18-19 Oct: World Cup 9s (TV)

[Dave T]

7 minutes ago, Gibbo said:

Who was it?

Well that's my point.

[Futtocks]

5 minutes ago, Scubby said:

It looked like the competition meant a lot to him from his expressions  

[Gibbo]

9 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Bennett......

Yesterdays man.

 

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

He really needs to let go with McGilvary and Hall.  They're at least 5 years past it .

[Dunbar]

Just finished watching the tournament.

I hope that this initiative is continued as 9's has a place in our sport to create these type of short form tournaments.  While the Sydney public didn't get behind it as much as we would want it looked OK on TV as the stadium and production were superb (although the commentators were a little bit 1980's men's club humour with their French comments... it doesn't exactly make the sport look international when the commentators band on about how pronounce surnames of people from a different country to them!).

England were pretty poor and fortunate to make the semi's after their loss to Lebanon.  We can discuss the selection all day but I was disappointed with the attitude of a couple of the players... a few times they didn't look interested.

As I say, overall it was a success but I have to say this format is not for me.  I will watch and enjoy in future but it is not a patch on the 13 man game.  The part of Rugby League I like the best is the attritional physical nature of the sport... the spectacular tries and skills are an important part but I like the physical battle that 'earns' these tries as much if not more.  This doesn't exist in 9's and it felt like a highlights package than a game.

This is my opinion on my preference of format - as I say, I hope the 9's can be developed as it is a good way to offer events and reach new audiences.

Looking forward to the test matches starting next week now.

[Damien]

I enjoyed the games more than I thought. The international element certainly made it more appealing than the NRL 9s, and presumably more appealing than any Super League 9s would be.

I do think 9s as a place and can see the potential of the format. As always in Rugby League it needs a proper plan and structure, which unfortunately I cannot see happening. We can't even fit in a proper 13 a side schedule never mind anything else.

[Loiner]

2 hours ago, Futtocks said:

The fat lady has sung her last song. Another one who's passed it.

[Damien]

4 hours ago, Old Frightful said:

Nowhere f***ing near.

Everything going the Aussies way.

The way of every game that I can ever remember involving Australia!

[lanzer98]

Beside the tournament I liked some of the kits too.
Does anyone know where to purchase these kits? 

[ELBOWSEYE]

Looking forward its clear we need to give this competition a regular slot( a 4 year cycle in between 13 aside WC, it only requires 2 days to complete. )

If promoted properly it could like magic weekend be bid for by cities in various countries. 

Also this format should be used to encourage new nations not just ones who fill up with heritage aussies. And put it in a regular format, a minimum of 16 teams split equally with normal qualification rules not using a supergroup were more qualify than others. It may take time to get established but will if allowed. 

On Englands approach, you will only succeed if you take it seriously and prepare amd pick a squad to win.

[OMEGA]

On 06/10/2019 at 20:06, OMEGA said:

Decent kit but it’ll split opinions

Quality names in the squad but it’s woefully short of pace.

 

Exactly as I suspected

At the best of times It is just idiotic to pick such a forward oriented squad and then compound the error by picking two behemoths on the wings but when the bulk of the squad is out of season it’s an even worse decision.

Where was there any threat in that squad?

I don’t know about every players availability but surely one or two from Evalds, Shaul, Hampshire, Dixon, Swift, Marshall would have been better options to Hall, McGilvary & Hardaker.

Maybe Richardson, Atkin, Patton or Abdul in for Austin/Williams or another halfback

If you’re going to pick front rowers in a 9s squad then maybe stay away from 30+ year old war horses and 125kg immobile players with dodgy handling skills.

Im against stretching eligibility rules but why not sound out Nualago, how great might he have been in a 9s match?

Bennett continues to show his complete ignorance of U.K. based talent as demonstrated by asking Tom Johnstone who he he was and asking where we’d been hiding Makinson after him being a SL star for around 10 years.

 

 

[Dunbar]

The timing of the international window probably means that this is more suited to the Southern Hemisphere. 25 to 30 degrees in the Aussie Spring is a lot more palatable to sit through 6 hours of rugby than a British October. 

[Harry Stottle]

2 hours ago, ELBOWSEYE said:

Looking forward its clear we need to give this competition a regular slot( a 4 year cycle in between 13 aside WC, it only requires 2 days to complete. )

If promoted properly it could like magic weekend be bid for by cities in various countries. 

Also this format should be used to encourage new nations not just ones who fill up with heritage aussies. And put it in a regular format, a minimum of 16 teams split equally with normal qualification rules not using a supergroup were more qualify than others. It may take time to get established but will if allowed. 

On Englands approach, you will only succeed if you take it seriously and prepare amd pick a squad to win.

Who would they be Elbow, which countries could produce a team to compete at this level that did not have player's already performing at this or near this level?

[Harry Stottle]

2 hours ago, OMEGA said:

Exactly as I suspected

At the best of times It is just idiotic to pick such a forward oriented squad and then compound the error by picking two behemoths on the wings but when the bulk of the squad is out of season it’s an even worse decision.

Where was there any threat in that squad?

I don’t know about every players availability but surely one or two from Evalds, Shaul, Hampshire, Dixon, Swift, Marshall would have been better options to Hall, McGilvary & Hardaker.

Maybe Richardson, Atkin, Patton or Abdul in for Austin/Williams or another halfback

If you’re going to pick front rowers in a 9s squad then maybe stay away from 30+ year old war horses and 125kg immobile players with dodgy handling skills.

Im against stretching eligibility rules but why not sound out Nualago, how great might he have been in a 9s match?

Bennett continues to show his complete ignorance of U.K. based talent as demonstrated by asking Tom Johnstone who he he was and asking where we’d been hiding Makinson after him being a SL star for around 10 years.

 

 

All your post makes complete sense, but look behind him one if his advisor's Jamie Peacock is always in the picture great player but not exactly broke any pots in any administrative role and presumably Sinfield is not to far away and how I describe Peacock all I can say is ditto, exactly what input do they give, if this is the evidence and they are to be the future of our international team, then we are in big bother.

[MZH]

2 hours ago, OMEGA said:

Exactly as I suspected

At the best of times It is just idiotic to pick such a forward oriented squad and then compound the error by picking two behemoths on the wings but when the bulk of the squad is out of season it’s an even worse decision.

Where was there any threat in that squad?

I don’t know about every players availability but surely one or two from Evalds, Shaul, Hampshire, Dixon, Swift, Marshall would have been better options to Hall, McGilvary & Hardaker.

Maybe Richardson, Atkin, Patton or Abdul in for Austin/Williams or another halfback

If you’re going to pick front rowers in a 9s squad then maybe stay away from 30+ year old war horses and 125kg immobile players with dodgy handling skills.

Im against stretching eligibility rules but why not sound out Nualago, how great might he have been in a 9s match?

Bennett continues to show his complete ignorance of U.K. based talent as demonstrated by asking Tom Johnstone who he he was and asking where we’d been hiding Makinson after him being a SL star for around 10 years.

 

 

There is no substitute in 9s for pace. I wouldn't consider him for England in 13s, but Jamie Shaul would rip it up in 9s. One of the most dangerous broken field runners anywhere in the world. I agree that Evans, Dixon and Marshall would do well too. Not sure whether Naulago has declared himself for England (I am sure he is eligible), but he too is tailor made for this.

Basically we just picked players that were already over there, which is a bit of a shame really. Hopefully we will take it more seriously in the future. Your best team in the 13 man game and your best in the 9 man game are two very different things.

[Shaggy]

I think you’re all taking this too seriously.

[doc]

9 minutes ago, Shaggy said:

I think you’re all taking this too seriously.

Yeah, how could they miss out Westwood?

[Rupert Prince]

Hmm...  I'm not sure what everyone is getting worked up about.  All the teams were flung together, and its a joke format.

[Shaggy]

37 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

Hmm...  I'm not sure what everyone is getting worked up about.  All the teams were flung together, and its a joke format.

Exactly.

[AB90]

It's only 9s. If you asked any rugby union fan who the current 7s world champions are they wouldn't have a clue (they would probably guess New Zealand or Fiji based off their dominance in the format). But it doesn't mean anything. There are no bragging rights. It's an exhibition to showcase great open rugby. Which it did the last 2 days (other than England)!

Let's all relax.

[Wollo Wollo Wayoo]

5 hours ago, lanzer98 said:

Beside the tournament I liked some of the kits too.
Does anyone know where to purchase these kits? 

There will be about 16 kits in a bin somewhere in Australia by now.  Unfortunately the majority of the shirts will be XXXL.

[Man of Kent]

9 hours ago, Gibbo said:

I cannot find the figures but the crowds were an absolute disaster over the two days.

If they got more than 20k combined over both days I would be really surprised.

It must be a massive financial loss making exercise.

12,528 on Friday night and 15,684 on Saturday declared 

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/10/20/nines-here-to-stay-irl-boss-backs-format/

[MZH]

42 minutes ago, AB90 said:

It's only 9s. If you asked any rugby union fan who the current 7s world champions are they wouldn't have a clue (they would probably guess New Zealand or Fiji based off their dominance in the format). But it doesn't mean anything. There are no bragging rights. It's an exhibition to showcase great open rugby. Which it did the last 2 days (other than England)!

Let's all relax.

I don't think anyone is really getting worked up about it. Just that if you're going to do something, do it properly.

To most existing fans it might be just a bit of fun and an exhibition event. But to outsiders it could be a pathway into the sport. 

One of the things that has really stood out to me in this Rugby Union World Cup has been the competitiveness of the minnows. Gone are the days of 100+ point defeats. Personally I think a lot of that is down to the growth of 7's, although you may dismiss it.

 

[Rupert Prince]

26 minutes ago, MZH said:

...   One of the things that has really stood out to me in this Rugby Union World Cup has been the competitiveness of the minnows. Gone are the days of 100+ point defeats. 

I'm not so sure, Scotland are heading that way (like Ireland)...  and frankly so are Australia.

Indeed as an aside I would have thought this humiliation of Australia in the WC could turn more Aussies to RL.

[Gibbo]

3 minutes ago, Rupert Prince said:

I'm not so sure, Scotland are heading that way (like Ireland)...  and frankly so are Australia.

Indeed as an aside I would have thought this humiliation of Australia in the WC could turn more Aussies to RL.

Are there still many Rugby Union fans left in Australia?

That code was dying there even when the Wallabies were doing ok decades ago.