fighting irish

Doesn't it make the whole competition more exciting? More unpredictable, with some of these great players spread across the competing Nations? The Australian and New Zealand withdrawal, not only (ostensibly) improves England's chances of winning but it could produce another (more than one) Tonga. A dark horse, coming out of the shadows, enhanced and emboldened by a sprinkling of great heritage players. It also opens up the prospect of the USA, Brazil or Serbia taking part making the whole tournament more colourful, more interesting, more intriguing. I just hope this goes ahead, despite the antipodeans arrogance, I can't wait!

We want to get this kind of article/headline into the Australian/New Zealand press

Bring in the United States. The tv coverage might just convince a good deal more of them of the enormous untapped potential of our game. This is Rugby League's Cuban Crisis, we need to turn to our allies, work with them and put on the best show we can. The ''new'' nations will add some very welcome novelty and open up their whole populations to our great game. Unless they come back to the table, for this world cup then it'll be a long time before we can trust/deal with those back-stabbers from down under.

If they moved from Tonga, to Australia or New Zealand when they were kids, then they're blo ody Tongan !

Well don't watch it. The truth is, the teams are the best ''available'' teams in the world.

I think this is an emotional decision. I suspect it's made by Vlandys and it's a response to the organisers decision to announce that it was going ahead. I believe he will have interpreted the announcement as a challenge to his authority and Australia's status in the world game. He will have seen it as an ultimatum....'' we're going ahead anyway, so make your mind up''. My guess is he will have been crimson with rage. This is a typical aggressive reaction from a bloated, yet fragile ego, embarrassed by the very public challenge to his self image. His willingness to wreak havoc in the world game, to powder his blushes is a real indication of the true nature of the beast.

Shame on Australia and New Zealand RL !

Come on, get on that nrl.com feedback page and give it to them?!

They don't exactly make it easy to provide untrammelled feedback but right at the bottom you can make comments. This was my first offering:- ''The decision to turn your backs on the rest of the world is treacherous and may yet, bring about the downfall of the sport in the Northern Hemisphere nations. This insult is unforgiveable and will go down in history as an infamous stab-in-the -back, at a time when the organisers have garnered more support than ever before and when the game in the Northern Hemisphere is at its most vulnerable. Shame on you all!''

Their non-appearance could increase the ratings

If player welfare is the issue, and concerns about players missing their families, how can they propose a southern hemisphere tournament this winter instead of the World Cup? That is utter hypocrisy.

Thank you very much for this interesting news. Please keep us informed, (as you become aware of further developments)?

Keep the news coming mate. Cheers me up no-end!

Please see my edit?

Why is that boring? Sorry Zy' I read past, your following post. I got your answer.

Hey Langpark I'm in total agreement with everything you said here but I want to challenge those ''others'' who refer to organic (slow) growth as ''boring''. If anyone says that, they are completely discounting the enormous levels of pleasure and satisfaction gained from simply playing the game. When I was young enough to play, looking forward to the weekend's game, occupied 90% of my waking hours. It didn't matter (to me) one iota, at what level I was playing at. I loved it at open age amateur level, semi professional level and at WRL representative level. The standard I played at, at any particular time, had no bearing on the level of my enjoyment. I loved coaching from Little League right up to Senior level. Bug ger me, I even enjoyed refereeing So who says its boring? The armchair critics, who are not really involved in the real game and who have no concept of the sheer uplifting power of Rugby League football, to enhance the lives of our participants are not even qualified to comment on Rugby League. They hold our amateur clubs and players in contempt. How dare they call them boring? They are certainly not true fans of the game, if they don't feel the joy of association that I'm talking about.

Hear hear!

That was great! Any more?

C'mon the Scots!

Great news again Pulga, from Central America. I offer great encouragement to all those involved in this exciting development. I hope it can continue to grow and become a force to be reckoned with in world Rugby League. As an aside, I saw on one of the twitter feeds, that good things are happening in California too. What an exciting future the America's has in our great game.

Yes a real character. He came to Aberavon (in the late eighties I think) with the Scottish Students. We took him to a pub called the Bar Gallois, (pronounced Bar Gallwah) which is French for Welsh Bar. He quickly christened it the Bar Gall eee ose. We still call it that now.

If RFL were really interested in development (at all) they wouldn't let this organisation wither on the vine. Similarly with a commitment to keeping the game vibrant in the armed forces.

Bring back Bev and John Risman, they were well aware of the potential of getting our young students involved. They take the game all over the place with them. Is there still an organisation called the Student Rugby League? If not, why, what happened to it? A few University sides would add to the Scottish Club scene and like I said earlier, would spread the game far and wide when the students move on to work.

Oh flower of Scotland!

Do you know if anything is being done, by the Lebanese International team (and management) to assist or promote development in Lebanon?