Chile Set to Take Part in WC Qualifiers

[deluded pom?]

http://www.asiapacificrl.com/2018/04/28/chile-added-as-affiliate-members-of-asia-pacific-rugby-league-confederation/

[bird]

Same level as USA and Canada?

[Yakstorm]

In terms of competitiveness? I guess we won't know until the Qualifiers. They arguably have an equivalent player base to draw from (although clearly less experienced with League or Union), and through the Latin Heat they have a good Ex-Pat network setup with the Chilean Rugby League community in Australia.

I feel best case scenario for them would be to finish third and make it into the 16th place Qualifier Final against the MEA representative and the 7th placed Asia-Pacific nation.

[bird]

I find it odd that in 8 years existance, this is the first new non-founder nation from the APRLC region. What do the half dozen Asian and Pacific nations looking for recognition have to do?

[bbfaz]

Out of interest, who's looking for recognition?

[Big Picture]

On 2018-4-27 at 12:29 PM, deluded pom? said:

http://www.asiapacificrl.com/2018/04/28/chile-added-as-affiliate-members-of-asia-pacific-rugby-league-confederation/

It's time for the American countries to form an American Rugby League Federation.

[RayCee]

This will be a huge boost to the players in Chile and in starting new competitions within the country. It seems they have competitions within a metropolitan area which is great as it reduces travel costs. 

Countries like the Philippines and Thailand will see this and want to follow. 

[Yakstorm]

On 28/04/2018 at 10:57 PM, bird said:

I find it odd that in 8 years existance, this is the first new non-founder nation from the APRLC region. What do the half dozen Asian and Pacific nations looking for recognition have to do?

That's not true... When the APRLC was formed there was 7x Full Members and only Japan and Niue as Observers.

Since then Brazil (Observer), Argentina (Observer), Solomon Islands (Observer), Hong Kong (Observer), Philippines (Observer) and Vanuatu (Observer) have been added. Thailand was there as an Affiliate for a while before being banned, whilst South Africa came across from the RLEF.