Eddie Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Lebanon have announced that there’ll be at least six domestic players in their WC squad. Not as many as I’d like to see but being realistic it’s a really positive step. I believe Greece will do something similar, but presumably not Italy. https://everythingrugbyleague.com/lebanon-rugby-league-federation-reaffirm-domestic-quota-for-world-cup-squad/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Kevin Sinfield Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 It’s great that the domestic league in Lebanon is going so well, but Lebanon should pick their best players for the World Cup regardless of which competition they play in. Putting amateur players up against New Zealand in an International game is a dangerous mismatch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Guarantees 1 in the matchday 17? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerjon Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 Just now, Tommygilf said: Guarantees 1 in the matchday 17? Cynic 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...
Tommygilf Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 9 minutes ago, gingerjon said: Cynic In fairness that probably the root of the numbers in a worst case scenario. Better than saying 5 so in a 23 man squad none have to make it to a matchday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share Posted March 1, 2021 44 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said: It’s great that the domestic league in Lebanon is going so well, but Lebanon should pick their best players for the World Cup regardless of which competition they play in. Putting amateur players up against New Zealand in an International game is a dangerous mismatch. By their best players, do you mean Australians with a Lebanese grandparent who’ve never been to Lebanon? That isn’t going to do anything for the domestic game. Having six lads from there from Lebanon probably will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 3 minutes ago, Eddie said: By their best players, do you mean Australians with a Lebanese grandparent who’ve never been to Lebanon? That isn’t going to do anything for the domestic game. Having six lads from there from Lebanon probably will. To be fair, it was 20 odd Australians with lebanese (grand)parents who formed a team that then spawned the sport in the home country, but I get your point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langpark Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 44 minutes ago, Tommygilf said: Guarantees 1 in the matchday 17? No. Countries take 24-man squads.to the WC. Which is why Greece, for example, decided on eight. So that there would be at least one in every match. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 1 minute ago, langpark said: No. Countries take 24-man squads.to the WC. Which is why Greece, for example, decided on eight. So that there would be at least one in every match. Ah fair, thought it was 23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Kevin Sinfield Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 1 hour ago, Eddie said: By their best players, do you mean Australians with a Lebanese grandparent who’ve never been to Lebanon? That isn’t going to do anything for the domestic game. Having six lads from there from Lebanon probably will. If they are the 24 best players that qualify for Lebanon then yes. If they weren’t proud to represent the country they wouldn’t put their hand up to do so. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/7news.com.au/sport/rugby-league/nrl-lebanese-stars-in-beirut-blast-support-c-1226909.amp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yipyee Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 9 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said: If they are the 24 best players that qualify for Lebanon then yes. If they weren’t proud to represent the country they wouldn’t put their hand up to do so. https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/7news.com.au/sport/rugby-league/nrl-lebanese-stars-in-beirut-blast-support-c-1226909.amp Hand up for a chance to play at the top level.... now if they turned Aus/NZ down represent lebanon thats another story (like some of the tonga players)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted March 1, 2021 Author Share Posted March 1, 2021 1 hour ago, yipyee said: Hand up for a chance to play at the top level.... now if they turned Aus/NZ down represent lebanon thats another story (like some of the tonga players)! Exactly, I doubt there’s a single member of the Scottish or Italian teams who wouldn’t rather play for England/Australia. Ireland and Wales both have a few domestic players who’d obviously rather play for them, more so Wales, but again most are English players who’d rather be playing for England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The British Lion Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 They need to tap into the 'spirit' that Tonga have produced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damp squib Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 The domestic set up in Lebanon is far better than Ireland and Scotland in terms of playing numbers and competitions, but the major difference is that most of the players are completely new to the game and very amateur. In Ireland and Scotland most are Rugby Union players, many playing at quite a high level domestically and physically capable of playing in a professional Rugby League match without being seriously injured, even if they’re not quite up to standard. I hope the players have been selected just to give them the camp experience because playing them would be irresponsible. This is not the same as Scotland or Ireland overlooking Dave Scott or Mikey Russell who are professional players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damp squib Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 55 minutes ago, Eddie said: Exactly, I doubt there’s a single member of the Scottish or Italian teams who wouldn’t rather play for England/Australia. Ireland and Wales have a few domestic players, more so Wales, but again most would rather be playing for England. I’m not so sure that applies to Lebanon. The relationship of diaspora communities to their “homeland” varies quite a bit and you can’t paint them all with the same brush. Many Lebanese-Australians still feel more Lebanese than Australian, especially after incidences like the Cronulla Riots. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hela Wigmen Posted March 1, 2021 Share Posted March 1, 2021 28 minutes ago, The British Lion said: They need to tap into the 'spirit' that Tonga have produced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Kevin Sinfield Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 10 hours ago, damp squib said: The domestic set up in Lebanon is far better than Ireland and Scotland in terms of playing numbers and competitions, but the major difference is that most of the players are completely new to the game and very amateur. In Ireland and Scotland most are Rugby Union players, many playing at quite a high level domestically and physically capable of playing in a professional Rugby League match without being seriously injured, even if they’re not quite up to standard. I hope the players have been selected just to give them the camp experience because playing them would be irresponsible. This is not the same as Scotland or Ireland overlooking Dave Scott or Mikey Russell who are professional players. Putting these amateur players who are new to the game up against New Zealand wouldn’t just be irresponsible, it would be potentially dangerous for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hela Wigmen Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 29 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said: Putting these amateur players who are new to the game up against New Zealand wouldn’t just be irresponsible, it would be potentially dangerous for them. And devalues the competition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langpark Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 Get a grip guys, one guy on the bench won't make a difference at all. And I doubt you guys are avid watchers of the Lebanese league. I am not denying that their league is of a low standard, but how do you know they don't have a super talented individual or two playing in that league? You don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hela Wigmen Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 10 minutes ago, langpark said: Get a grip guys, one guy on the bench won't make a difference at all. And I doubt you guys are avid watchers of the Lebanese league. I am not denying that their league is of a low standard, but how do you know they don't have a super talented individual or two playing in that league? You don't. And how many examples of this has there been in world rugby league? I have no problems with nations adding non-playing players and coaches to their tour party but it’s not an Emerging Nations World Cup and shouldn’t be treated as such. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langpark Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 Like it or not, these guys are the future (coaches admins etc.) of the game in their country. If one of them got even 10 minutes game time in a World Cup, he would have something of a legend status in the RL community. He can inspire the next generation of players and he would also be someone local media can take an interest in, thus raising the profile of the sport in Lebanon. I am not for a minute arguing he is a better player than Mansour, Moses etc, I am advocating long-term thinking rather than short-term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted March 2, 2021 Author Share Posted March 2, 2021 2 hours ago, Hela Wigmen said: And devalues the competition. Having 23 Australians representing a country on the other side of the world also devalues the competition imho. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hela Wigmen Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 1 minute ago, Eddie said: Having 23 Australians representing a country on the other side of the world also devalues the competition imho. There’s plenty examples across a multitude of sports of players representing countries they weren’t born in but shows the multicultural planet we’ve become and, IMO, it’s archaic to fixate upon such details. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Kevin Sinfield Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 2 hours ago, langpark said: Get a grip guys, one guy on the bench won't make a difference at all. And I doubt you guys are avid watchers of the Lebanese league. I am not denying that their league is of a low standard, but how do you know they don't have a super talented individual or two playing in that league? You don't. As I said before Lebanon should pick their best 24 players, if some of them play in the Lebanese league great, but that’s not the case, they are going to pick 6 players from the Lebanese league regardless of whether they are their best players or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
langpark Posted March 2, 2021 Share Posted March 2, 2021 10 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said: As I said before Lebanon should pick their best 24 players, if some of them play in the Lebanese league great, but that’s not the case, they are going to pick 6 players from the Lebanese league regardless of whether they are their best players or not. Exactly. And what i am saying is you are thinking short-term and only about three 80-minute matches. Lebanese Federation however, seems to be looking at the bigger picture and kudos to them for doing so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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