Man of Kent

Wasn’t there something like that, which would put the horse before the cart, announced recently by the IRL?

The football World Cup isn’t padded out with the sort of dross like we saw with Greece in the RLWC21. You don’t get routine 5-0 drubbings, they are the exception. There’s a very competitive qualification process for the FIFA World Cup. Our one almost gave the impression that anyone who could cobble a team together could have a go. It stretched the bounds of credibility to the limit.

Yeah it’s a lovely story but I’m still not seeing how padding out the World Cup with dross enhances the credibility of international rugby league.

Well there you go. In all seriousness, how much did Greece being in the World Cup enhance the credibility of international rugby league? Answer: sweet Fanni Adamopolous. It detracted it. I’d love to see them play more games, perhaps a regular series against Turkey. But the World Cup? Nah. Not yet.

Many a true word spoken in jest. Obviously not, but neither should we have Australia vs Equatorial Guinea in the World Cup for no apparent reasons other than for some in the RL community to crack one off over ‘expansion’.

I’m afraid international rugby league is widely seen as a bit of a joke. Thankfully those who actually decide these things disagree with you and have taken steps to reduce the joke factor.

Quite. People aren’t fooled by this stuff. We’re fooling ourselves.

Of course it will. It will enhance the product, as Jones states. Having countries like Greece and Jamaica (‘Ooh look, Greece & Jamaica! Oh hang on, they are just Aussies and Northerners’) as novelty acts does nothing for the credibility of international rugby league.

Sorry but I think you’re the one who is wrong on this. The average winning point margin in the 3rd and final round of RLWC21 group stage fixtures was 55. Fewer teams makes for closer games and a (more) credible competition.

On current form, London will knock out Fev at Fev and play the winner of Toulouse vs Bradford/Sheffield in the grand final

London are going up. Seen this before.

Prat.

How typically TRL that we’re talking about pitch markings and slagging the Aussies! It’s an NRL double-header in Las Vegas. What’s not to love?

Bless. It’ll smash Denver, which was a bit of a flopperooni anyway.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

Also: https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2023/storyville-autumn-slate#madeofsteel I imagine it will be broadcast around the time of the France game (just a hunch)

Suck it up, boyo

Tickets behind the sticks for $19!

Warriors chant 'Up the Wahs' takes New Zealand by storm as footy team chases grand final glory

Yeah, I’m not buying Leeds are spending the same as Catalans, Wigan, Saints and Warrington, maybe even Leigh

I’m not suggesting they are going pop, just that they are struggling financially to compete with the best. Look at Wigan’s recruitment, for example.

Same thing. They are cutting their cloth.

To my eye it looks like Leeds are struggling financially. Didn’t they post significant losses during Covid?

I make it 8 league wins out of 9 for London with their final 3 games at home (Widnes, Bradford and Keighley). Is it 2018 all over again?

Development officers in every town.