Keith989

Sense at last.

Why do the Cowboys refer to the world cup as the "NRL world cup"??? https://www.cowboys.com.au/news/2022/03/10/i-would-love-to-one-day-represent-fiji-moceidreke/?fbclid=IwAR1lWyA80gq4kDfTT8qzEsnIh_9uEenpOkE6EnzcKth3XKxyMUMOL3922E0 "It is this strong heritage that Moceidreke says is why his dream is to represent Fiji at the NRL World Cup, just like his brother, Sitiveni."

Also Samoan fans will welcome him back with open arms no matter what he does. PI fans support their players no matter who they play for.

I'd be very interested to see where the NY team plan on playing, given the struggles the MLR side have had since they where formed.

So they've played more games than Pheonix Venom?

The Arrows didn't have home games either? They have their own logistical nightmares that they have to overcome, just like the wolfpack. Let's just face it, covid spead up the inevitable unfortunately. It was fun following the pack while they lasted.

How come covid didn't finish off any of the MLR clubs? The MLR clubs at this present time can only dream of having the branding and interest the wolfpack generated.

This tournament will be better attended than the last one in Australia. The French love their rugby.

How can Galway and the longhorns sides find the funding but clubs in the UK can't? You literally can't get smaller clubs than these. it's not like they are getting thousands off the local council or anything. I'm not saying it it will make the mainstrean sporting headlines, just that it will raise the profile of the club among rugby players of both codes here. Rugby league Ireland had the draw on their facebook page. A popular station like "off the ball" could've potentially covered the game in Galway, they've already given coverage to rugby league in the past. It's the small things that can add up.

If Galway were to win (unlikely I know) would they be allowed play at home in the next round? These rules are crazy to be honest, a game in Ireland could really raise the profile of the teams over here.

I'm going to go out on a massive limb here and say no.

This is true. The Samoa England opener was my most anticipated game of the year and that goes for both codes. I couldn't wait to see how competitive Samoa were going to be this year.

Indeed, Japan beat SA in the 2015 world cup. In the 2019 world cup they beat both Ireland and Scotland and gave a good account of themselves in the QF against SA.

Fiasco is one word for it alright, the attempt to include Ireland as part of the tour was comical to say the least. Its been suggested that it's only called GB & I if an Irish player is in the squad, which again throws the brand all over the place. For instance the walker Cup team in golf will always be called GB&I no matter how many Irish players are in the team, its the same with the lions in union of course.

Why is the "& I" in brackets, is Ireland in the name or not? The brand is all over the place to be honest and doesn't appel to us over here at all.

I can assure you there are two sad sacks there!

Genuine question, does that happen with every sport or is it just us individuals? I used to watch things like darts and snooker all the time but now I never stick it on, no characters anymore. It's the same even with poker (not a sport I know) where I just rewatch cash games from a decade ago instead of the new stuff. Even with my beloved Leinster rugby I would never think of missing a game on TV and used to even rewatch every game a couple of days after, but I've already missed the first 3 games of this season.

GAA. Both the hurling and football could sell out croke Park multiple times over for the All Ireland final.

This is where a mid season break for internationals would come in handy to refresh things.

This can't be real.

It's like you're not even reading what I'm posting. Let me make this very simple now... Ireland has relied on the granny rule for decades, now that they don't have that luxury anymore we can now see where Irish football really is. While Scotalnd and Wales are qualifying for major tournament Ireland is being thought a football by lesson Luxembourg. Despite the lucky results in recent years we've made Georgia look like Brazil at times etc etc... Look support whatever foreign team you want just don't complain when the national side are struggling.

Tell that to the Irish national sides... Don't you understand that it's only now we are seeing the effects of the premier league becoming a global league on us? Scotland with it's fully domestic league and Wales with their fully pro teams in the English leagues are the ones who qualified, whilst we are begging players with Irish grannies in league one to play for us. Is this a coincidence? maybe... Even if it is, there is not one argument that you can make where supporting foreign clubs is beneficially to Irish football on the whole.

What does it matter how strong the PIs get if there are barely any test matches played?

That's a problem with most European nations, like I said Irish players are now competing against players from across the globe for spots in academies and squads in England, that's one of the main reasons why there has been such a massive decline in the amount of premier league players produced here. Not having a fully professional domestic league to fall back on, where players could compete in European competitions instead of wasting away in the lower leagues in England is criminal. Scotland are producing far more top level players than we are (hence why they were playing at the euros while we were losing to Luxemburg) and have always had better strength in depth due to their strong domestic league. Once again the "granny" rule has masked where Irish football really is for decades, the only thing is now we are pulling "plastic paddies" out of league one instead of the premier league.

None of that changes the fact that it has destroyed the domestic game in Ireland and thus weakened Irish football as a whole. It was grand back in the day when English clubs rarely looked outside Britain and Ireland for academy players, now Irish lads have to compete against the rest or world for places, hence why most of the lads are now confined to the lower leagues, instead of playing in what could be fully professional domestic teams in European competitions. Any connections that were there have long been eroded, Irish fans on the whole support the teams that are doing well hence why we will now see a generation of city fans come through as what happened with Chelsea after their success in the early 00s. You can support who you want as I said just don't be surprised that NI or the ROI are struggling to beat the likes of Luxemburg etc for the foreseeable future. For the Highlighted part, you're right I don't know how they could (but they are free to support who they want and I'm sure plenty do). The only club in RL I follow on social media is the longhorns here in Ireland, the most exciting thing for me that happened in club rugby was them getting a chance to play in the CC.