londonrlfan

They're playing in the WCQ, so they're unavailable.

As opposed to what though? The All Stars? Yorkshire v Lancashire (God forbid)? The latter really would send the sport back to the dark ages

But if Aussies don't want to go there, then it opens up more opportunities to give players from PNG and the likes of Fiji etc full time contracts. It's not a situation where their fanbase will depend on how well they're doing. It's the national sport and games will sell out regardless.

We don't know until we try

Yep, the Pacific Cup/Bowl can even double up as qualifiers too. If we're only having 10 teams from now on, there shouldn't be any automatic qualifiers, except for the hosts.

Then ideally, all the players will be from PNG and the South Pacific, which would do wonders for the international game.

Ideal scenario, would be something like this: Year 1: World Cup Year 2: Regional qualifiers for the Second Major international tournament, ie Intercontinental Cup Year 3: Intercontinental Cup - 8 teams from all regions Year 4: World Cup qualifiers Gives everyone meaningful games and has two big events every cycle to gear up to. Most major sports have World Champs and Olympics etc, football has the Euros, Cops America etc alongside the WC.

No they're not scheduled, but the World Series is in 2025, so when else would they be? A 10 team WC with 9 automatic qualifiers isn't a WC, but an invitational tournament.

If we didn't replace our second major international tournament, with outdated 3 test series, we wouldn't have had this problem.

Loads of comments about Fiji, PNG and France. But Fiji and PNG are in the Pacific Bowl and Fiji are hosting it, while France are in the WCQ and shouldn't be given automatic qualification just to give Eng a game. France need to start winning more games. The only option is Lebanon, and I don't see how the RFL can think we're above playing them. Potentially one game in the Arabian gulf would be amazing, if doable? Otherwise it could potentially promote RL in this country to a new audience, ie Muslims and Arabic speakers. Knowing the RFL though, it will be two games v the All Stars at Leigh and Warrington.

No lol. We're badly run enough as it is. The RFL abandoning Wembley for England games was a huge mistake. 67k in 2013 and not been back since. Regardless how of rubbish the New Wembley is, it brings prestige to the international game.

It is, but unfortunately the RFL have zero ambition and don't want to grow the sport outside of the M62.

Problem is France and Wales will be playing European WCQ next year

No they will be in the Pacific Bowl

Lebanon is probably the best bet as they are already qualified. Why not go to a new area and play a match in Dubai or Qatar, or Lebanon if viable?

They'll be in WCQ

I think the US will be their target over the next decade or so, providing how profitable Las Vegas is. If it goes well, they won't be coming to England to play in 3 small venues in the M62, and you can't really blame them.

It's the sport's own fault for dumping the Four Nations in favour of three test series, going back to the dinosaur age. A 3x match v France won't sell well or be much competition. Maybe try something different for a change? France in Toulouse, Wales in South Wales, maybe Lebanon in Dubai or Qatar?

Certainly has big ambitions, but his comments seem a bit far fetched atm. Let's have Las Vegas games in 2025 first before talk of even more. RL has a habit of abandoning ideas before they even get a chance to grow. He is right though that the international game won't grow the sport globally, but the club game will. Look at football for example, the PL, Champions League, La Liga etc is what draws new audiences to the sport globally, not England v Germany. All this AFL talk is mute imo, there's two sports the NRL need to watch for in Australia over the next decade or so; Basketball and the NFL. 100% the NFL will be looking to stage games at the MCG and Sydney Olympic stadiums soon.

You can guarantee the Aussies will go into hiding for a couple of years now, after this thrashing, while bagging the international game and bleating on about how Origin is the pinnacle.

It's more of a mental barrier, than a talent barrier. I feel like if we get that win, it could become a regular occurrence. Just as the Kiwis have done. But getting that win is still proving elusive.

I agree. What's the point of having a Federation if the RFL need to do everything for them? They've both had over 20 years of advantages being in the WC, BBC etc and nothing has come of it. Greece play in one WC and now AEK Athens have a league side, but they're barred from the next two. There's just no interest in RL in Scotland and Ireland. There might be at a niche level, but time to stop throwing resources at them just because they're a union nation. That makes it harder to make inroads anyway. Happy for them to exist on the level of say Malta etc, but they shouldn't be competing in WCs. At least until they start putting in real development work first.

I don't think Brentford want any rugby while they have PL TV money. When they drop back down the leagues, it will soon change.

There's far too many teams in Sydney as it is, and Manly are already in the North. NZ 2, Perth, PNG, Victoria 2, Adelaide, Fiji, Central Queensland, Darwin should all come before another Sydney team.

Probably very little numbers or you'd see more heritage players. Mal Meninga is of Solomon Islands heritage apparently. The NRL should pay for development officers for the next ten years or so, and the likes of Meninga go over and do coaching sessions, play an NRL trial game etc. Similar to what's been happening in Fiji. There's real potential for RL there.