Jim from Oz

Agreed, the international rugby league (IRL) and the Rugby league World Cup organising committee need to act fast – and get players, other teams, to back them up. They have a few days window to do this I reckon, then it will be a fate accompli for PVL And the clubs

Wow. A bit of hope

RLWC organisers' Twitter statement: RLWC2021 note the disappointing statement made by the ARLC and NZRL which may have wide ranging implications for international Rugby League. RLWC2021 were informed at very short notice and will continue discussions with all stakeholders to agree on the best way forward.

Hopefully that will be the contingency plan … postponement till next year is a non-starter for so many reasons IMHO …

Did Peter V’landys actually tell RLWC 2021 officials of this decision beforehand??!!

"ARLC Chairman Peter V’landys said player wellbeing and safety must come first." Have the players actually been ##### asked ???!!!!!!

I should be angry but I just haven't got the energy … after 46 years of lavish devotion to the game since age 11, I think this time it's defeated me for good. This "decision" by Peter V'landys is a complete and utter disaster for the game. Maybe I'll write a polite but firm email to him and the ARLC … but I'm just too over it all to do it now.

Precisely my thought I'd LOVE to go to a town like Roanne for the 2025 RLWC, and it would be great if it can promote its RL history beforehand and get locals people interested again

Roanne no longer has a rugby league presence? Really? I thought it was one of the original rugby league towns in France? I know rugby league is doing it tough in France but surely it is still played there?

Yep, as I say, excellent idea. I have visited France many times in the past 15 years or so, have done a lot of cycle touring with my bike and panniers, and a lot of long-distance walking along the "chemin" ("camino" in Spain) paths that all head towards the Pyrenees. Everywhere I go I ask people about rugby a XIII etc, and what they know about it. Lots and lots of people know absolutely nothing, some have a vague idea (They'll say, "I think it is played in Perpignon"), even fewer would have ever seen a game, and even fewer would know about French rugby league's incredible history. The one place I met people knowledgable about rugby a XIII was (not surprisingly) in Carcasonne … as soon as I told the bar owner in one bar I was from Sydney, he immediately waxed lyrical about TGG … and in fact, his sister was married to a player in the French national team, and he had even come to Australia for the 2008 RLWC ! He then put on a recording of SOO on his bar TV for me … a Dutch family sitting near me starting watching it and you could tell from their faces they had no clue what this game was ! So yes, please, get a travelling road show visiting schools and town squares to let the wider French public know all about French Rugby League !!

" It would be great to see some sort of travelling road show, even on a minor scale, taking that trophy and some memorabilia of French Rugby League history touring the schools and cities of France leading up to a decision or certainly to a World Cup kicking off in 2025." Excellent idea Rocket Rod …

Thinking ahead (I'm already excited about 2025 RLWC in France), I wonder where the final would be? Is there a big, 60,000+ or (being optimistic) even 70,000+ stadium in the south of France? Say in Toulouse? Surely the final would break the record for the biggest ever attendance for a RL match in France, 37,471, which occurred on Sunday, November 7, 1954, in the very first RLWC (result was France 13 drew with Great Britain 13).

OK getting back to the original story, has anyone looked at what is being said on the actual link? It's brilliant ! The French RL proposal is for 4 WCs (men, women, wheelchair, youth), all at the same time, all with 16 teams … other things it says are extremely positive … Luc Lacoste is fast becoming my favourite Frenchman since Puig Aubert! Let's celebrate rugby a XIII and allez the 2025 RLWC !!!

exactly. where is Toulouse fitting in? I'm sorry, the whole thing is ludicrous. BOLD PREDICTION: there will be another total "restructure" by 2017. Funny how Oz league, which is absolutely thriving, doesn't have these endless "restructures"…

I think the whole thing is utterly ludicrous and have lost a great deal of interest in following the English game ....

"Thirteen of 15 RLEF members, eight of 13 Observers …" I wonder who was missing and why?

12x2x8x3 or whatever it is, is utterly ludicrous - as shown on here by the fact no one can work out what's what with it

I know the World Cup is on ! But I agree, most of my RL-loving friends here in OZ either don't know it's on or care little – which, I'd argue, is because of the poor way international RL/RLWC has been treated / scheduled over the years. Channel 9 and FoxTel NOT buying the rights means they are less inclined to mention it on their telecasts.

Totally agree.

Obviously I disagree with that !

It most certainly wasn't - but it was made by an NRL with way too much influence by Rupert Murdoch and News Ltd. It was an utterly diabolical decision, made at the NRL when it was NOT having its best period (from 1995 to 2002, Oz RL suffered greatly, from the Super League War obviously and, after the peace, idiotic decisions like the South Sydney exclusion)

Agreed. Exceptional post. An utterly stupid move by the RFL. And I couldn't agree more re the point about French rugby league.

That's totally my sentiment. The RFL could have left it with 14 teams, made it a top 6 playoff instead of the ridiculous top 8, and brought back P&R with the 14th (i.e. last) team relegated to add excitement and mean there'd be no "meaningless" games. And the promoted team to be the winner of the Championship GF after a top 6 playoff in that comp. And if the RFL now goes for that utterly, utterly ludicrous 12 x 3 x 8 format, well … I'll just about give up!

If it's 40% of their target of 500k, then they've sold 200,000. If it's 40% of all seats (700k, apparently), then they've sold 280,000. I'm guessing the former - and yes, the 200,000 may include reserved tickets that may well be returned ! Still not bad, though !

I'd like to know the actual number sold rather than "40%" - but it's still very good news. "You've all done very well !"