[International RL Eligibility - List of Players Eligible for...]

On 30/09/2019 at 07:55, The Future is League said:

The residency rule should be longer, say 10 years, or at least been to school here.

They are both fine!

[RLWC2013 celebrate 100 days to go]

Well then they are clearly all morons.

Thanks, ill be sure to pass the message on. One of them played around 100 games in the nrl, one played professionally in France and all are fans, members and or former players of reasonable junior success. I wouldn't call them morons as they have all been very successful in their respective careers. But only one knew the World Cup was on this year and the others had no idea who would even play in a World Cup. Some were dismissive, some were semi interested but all would list rugby league as their favourite sport.

The real issue here, as deluded pom has informed you is that there has been ZERO publicity for the World Cup here in Australia. Unless you actively seek it out, you would not know it is on. The conversation came up during a BBQ we were having during the second origin game, passionate rugby league fans just do not know the World Cup is on because the nrl does not promote the international side of the sport and the mainstream press basically ignore it as well. It is improving but we have a long way to go.

[Lewis Blocked by Kiwis and Australia?]

If the RLIF insisted on a stand down period then I could live with it if it was strictly enforced. A player should have to write to the RLIF stating that from the date of his letter he intended to sit out a period of time (perhaps a world cup cycle?) and from that point on represent x country.

On the more general point of the PI nations, I'd suggest people take a look at the actions of the Cook Islands over the past few years. They've worked slowly, deliberately, to build a team from the ground up. They've used a mixture of players born/raised in the Cooks, Australia and New Zealand and developed a group that knows one another well and has played together for some time. In fact many of the team in last years Pacific Cup played together for the Cooks in their U-16's and 18's, such is the system they've put in place (despite their lack of financial clout).

Compare that to the likes of Tonga and Samoa, who wait until Australia and New Zealand have picked their squads before selecting their own from what's left. That means their teams change quite drastically from one year to the next, there is never any consistency in selection or performance, and it is near impossible for them to genuinely develop a team or a national programme.

The results are there for all to see in the 2008 RLWC and the 2009 Pacific Cup. There is only one way to see genuine internatinal development, and it is by looking at the Cook Islands and Fiji.

agree on the cooks, but how ridiculous is it that their best players qualify to play for nz despite not being a new zealander. for eg, zeb taia,born in australia to cook islander parents but qualifies and plays for nz because the cook islands is a nz dependency. what is the point of having a cook island team then?

[Tim Sheens says he would pick Gareth Ellis in the Australian team.]

how did the actual other englishman go? Flanagan

flanagan is on the bench for the wests nsw cup team. im not sure why but he has only been used sparingly in first grade over the last few weeks since fulton has returned. he has had quite a good year but doesnt seem to be in sheen's plans as of late, im not sure if he is carrying any injuries.

[Tim Sheens says he would pick Gareth Ellis in the Australian team.]

Fine by me.

If Australians aren't interested in SL, then that's just great.

I honestly couldn't give a flying ###### if the inhabitants of some backwater 10,000 miles are not interested in SL.

The fact that some people feel the need to cream themselves over the NRL is, quite frankly, embarrassing.

i personally love the super league, i did before i went to england and did so more afterwards.

as for backwater comment, i have travelled a fair bit and a backwater we aint buddy. maybe you should lighten up a little and try and enjoy it next time like everyone else does!

[new zealand train on squad]

some of these selections are farcical.

- tony williams is australian born to tongan parents, has previously played for the junior kangaroos and tonga in the rlwc, nobody ive heard from can explain how he is even eligible.

- zeb taia is australian born to cook islander parents, and qualifies for nz because the cook islands are a nz dependency!

- Ukuma Ta'ai played for tonga in last years pacific cup.

- bryson goodwins father (or uncle) played for australia, he qualifies through one nz grandparent (which is within our rules, it is just a bit weird considering his families rugby league history)

- fetuli talanoa played for tonga from 06-08, ben roberts had previously switched from nz to samoa for the rlwc, and we all know fui fui's switches, tonga-nz-tonga-nz.

[Catalans look like shedding a few imports]

scott dureau is the worst player in the nrl, god i hope catalans dont sign him. that is the last thing they need!