langpark

Do we know when a final decision will be made? Some day this week I thought.

For anyone wondering what happened to the Euro 13 organisers:

Sorry I am a bit late to the party. It has probably already been mentioned. ERL make a pretty strongly-worded statement in favour of the RLWC: https://europeanrugbyleague.com/articles/2001/erl-board-statement-in-support-of-rlwc-2... I wonder when the Asia-Pacific confederation will make a statement

His parents own it? Really? Weren't they the main sponsor on the front of their national team shirt?

I think you are right. First win, well done to them! Nit sure why they are persisting with BSL though. They have not announced anything and I assume Bulgaria and the Montenegro team are probably the only non-Serbian teams involved. Once the pandemic is over, this competition will hopefully rebuild again.

Pettybourne signs with Red Star! https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1052240328640671

No hostility mate, just making a few corrections as I see a bit of a pattern on here if people making exaggerations and/or inaccuracies about Samoa's past performances. I would also like to point out that none of their losses have been floggings, except the 46-0 match against Aus. And that a lot have been very close encounters. Some people also seem keen to portray Fiji and PNG as pushover teams, which they absolutely are not. What can I say? The whole thing is starting to look like an orchestrated smear campaign in the media, because one of their mates, seemingly developed a sudden passion for Samoan Rugby League. If I were Parish, given the circumstances, I too would walk. I only want what is best for international rugby league. I just hope if/when he does vacate the position, that they give it to anyone other than this opportunistic trio. PS: My SBW comments, among others, were general responses to this overall thread, not directed at you.

You make some good points. But in fairness, the Martin Taupau defection (at the height of his career and while still being chosen for NZ, to me, is pretty significant and goes against everything else we seem to be hearing about Parish and what the players think of him.

Wrong again. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoa_national_rugby_league_team_results In their last 10 matches they have had: 2 wins, 1 draw, 7 losses. Three of which were against the big 3 (Aus, NZ, England) and another three against Tonga. Again, for the most part they have been a team of no-namers. I think people are confusing the number of Samoa-eligible players with how many actually choose Samoa when push comes to shove. And the idea that SBW (who never once seriously considered playing for Samoa during his career) could suddenly be the man to cause mass defections to Samoa is just ridiculous.

Oh dear, I see this Samoa myth is far worse than I first thought. Do people wear rose-coloured glasses when discussing Samoa? Do people subconsciously associate them with Tonga perhaps? As for the 3 matches you mention; 1) To refresh your memory, I suggest you take a look at the team sheets from the Samoa vs Fiji match in 2016. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Samoa_vs._Fiji_rugby_league_test_match Neither team stands out on paper, and Samoa really only had one "household" NRL name in their team: Sam Kasiano. Fiji are NOT in the category of easy-beats and the following year defeated NZ and made it to the top 4 of the World Cup. Also, Samoa lost the game 20-18, hardly a flogging. 2) Scotland 2017, they didn't actually lose to Scotland. 3) PNG 2019? What match might you be referring to there? As far as I can see, Samoa won that game 24-6. https://www.nrl.com/draw/internationals/2019/round-1/samoa-v-papua-new-guinea/ Fact-checking is not your strong point I see.

Indeed. Even if only 50% of them stick with RL right through to open age level, then that will be great progress!

Which games specifically?

I fear a potential cricket score here. They played 3 weeks ago down in Nis and Partizan won 60-6. Today they have home ground advantage, so I expect an even bigger scoreline, but I hope I am wrong.

This! From the very beginning, it felt to me like he made a throwaway comment on his show, that then escalated into something bigger, then eventually blew up like it did. There seem to be no shortage of people around him that seem to want to inflate his ego, which hasn't helped matters either. It reminds me of when you get on the beer with your mates, talk nonsense with each other, throw around crazy ideas etc. then the next day it's all forgotten. Only this time, it wasn't forgotten and they are still persisting with it.

This is so bittersweet. International finally getting some solid (prime-time) air time. But unfortunately, it has come in the way of campaigning for the Johns boys. 5 minutes worth of it, including the part where Andrew says he and his brother are not willing to work with the current coach. Really below the belt. I doubt either one has even been to Samoa even for a holiday. Their first contact with the nation seems to be this coup-like campaign they are running, which sadly seems to have the media's (Channel 9 and Fox) full blessing.

I understand times change, but this is another thing that annoys me. Those that got involved for the right reasons, and long before it was fashionable to do so, getting bumped aside by those that took a sudden interest and want to get on the bandwagon. A lot of those supposed "rugby league" shows (professor, fletch & hindy etc.) have often done nothing but ridicule the international game anyway. Anyway, it looks like talks might be progressing to get everyone involved: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/welcome-matt-parish-welcomes-sbw-johns-brothers-to-samoa-fold-20210505-p57p7s.html

I am not saying Parish is a super coach. But as I say, they have gone about it in the most bizarre way possible. If you are genuinely interested in helping, have a (quiet) word to management about it and see what the response is. I think a media ambush is not the right way to go about it. Also, personally, I do not buy into this theory that if the Johns brothers and SBW are on board, it will magically attract new players to the Samoan team. It won't. Anyone who wants to play for Samoa, already is. Josh Papalii for example, his stance (I believe) would remain the same. If he is good enough for Kangaroos selection, he will stay there. If not, will opt back to playing for Samoa.

A bit of a bizarre situation going on at the moment in Australia. Matthew Johns, on his RL talk show, came out and said he would like to take over as coach of Samoa, together with his brother Andrew and SBW. Samoan Rugby League since came out and said they had not been contacted by them nor received any expression of interest and also reiterated their support for their current coach, Matt Parish. (story below) Since then, about 90% of comments I am seeing online and on social media, are from fans saying things to the effect of: Samoa must be crazy/corrupt to say no to these guys. What is the matter with them? Get rid of Parish! etc.... To me the whole thing seems well out of order. As far as I know, Matty Johns (who I am a big fan of, I might add) has never had any involvement with Samoa Rugby League and I doubt he has any personal ties to the country itself. It seems to me, he has woken up one day and said: I would like to coach them! Basically using his profile to "blackmail" Samoa into ditching the bloke that has been coaching them since 2013. I cannot recall something like this ever happening. I just hope, whatever happens, the whole matter is sorted in a civil manner and that no harm is done to Samoan Rugby League. https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-news-samoa-coach-matty-and-andrew-johns-sonny-bill-williams-matt-parish-international-rugby-league/news-story/be2665d1ded8fc8d69d18c4931019234

Thanks, yes that is exactly what I meant, @fighting irish - what he said! PS: I enjoyed refereeing too!

Well done, great to hear! This is real development, organic growth, as "boring" as it might sound to some people. Everyone needs to remember, when it comes to development, we are running a marathon, not a sprint. North-East England is a perfect example. Look at the state of RL there two decades ago (or even one decade ago) and look at them now!

Well done Scotland! Setting up a stable domestic league, then some youth teams should be the plan for this decade. Some people just obsess about SL whenever there is a topic about Scotland or Ireland.

Actually, the ERL never tried stopping the Euro 13. That is ine big misinformation that seems to be going around. Some people/organisations just seem desperate to wear the 'rebel' tag.

I agree with him, but not for the reason he mentions. It is indeed bonkers that they have no league, considering all the noise they have been making since the whole Valencia idea began. I don't really see the pandemic as an excuse either. Approx 13 months passed between the the Fev match and the pandemic hitting Spain, so they had ample time to get some activity going.

It would be the equivalent of York playing a match in Leeds and saying: but it's still Yorkshire.

If within the next decade, 3 of the following 4 are playing SL and getting decent following, we will be doing very well expansion-wise: London, Toulouse, Sheffield, Newcastle.