Lions tour 2019 (Merged Threads)

[Bramstein]

The farce that this has become is a good example of how things can always be worse.

When the tri-nations was being run on an annual basis it wasn't uncommon to hear people grumbling about how it was a poor substitute for the old tours.

Compare it to this though. We had regular tests against Australia and New Zealand, knew in advance they were going to happen and even, in the case of 2006, had a decent tour down under. The second game v Australia drew over 40,000 people. Wasn't there a tour game too against one of the divisional sides? If we hosted the tournament there was also a regular game for France against ourselves and then the tourists.

Oh to have that back now. But as ever in rugby league the baby needs to be thrown out with the bathwater with monotonous regularity.

[deluded pom?]

So, still no announcement.

[Man of Kent]

RFL confirms four-match tour with quotes from Wales, Scotland and Ireland RL: https://www.rugby-league.com/article/54466/great-britain-to-return-against-kiwis-kumuls-and-tongans-this-autumn

 

[Dave T]

Surely we could have come up with something longer that 4 matches? 

all very, meh.

[EastLondonMike]

Part of me is actually dreading this.

[roughyedspud]

http://gboceaniatour.com

Meh

[The Hallucinating Goose]

So the big announcement was the confirmation of 4 games we've all been pretty sure were happening anyway? 

[Nate90]

I believe there needs to be at least a few Non-English players for it to be credible, Ben Flower and Regan Grace from Wales are the first two players I can think of, there is also Huddersfields young Irishman Ronan Michael but I'd be surprised to see him called up due to his inexperience.

Are there any decent Scottish players who could get a call up?

[deluded pom?]

46 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

RFL confirms four-match tour with quotes from Wales, Scotland and Ireland RL: https://www.rugby-league.com/article/54466/great-britain-to-return-against-kiwis-kumuls-and-tongans-this-autumn

 

They like to bang on about the iconic GB jersey don't they? I like how the Irish guy is the only one to call them Great Britain and Ireland.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

9 minutes ago, deluded pom? said:

They like to bang on about the iconic GB jersey don't they? I like how the Irish guy is the only one to call them Great Britain and Ireland.

Those quotes are quite amusing. The Irish guy seems really happy despite the fact none of his players will be in the team... I get the impression the Scottish guy doesn't really know much about rugby league so says about the one Scottish player he can name to seem more knowledgeable and then mentions young Scottish players, despite the fact no scottish players will be in the team... And the Welsh guy just sounds incredibly diplomatic. When someone says the phrase "fully embrace and support" what he means is "someone put a gun to my head and told me to agree"... At least he might have a couple of players in the team. 

[nadera78]

What a waste of time for all concerned. They don't even know the name of the team taking part.

[Shaggy]

RFL: The shirt's back. The shirt's back. The iconic Great Britain shirt is back!

Fans: Hummel have had loads of time to design the shirt, considering that it's taken so long to confirm the tour. Can we see the shirt?

RFL: Er...

[damp squib]

"Great Britain Rugby League"

Red, white and blue logo and, presumably, on the "iconic" jersey.

Barry Coade should be ashamed of himself for allowing RLI to be involved with this. Just an utterly pathetic quote which perfectly illustrates the problem with "GB" as he's the only one in the whole press release who adds "and Ireland".

"we think this is a big step forward for international Rugby League.” You've just allowed our national team to be swallowed up by another country and you think it's a big step forward. I'm genuinely lost for words.

I was unaware that Barry Coade was now director of RLI and it seems that Richard Egan has indeed been ousted, presumably as a reaction against his decision to prioritise Irish-developed players in the national team. So it looks like Ireland RL will continue to be run for the benefit of heritage players now with the added incentive of a potential spot in another country's squad. Fantastic.

I genuinely try to promote Rugby League here among family and friends here but I'm not bothering any more. I would be embarrassed to have to explain that "Great Britain RL" is representing us in this years international window. RL has absolutely no chance in Ireland I can tell you that right now.

[Oliver Clothesoff]

International Rugby League confirmed, good. 

Dates, times, ticket details, shirts, etc, erm...nothing. 

Strange announcement really. Surely they should have waited till they had all of the details/could announce all of the details and made a big thing of it because International recognition is the highest level of any sport and to be selected for a concept like GB is huge. 

Anyway, there’s RL in the calendar. Hopefully, all games are free-to-air. 

[Keith989]

3 minutes ago, damp squib said:

"Great Britain Rugby League"

Red, white and blue logo and, presumably, on the "iconic" jersey.

Barry Coade should be ashamed of himself for allowing RLI to be involved with this. Just an utterly pathetic quote which perfectly illustrates the problem with "GB" as he's the only one in the whole press release who adds "and Ireland".

"we think this is a big step forward for international Rugby League.” You've just allowed our national team to be swallowed up by another country and you think it's a big step forward. I'm genuinely lost for words.

I was unaware that Barry Coade was now director of RLI and it seems that Richard Egan has indeed been ousted, presumably as a reaction against his decision to prioritise Irish-developed players in the national team. So it looks like Ireland RL will continue to be run for the benefit of heritage players now with the added incentive of a potential spot in another country's squad. Fantastic.

I genuinely try to promote Rugby League here among family and friends here but I'm not bothering any more. I would be embarrassed to have to explain that "Great Britain RL" is representing us in this years international window. RL has absolutely no chance in Ireland I can tell you that right now.

The only thing that will save RL in Ireland is the fact nobody over here will even notice this humiliation . I just find this whole thing completely bizarre, do they really think anyone over here will support a GB team.

The only positive is we get to see PNG and Tonga get a tier 1 test.

 

 

[damp squib]

1 minute ago, Keith989 said:

The only thing that will save RL in Ireland is the fact nobody over here will even notice this humiliation . I just find this whole thing completely bizarre, do they really think anyone over here will support a GB team.

The only positive is we get to see PNG and Tonga get a tier 1 test.

Can you imagine if sportsjoe.ie or Balls.ie cared enough to make clickbait out of it? We'd be a laughing stock.

As a RL fan I'll definitely be watching the tour but it'll be as a neutral.

[Keith989]

Just now, damp squib said:

Can you imagine if sportsjoe.ie or Balls.ie cared enough to make clickbait out of it? We'd be a laughing stock.

As a RL fan I'll definitely be watching the tour but it'll be as a neutral.

Let's face it the national team is already a laughing stock over here by the few that watch it, we know it's a heritage team, that's why having a set amount of home grown players was crucial but that seems to be gone now?

I too will be watching but I'll be roaring on PNG and Tonga.

[roughyedspud]

1 hour ago, Nate90 said:

I believe there needs to be at least a few Non-English players for it to be credible, Ben Flower and Regan Grace from Wales are the first two players I can think of, there is also Huddersfields young Irishman Ronan Michael but I'd be surprised to see him called up due to his inexperience.

Are there any decent Scottish players who could get a call up?

Rumour was a few months ago that the GB would use a quota selection policy..

So a 32man GB squad would consist of 4 Welsh,4 Irish & 4 Scots...then 20 Englishmen..

So it won't even be the best GB team we could send

[damp squib]

Just now, roughyedspud said:

Rumour was a few months ago that the GB would use a quota selection policy..

So a 32man GB squad would consist of 4 Welsh,4 Irish & 4 Scots...then 20 Englishmen..

So it won't even be the best GB team we could send

Kevin Sinfield has ruled it out. Hasn't ruled out heritage players though.

[RP London]

19 minutes ago, damp squib said:

Can you imagine if sportsjoe.ie or Balls.ie cared enough to make clickbait out of it? We'd be a laughing stock.

As a RL fan I'll definitely be watching the tour but it'll be as a neutral.

out of interest... the British Lions Union is referred to by many as the "British Lions" rather than "British & Irish Lions" even though thats the official title yet that seems to get good irish support.. what is stopping you with the GB&I Lions RL team?

not being antagonistic.. genuine question as it appears as a "slip of the tongue" which i agree is massive from the people that slipped their tongue (with a wife from Belfast I honestly get why) but its not like this is the sole preserve of League and yet Union is supported well.. 

[Keith989]

6 minutes ago, RP London said:

out of interest... the British Lions Union is referred to by many as the "British Lions" rather than "British & Irish Lions" even though thats the official title yet that seems to get good irish support.. what is stopping you with the GB&I Lions RL team?

not being antagonistic.. genuine question as it appears as a "slip of the tongue" which i agree is massive from the people that slipped their tongue (with a wife from Belfast I honestly get why) but its not like this is the sole preserve of League and yet Union is supported well.. 

.

[roughyedspud]

10 minutes ago, damp squib said:

Kevin Sinfield has ruled it out. Hasn't ruled out heritage players though.

Good...

As for the heritage mob...coote refused to play for Scotland at the last world cup so why should he be selected for GB?

[damp squib]

9 minutes ago, RP London said:

out of interest... the British Lions Union is referred to by many as the "British Lions" rather than "British & Irish Lions" even though thats the official title yet that seems to get good irish support.. what is stopping you with the GB&I Lions RL team?

not being antagonistic.. genuine question as it appears as a "slip of the tongue" which i agree is massive from the people that slipped their tongue (with a wife from Belfast I honestly get why) but its not like this is the sole preserve of League and yet Union is supported well.. 

The Union team is officially known in all it's branding as The British and Irish Lions or just The Lions. The team jersey is a neutral colour and they don't use GSTQ as an anthem. I'm aware that people in Britain may refer to them colloquially as the British Lions but the team itself and the media are meticulous about using the correct name.

They're still not actually that popular in Ireland though as everyone outside of hardcore Rugby people just support the national team and maybe their province.

[damp squib]

5 minutes ago, roughyedspud said:

Good...

As for the heritage mob...coote refused to play for Scotland at the last world cup so why should he be selected for GB?

It's hard to justify that though if they qualify for the individual nations.

[nadera78]

28 minutes ago, roughyedspud said:

Good...

As for the heritage mob...coote refused to play for Scotland at the last world cup so why should he be selected for GB?

Not just heritage players, Ben FLower's name gets thrown about but he hasn't played for Wales in years.