Lions tour 2019 (Merged Threads)

[ghost crayfish]

3 hours ago, roughyedspud said:

 

But knowing the Aussie's they'll probably want the aboriginal & Maori teams in there leaving only 2 places for proper international teams

Yeah those bloody Aussies, always fielding aboriginal and Maori sides in world cups... 

Moving on, you'd have to think Lebanon will be there. Pretty big supporter base in western Sydney. I also expect England to be playing, along with Wales - Ireland and Scotland could depend on WC qualifiers. Jamaica and the USA would also be good additions.

[roughyedspud]

The world 9s is a invitational comp..the RLWC isn't..

[ghost crayfish]

Doesn't explain why you think "knowing the Aussies" indigenous and Maori sides will feature? The only precedent for that kind of thing is when England hosted the Maori in the 2000 RLWC. 

[roughyedspud]

Dave woods was on 5live earlier to discuss the potential lions tour at the end of the year..

He called GB England a couple of times and said its been years since GB played in PNG..to which he added that the England knights played there last year though...and I'll add that Wales & Ireland have also played in PNG too in recent years...

Which highlights what nonsense GB is...

[The Hallucinating Goose]

5 hours ago, roughyedspud said:

Dave woods was on 5live earlier to discuss the potential lions tour at the end of the year..

He called GB England a couple of times and said its been years since GB played in PNG..to which he added that the England knights played there last year though...and I'll add that Wales & Ireland have also played in PNG too in recent years...

Which highlights what nonsense GB is...

I think the fact that the word 'potential' has been used there less than a year before the thing shows what a shambles it all is. 

[Damien]

Still no news yet then....

[deluded pom?]

6 minutes ago, Damien said:

Still no news yet then....

I’m not convinced it’ll actually happen. How do they expect anyone to go and support them with such short notice?

[Damien]

10 minutes ago, deluded pom? said:

I’m not convinced it’ll actually happen. How do they expect anyone to go and support them with such short notice?

Yeah it's ridiculous and such a flawed concept anyway, particularly if there is no Australia game.

[Mattrhino]

Should be scrapped now. Lets bring over any of Tonga/Samoa/PNG and a game in France. Play them in some of the bidding WC host cities as a test run. Lets build some momentum for the WC.

[Odsal Outlaw]

1 hour ago, Mattrhino said:

Should be scrapped now. Lets bring over any of Tonga/Samoa/PNG and a game in France. Play them in some of the bidding WC host cities as a test run. Lets build some momentum for the WC.

And also build some much needed revenue for the RFL! I think a match against a full strength Tonga would draw a great crowd, other ones less so. 

[yanto]

3 hours ago, deluded pom? said:

I’m not convinced it’ll actually happen. How do they expect anyone to go and support them with such short notice?

Had plans to go and follow the tour but as you say  it's going to tough organising at short notice. 

Due to the Arctic weather we have been laid off work till march.. Oppertunity arose, so heading down under for some winter sun and pre season games in February, have tickets for the Perth SOO in June so even if the proposed tour goes ahead its now off my agenda. 

Shame really and I wonder how many others are now making alternative plans. 

[deluded pom?]

5 minutes ago, yanto said:

Shame really and I wonder how many others are now making alternative plans. 

Nail hit squarely on the head.

[17 stone giant]

14 hours ago, Damien said:

Yeah it's ridiculous and such a flawed concept anyway, particularly if there is no Australia game.

I lost a lot of interest when it was announced that we wouldn't be playing Australia.

[Clogiron]

Just cannot see it going ahead now, without games in Australia it won't make any money more likely lose plenty like the last time they tried this sort of tour. With the state of the RFLs finance's and no sponsor likely are they going to take the risk? Think it could be suicidal if they do, that's probably why it's gone quiet, looking for a getout. Though this is the RFL we're talking about so stupid decisions should be expected.

[ghost crayfish]

Maybe the broke RFL should host an ashes series this year and a 4 Nations with Pacific countries next year, to make some money and build some continuity and momentum for the England side? 

...oh wait, sorry, the NRL proposed that already...so the idea must be evil and designed to kill rugby league. Nevermind. Carry on RFL - even though you're so broke you have to turn your (now sponsorless) showpiece comp into a joke by charging the title holders a bond to participate - by all means, continue with your plans to send an extended 'Great Britain' squad on a poorly planned tour of the Pacific. God speed, you brave visionaries!

[roughyedspud]

Australia was always touring here in 2020...that was agreed 18months ago

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

On 1/11/2019 at 12:21 AM, roughyedspud said:

Dave woods was on 5live earlier to discuss the potential lions tour at the end of the year..

He called GB England a couple of times and said its been years since GB played in PNG..to which he added that the England knights played there last year though...and I'll add that Wales & Ireland have also played in PNG too in recent years...

Which highlights what nonsense GB is...

Dave Woods is correct. Rugby league doesn’t have a Great Britain team, it’s just England playing in different shirts.

Interchanging between England and Great Britain again was the brainchild of Nigel Wood. Does anyone have confidence in him to grow the international game?

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

Australia, New Zealand and Tonga are playing each other for a trophy at the end of the season. England should be playing in this competition and building on the successful Four Nations brand that we had.

[Mattrhino]

10 hours ago, ghost crayfish said:

Maybe the broke RFL should host an ashes series this year and a 4 Nations with Pacific countries next year, to make some money and build some continuity and momentum for the England side? 

...oh wait, sorry, the NRL proposed that already...so the idea must be evil and designed to kill rugby league. Nevermind. Carry on RFL - even though you're so broke you have to turn your (now sponsorless) showpiece comp into a joke by charging the title holders a bond to participate - by all means, continue with your plans to send an extended 'Great Britain' squad on a poorly planned tour of the Pacific. God speed, you brave visionaries!

I think your right. If they were pragmatic they should of bit the Aussies hands off with the offer of a ashes series this Autumn. Because 1. RFL are broke 2. Aus are looking pretty poor as they transistion away from losing 5 of there probably greatest ever players.

As you say I think the offer was refused on emotion.

[JohnM]

your... 

should of... 

there.. 

Standards, man, standards!

[Mattrhino]

1 minute ago, scotchy1 said:

Exactly. It formed part of the planning for build up for the World Cup. Frankly its idiotic that the Aussies wanted to change it.

 

3 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

They didnt want the ashes this year because they wanted them next year to build up to the World Cup. Thats a good decision imo.

We should have looked to host the PI nations this year and brought over Tonga, Samoa and Fiji and made a decision on where we were going to base them for the WC this year, and have them play there this year.

That would have built some affinity and visibility for the sides prior to the WC. It would have meant that in the 3 years preceeding the world cup we would have seen NZ, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Australia and they would be known to British audiences beforehand.

And as our games are screened on the BBC it would have been great advertising and really undermined the idea that we only have three competitive nations. The entire country would have the chance to see how good those sides really are as well as the Siva Tau, Sipi Tau and Noqu Masu.

We know those nations have qualified, we will know the host cities in a week or two, we could have been selling WC tickets straight away afterwards.

I get all that, and you are right.

But there is no point crying over splilled milk as they say. The Aussies made thier decsion and the RFL should have made a pragmatic choice. If you take the Aussies on thier word they lost half a million taking a couple games to NZ. How much would the RFL stand to lose?

My first choice would be to scrap the tour and get some Pacific nations over here this Autumn and play ashes next year.

[Mattrhino]

7 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

If the Aussies are losing half a million on the games in NZ, bring the pacific championship here.

The ashes tour in 2020 is a huge lead in to the WC and really couldnt change. If England win that its a massive boost for the WC

My first choice. But that would take a bit of sense. Which the RFL seem to lack.

[ghost crayfish]

17 minutes ago, scotchy1 said:

They didnt want the ashes this year because they wanted them next year to build up to the World Cup. Thats a good decision imo.

We should have looked to host the PI nations this year and brought over Tonga, Samoa and Fiji and made a decision on where we were going to base them for the WC this year, and have them play there this year.

That would have built some affinity and visibility for the sides prior to the WC. It would have meant that in the 3 years preceeding the world cup we would have seen NZ, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and Australia and they would be known to British audiences beforehand.

And as our games are screened on the BBC it would have been great advertising and really undermined the idea that we only have three competitive nations. The entire country would have the chance to see how good those sides really are as well as the Siva Tau, Sipi Tau and Noqu Masu.

We know those nations have qualified, we will know the host cities in a week or two, we could have been selling WC tickets straight away afterwards.

I agree with everything you've said, except the years they're being played. An ashes series this year, building on the NZ win, would've been big. And a 4N in 2020 would've achieved everything you've said, plus had the added conversation starter of "are England building to a world cup win?" Given they'd be strong favourites for the 4N, the context of playing between the ashes and a world cup could've generated some extra talking points. It's also the pragmatic choice for fitting in with NRL plans, making money, and beating an Australian team that is vulnerable now, but will be less so by 2020. Big opportunity missed.

[Mattrhino]

The RFL also don't seem to want the work a pacific tour of tge UK would take.

[Allora]

Just now, Mattrhino said:

The RFL also don't seem to want the work a pacific tour of tge UK would take.

The