional League strongholds. All this being said, Rugby League needs to stop trying to emulate Union and chart its own path. It needs to strengthen its professional game as outside of NRL in NSW and Queensland, it doesn't really register anywhere. Super League clubs used to dwarf Premiership Rugby Clubs in terms of revenues and attendance, that isn't the case anymore. Heck, they would struggle to keep up with many ProD2 sides in France in terms of budget and gates. I firmly believe that as a spectacle, Rugby League is a superior product at the professional level to Union, but it isn't going to go anywhere if Super League and the NRL don't expand outside their traditional areas and try something new.

Why does Rugby League obsess about the international game so much, especially since international rugby league is a huge joke with only 2 or 3 teams remotely capable of performing well without using a boatload of Australian "Heritage" players. Strengthen and expand Super League and the NRL and make them better club competitions. NRL: Get a team in Perth and a second team in New Zealand. Super League: Second team in France, bring in the Wolfpack, look to get maybe a third club in France and some other clubs in NA eventually. Run a "Heineken Cup" style competition between Super League and NRL. This would be far more interesting than the RLWC. Take a page out of North American sport and grow the professional club game. The NHL doesn't give a rats ass about international ice hockey and its far more successful than even Rugby Union as a commercial venture. It even stood up to the IOC last winter olympics and nobody even cared.

Only thing they should sell is poutine! Washes down well with all that beer from the Garden!

I'm currently a CAF Officer, 13 years in the Infantry and am now a Naval Officer. There is no RL in the CAF. There is a Union team in the CAF but it is in its nascent stages. Truth be told, such is the tempo of the CAF now that we really can't put together sports teams for anything as the military is just too busy. Anyone that does play Rugby plays for a local union club.

Someone get Mel Lastman on the phone to call the Army in to shovel snow! The CAF stands ready to help TWP anyway we can!

14 pages about absolutely nothing! Way to go gents!

In North America, ideally in Canada on the West Coast. I also think losing four home matches is too many. No more than two matches should be played outside Toronto.

Neither am I and I think it's stupid. I personally find the RFL and many in the English game very tiring. Btw, I'm living in Victoria now so I doubt I'll be able to make a game this season. I will be watching on the television though.

Should have played a game or two in Vancouver.

You can play rugby year round in Vancouver. The Union season actually runs during the winter.