jim_57 Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 https://coupler.foxsports.com.au/api/v1/article/amp/nrl/nrl-2020-sonny-bill-williams-toronto-wolfpack-world-club-challenge-rugby-league-champions-league-super-league/news-story/6698d0b5f30160e334e483c8be7cda33 David Argyle wants with teams from England, Aus + Warriors, Dragons & Wolfpack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim_57 Posted November 15, 2019 Author Share Posted November 15, 2019 I think something like this could work with a minimalist format and involve more teams. I'd go with a staged knockout system where 2 new teams enter each week from a higher level, NRL & SL champions enter in the semis. W1 - North Wales V New York W2 - PNG Hunters V Kaiviti Silktails. Toronto V New York. W3 - NZ Warriors V Hunters/Silktails. Catalans V Toronto/New York. W4 - St Helens V Catalans/Toronto/NY. Roosters V Warriors/Hunters/Silktails. W5 - Final. WCC It could be tweaked as needed to include new teams if they materialize and obviously adjusted on the top ranked teams are for example if Toulouse overtake Catalans or West Wales overtake North Wales etc. Obviously this would need some big money to get the NRL/SL clubs interested which is why it will likely never happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redjonn Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 Doesn't make sense to me whilst only single teams in some countries. Why doesn't he do an invitation pre-season tournament/competition. When sufficient team sin other countries then look at a real champions league otherwise it would seem farcical to have some teams not having to qualify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerrumonside ref Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 Sounds a good idea to me if we can get the NRL clubs to play along. I’d restrict it to just the champions/best team in Australia, New Zealand, Britain, France and Canada. I guess a big pot of cash may be the best way to lure the NRL clubs to join the party. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Clothesoff Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 Super League winners, Challenge Cup winners (if different) and the 2/3 highest ranking sides from the previous season from Super League, the NRL winners, NRL Premiers (if different) and the 2/3 highest ranking sides from the previous season and then have a bit of a wildcard selection of four teams, say Catalans, Toronto, NZ Warriors and A N Other for example, to get a geographic spread. 4 groups of 3 and each group winner progresses to the SF’s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerrumonside ref Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 9 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said: Super League winners, Challenge Cup winners (if different) and the 2/3 highest ranking sides from the previous season from Super League, the NRL winners, NRL Premiers (if different) and the 2/3 highest ranking sides from the previous season and then have a bit of a wildcard selection of four teams, say Catalans, Toronto, NZ Warriors and A N Other for example, to get a geographic spread. 4 groups of 3 and each group winner progresses to the SF’s. Is there really time in the season for that? I think you might need to take baby steps initially to get the Australians involved. This might mean something more limited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man of Kent Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 “I want to rip the heart out of English rugby". Interesting quote. As for the Champions League idea, good luck with that! We tried that 20 years ago and it bombed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerrumonside ref Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 11 minutes ago, Man of Kent said: “I want to rip the heart out of English rugby". Interesting quote. As for the Champions League idea, good luck with that! We tried that 20 years ago and it bombed. Yes, but international club competitions can prove very popular if done correctly and are representative of the elite of a sport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Damien Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 Something like this would be great if a decent place can be found or created in the calendar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Clothesoff Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 18 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said: Is there really time in the season for that? I think you might need to take baby steps initially to get the Australians involved. This might mean something more limited. There’s not any time for an International weekend either but we’re getting one of those next year and if the money is right, teams will push for change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man of Kent Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 11 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said: Yes, but international club competitions can prove very popular if done correctly and are representative of the elite of a sport. If the purpose of this is to prolong an inevitable English SL vs Australia NRL final then I don't really see the point. It would be a pretty stinky trud to polish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 Would be ridiculous if the final was Catalans v NZ when they’d finished 8th and 12th in last season’s leagues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sports Prophet Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 56 minutes ago, Man of Kent said: As for the Champions League idea, good luck with that! We tried that 20 years ago and it bombed. I would say we didn’t try hard enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Man of Kent Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 I think the novelty of a tournament between, say, Catalans, NZ Warriors, Toronto, the NRL GF winners and the SL GF winners would wear off pretty quickly. 'Oh look, the Aussie team thumped Toronto again' etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerjon Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 1 hour ago, Eddie said: Would be ridiculous if the final was Catalans v NZ when they’d finished 8th and 12th in last season’s leagues. Why? Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Clothesoff Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 1 hour ago, Eddie said: Would be ridiculous if the final was Catalans v NZ when they’d finished 8th and 12th in last season’s leagues. Like the Champions League in Football then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 5 minutes ago, gingerjon said: Why? Because you’d have two really weak teams competing in the final and it would make a mockery of it as a top event. Like that awful world club thing where Real Madrid play someone from the Pitcairn Islands in the opening game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 7 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said: Like the Champions League in Football then? That’s never happened in the champions league, though if you’re arguing that there are far too many teams in it from the rich countries and it should be restricted to champions, like the old Champions cup, then I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerjon Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 6 minutes ago, Eddie said: Because you’d have two really weak teams competing in the final and it would make a mockery of it as a top event. Like that awful world club thing where Real Madrid play someone from the Pitcairn Islands in the opening game. Two teams who've qualified for the final by beating other teams. Hardly a mockery of anything. Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Clothesoff Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 23 minutes ago, Eddie said: That’s never happened in the champions league, though if you’re arguing that there are far too many teams in it from the rich countries and it should be restricted to champions, like the old Champions cup, then I agree. Liverpool v Tottenham last season was 3rd vs 4th, the last time Liverpool won their domestic title was 29 years and the last time Tottenham won it was 58 years. Saying certain teams shouldn’t be in a Rugby League equivalent is daft, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Wind Up Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 Quote You look at the success of the Indian Premier League and the Champions League, which represent the very top of those sports with elite athletes taking each other on Ah yes, the IPL, that beacon of cross-national sporting competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC77 Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 7 minutes ago, Oliver Clothesoff said: Liverpool v Tottenham last season was 3rd vs 4th, the last time Liverpool won their domestic title was 29 years and the last time Tottenham won it was 58 years. Saying certain teams shouldn’t be in a Rugby League equivalent is daft, really. It’s not a like for like comparison. Two teams that finished 3rd and 4th in the best league in the world meeting in a final, is better than a game between two teams that topped the Swiss and Norwegian leagues. The Champions League works as it’s weighted towards the strengths of the respective leagues. The last 16 (the first knock out round) is pretty much the best 16 teams in Europe...not 4 of the best teams and the 12 others being winners of lesser quality domestic leagues. There are two RL competitions, SL and NRL. Having 8th from SL and 12th from NRL does not equate to the CL. Watering down the competition by sticking Catalans and NZ Warriors in it as they are from different countries looks like sticking pins in a map to spread the geographic footprint. The Super Rugby competition has done that and it’s on it’s knees. Jaguars (Argie team?) vs a top NZ team has interested no-one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Wind Up Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 1 minute ago, DC77 said: There are two RL competitions, SL and NRL. Having 8th from SL and 12th from NRL does not equate to the CL. Watering down the competition by sticking Catalans and NZ Warriors in it as they are from different countries looks like sticking pins in a map to spread the geographic footprint. The Super Rugby competition has done that and it’s on it’s knees. Jaguars (Argie team?) vs a top NZ team has interested no-one. I get why organizers may want it. It draws interest from France and NZ in the competition. Ideally they wouldn't be involved if they don't qualify through league ranking, but that's the downside of those two countries not having their own professional system. You may have to make an exception to drum up as much interest as possible, at least initially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oliver Clothesoff Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 6 minutes ago, DC77 said: It’s not a like for like comparison. Two teams that finished 3rd and 4th in the best league in the world meeting in a final, is better than a game between two teams that topped the Swiss and Norwegian leagues. The Champions League works as it’s weighted towards the strengths of the respective leagues. The last 16 (the first knock out round) is pretty much the best 16 teams in Europe...not 4 of the best teams and the 12 others being winners of lesser quality domestic leagues. There are two RL competitions, SL and NRL. Having 8th from SL and 12th from NRL does not equate to the CL. Watering down the competition by sticking Catalans and NZ Warriors in it as they are from different countries looks like sticking pins in a map to spread the geographic footprint. The Super Rugby competition has done that and it’s on it’s knees. Jaguars (Argie team?) vs a top NZ team has interested no-one. So watering down the group stages of the football Champions League with dross from across Europe but it’s not if Rugby League do it? Okay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Picture Posted November 15, 2019 Share Posted November 15, 2019 Argyle is right to think in terms of an intercontinental and multinational RL equivalent of the Champions League, UEFA League and Copa Libertadores, but dead wrong to think that such a league can be built within the present RL structure. It could only be done via a whole new structure separate from the small time thinking which had the NRL clubs fighting the Denver match tooth and nail and the SL clubs worrying about Toronto bringing "no away fans" to spend money in their stadiums. At some point he'll figure that out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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