Qualification for Next Years 4 Nations

[Lobbygobbler]

Does anyone have details on fixtures etc for this autumn's Euro Nations qualifers for the 4 Nations?

I'm actually starting to look forward to this for the first time as something is really at stake, unlike some poxy second rate cup

I think for once this has been a good move by the RFL

[jackknife]

is the team that finish 4th in the 4N out next year?? PNG are fav to finish 4th but i wouldnt put it past englands slipping up and finishing 4th, would that mean they are out next season?

[gingerjon]

is the team that finish 4th in the 4N out next year?? PNG are fav to finish 4th but i wouldnt put it past englands slipping up and finishing 4th, would that mean they are out next season?

I think it's been rigged been agreed that it's England, Australia and NZ plus whoever wins the Euro Nations.

England probably 'qualify as hosts' or somesuch nonsense if there's a problem with that.

[deluded pom?]

The 4N IS England, Australia, NZ and A N Other. It's not even a remote possibility that the main three teams won't be there. It matters not one jot if England finish bottom of the table they'll still be there the following year.

[Lobbygobbler]

Is there any chance we'll see some of the big names turnout for Wales, Ireland etc, i.e.

Lee Briers, Cunningham (Wales) - would be good to see them in same team as Thomas and some of the young lads

Carney, Winger off Wigan (Ireland)

Should be able to get some big 10k plus gates for these games at appropriate venues (i.e. Cardiff)

[Cofi]

Is there any chance we'll see some of the big names turnout for Wales, Ireland etc, i.e.

Lee Briers, Cunningham (Wales) - would be good to see them in same team as Thomas and some of the young lads

Carney, Winger off Wigan (Ireland)

Should be able to get some big 10k plus gates for these games at appropriate venues (i.e. Cardiff)

Agree with you one hundred per cent: I would love to see Briers come out of International retirement and play for Wales. I'm hoping that Iestyn can persuade him to play. To qualify for next year's 4 Nations would be an immense achievement for Welsh RL.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Agree with you one hundred per cent: I would love to see Briers come out of International retirement and play for Wales. I'm hoping that Iestyn can persuade him to play. To qualify for next year's 4 Nations would be an immense achievement for Welsh RL.

Would be good if they both came back for one last swansong. Cunningham is retiring this season, so I think he'd probably want to call it a day after the play-offs.

[Cofi]

Would be good if they both came back for one last swansong. Cunningham is retiring this season, so I think he'd probably want to call it a day after the play-offs.

Mate, that would be awsome!

[Methven Hornet]

Would be good if they both came back for one last swansong. Cunningham is retiring this season, so I think he'd probably want to call it a day after the play-offs.

The problem there, in some ways, is that the team that qualifies isn't the one that will play in the 4 Nations. I can see the attraction of the near-retirement players giving it one last go to help their team qualify but, really, you want to ensure as far as possible that the best team in Europe in 2011 makes the 4N.

[Cofi]

The problem there, in some ways, is that the team that qualifies isn't the one that will play in the 4 Nations. I can see the attraction of the near-retirement players giving it one last go to help their team qualify but, really, you want to ensure as far as possible that the best team in Europe in 2011 makes the 4N.

Squad announced here.

No Briers, no Cunningham.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

The problem there, in some ways, is that the team that qualifies isn't the one that will play in the 4 Nations. I can see the attraction of the near-retirement players giving it one last go to help their team qualify but, really, you want to ensure as far as possible that the best team in Europe in 2011 makes the 4N.

Happens in the WC, so why not the 4N?

[thirteenthman]

Is there any chance we'll see some of the big names turnout for Wales, Ireland etc, i.e.

Lee Briers, Cunningham (Wales) - would be good to see them in same team as Thomas and some of the young lads

Carney, Winger off Wigan (Ireland)

Should be able to get some big 10k plus gates for these games at appropriate venues (i.e. Cardiff)

As far as the big names are concerned - no, I very much doubt it.

Won't France be favourites to qualify for the 4N? Unless the Celtic nations can find another load of Aussies with Irish/Scotch/Welsh grannies before October.

As for getting 'big 10k plus gates' - isn't it sad, but true, how a 10,000+ gate is seen as good for a RL international. Even with England playing, no-one's certain that it'll be over 20,000 anymore.

[Methven Hornet]

Happens in the WC, so why not the 4N?

With this being a new venture I just think its essential that we have the strongest European team possible. If the qualifier is weakened because the stars who helped them qualify have retired then the likelihood of thrashings is greater - if the thrashings are embarrassing then the chance is that the tournament may not happen again.

In the WC the European teams (especially the Iritch, the Weltch and the Scotch ) tend to have been kept away from the big 3 - this is a new departure for the game, a bit of adventure from the game's authorities, let's hope that it works.

[Methven Hornet]

Squad announced here.

No Briers, no Cunningham.

Isn't it good to see that 23 out of the 48 are from Welsh clubs?

[Maximus Decimus]

As for getting 'big 10k plus gates' - isn't it sad, but true, how a 10,000+ gate is seen as good for a RL international. Even with England playing, no-one's certain that it'll be over 20,000 anymore.

The likes of Wales, Scotland and Ireland have very rarely if ever got a 10,000 crowd for an international, especially against a domestic nation.

If we weren't comparing ourselves to other sports we'd see that 5,000 for any game outside of France would be a superb crowd.

[HappyDave]

Is there any chance we'll see some of the big names turnout for Wales, Ireland etc.

I think Ireland would be daft to leave the 'Irishman' Pat Richards out of their squad with his current form. He's a fantastic RL player but wouldn't his skill level be much higher than the rest of the Irish squad?

[thirteenthman]

The likes of Wales, Scotland and Ireland have very rarely if ever got a 10,000 crowd for an international, especially against a domestic nation.

If we weren't comparing ourselves to other sports we'd see that 5,000 for any game outside of France would be a superb crowd.

I can see your point, but it is sad isn't it? Although Wales can certainly point to 10,000 plus crowds, mainly pre-1995 when all the ex-RU stars have been playing. The match in Swansea when they played PNG in 1991 had a crowd of 10,000 on, bigger than the crowd for test match against GB.

Which brings us to the point about fans being able to relate to a national team. For Wales, having 2 'professional' club sides, this is less of a problem, but for Scotland and Ireland the national teams need to have players the locals can relate to. Parachuting guys from the NRL who nobody has ever heard of doesn't do this. It might improve the team, but getting more interest in the national teams should be paramount. Hence the rush to name Gareth Thomas for Wales.

You're also spot on about comparing ourselves to other sports. Unfortunately there are plenty of people in the game more than willing to do it.