The World Cup goes ahead

[Henson Park Old Firm]

so is it coming home?

 

 

[wilsontown]

This is good, I'd look a bit of a wazzock wandering around in merchandise for a competition that never happened.

[Scubby]

10 minutes ago, wilsontown said:

This is good, I'd look a bit of a wazzock wandering around in merchandise for a competition that never happened.

More of a mug I'd say.

[Smudger06]

Could easily be 4 million, maybe more tuning in to the BBC to watch us beat Australia and be crowned champions of the world. If the Beeb do their job right on this one it could be pretty massive. 

[theswanmcr]

1 hour ago, Scubby said:

The RLWC press department wouldn't release this unless every nation have signed would they? 

The Rugby League World Cup will take place as scheduled in England this autumn after participation agreements were signed by competing nations.

The wording is odd though… you’d expect it to read as ‘signed by ALL competing nations’. Hmmmmm.

[The Frying Scotsman]

42 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

Maybe a case to have two american teams and one african team automatic for next world cup. 

Which African countries play Rugby League?

[Odsal Outlaw]

14 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

If we get to the final it will be more than 4 million. 

Over 30 million watched the Euros final.  We won’t get that but I bet we could get our biggest audience for many a year tho.

[The Frying Scotsman]

Just now, ShropshireBull said:

Nigeria Ghana Cameroon and Morroco all took part in the 2019 tournament.  2020 being cancelled because of covid. 

Cheers.

Do you honestly think any of these countries could be competitive at a World Cup?

Morocco - I assume that is a completely French team? There's no Rugby League actually played in Morocco as far as I know, and they played 'home' games in France a few years ago, so perhaps they could be competitive in a pool? 

The others I am guessing are miles off the level needed to play at a World Cup unless we want to risk looking ridiculous.

[The Frying Scotsman]

7 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

You guarantee at least one of Nigeria Ghana or Cameroon get to be at a major tournament and it will be huge for the sport and their annual comp.

Will it??

Any evidence for that? In countries like South Africa, UAE and Greece, the sport isn't even recognised by the national governing body. Greece are actually in the World Cup!! In Sweden RL and gaelic football are both stuck under the umbrella of rugby union.

I know nothing of the sporting governance landscape of these African nations, but nothing tells me that the sport would become in any way "huge" in these places just because we threw one of them into our World Cup. 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

1 hour ago, Scubby said:

More of a mug I'd say.

[Barley Mow]

25 minutes ago, The Frying Scotsman said:

Cheers.

Do you honestly think any of these countries could be competitive at a World Cup?

Morocco - I assume that is a completely French team? There's no Rugby League actually played in Morocco as far as I know, and they played 'home' games in France a few years ago, so perhaps they could be competitive in a pool? 

The others I am guessing are miles off the level needed to play at a World Cup unless we want to risk looking ridiculous.

You're right - it might be attractive from a 'geographical spread' point of view, but it would likely reduce the overall playing standard of the competition.

A decision would have to be made on which is more desirable. 

[Smudger06]

Once any non top tier nation qualifies all the heritage athletes from both codes suddenly come out of the wood work and offer their services. This goes someway in stopping them getting totally annihilated. 

[The Frying Scotsman]

38 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

Tired of the bad faith arguments and straw Men people build on here tbh.

A lot more honest and better to just say I disagree because...

I just prefer to live in the real world, rather than some deluded fantasy land where we pretend that countries play rugby league (when they don't) and would somehow be good enough to play at the World Cup (when in reality they'd be a disastrous laughing stock). 

The sport is miles off having 2 automatic slots for African countries at the World Cup. The fact you think it isn't, is honestly quite tragic.

[Smudger06]

All the player agents find out where grandparents and parents were born and offer their clients up to all applicable teams. If players are uncontracted or under a League contract no problem, only players under current Union contracts would have no chance in playing the RLWC. 

[Smudger06]

1 minute ago, The Frying Scotsman said:

I just prefer to live in the real world, rather than some deluded fantasy land where we pretend that countries play rugby league (when they don't) and would somehow be good enough to play at the World Cup (when in reality they'd be a disastrous laughing stock). 

The sport is miles off having 2 automatic slots for African countries at the World Cup. The fact you think it isn't, is honestly quite tragic.

He never said 2 slots for Africa, he said one, South Africa would hold their own once qualified. 

[Jim from Oz]

Back on topic of the RLWC going ahead … I am of course ECSTATIC about this but extremely disappointed I can't attend: like all other people Down Under, I am being held in prison here in Australia till at least mid-2022, and our vaccine rollout is an utter shambles.

Wonder when the Australian TV rights holder will be announced ??

[moorside roughyed]

Dead chuffed at the tournament going ahead. Fingers crossed for a successful event. 

[welshmagpie]

6 hours ago, The Frying Scotsman said:

Cheers.

Do you honestly think any of these countries could be competitive at a World Cup?

Morocco - I assume that is a completely French team? There's no Rugby League actually played in Morocco as far as I know, and they played 'home' games in France a few years ago, so perhaps they could be competitive in a pool? 

The others I am guessing are miles off the level needed to play at a World Cup unless we want to risk looking ridiculous.

Rugby league is definitely played in Morocco. They even launched some women’s activity over the weekend.

[Dunbar]

Well, the post about negativity on here was a little early but definitely prophetic now the usual subjects have arrived to to peddle their 'I prefer to live in the real world' version of talking the game down.

[Scubby]

4 hours ago, Jim from Oz said:

Back on topic of the RLWC going ahead … I am of course ECSTATIC about this but extremely disappointed I can't attend: like all other people Down Under, I am being held in prison here in Australia till at least mid-2022, and our vaccine rollout is an utter shambles.

Wonder when the Australian TV rights holder will be announced ??

How it started.........      how it's going. 

Joking aside Jim, we will have to do it tough without Australasian fans. Hopefully, there are still enough floating around the UK to make a noise.

[Scubby]

8 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Well, the post about negativity on here was a little early but definitely prophetic now the usual subjects have arrived to to peddle their 'I prefer to live in the real world' version of talking the game down.

Yep, this is such an exciting end to the season. In a time when the game is struggling this is a huge boost to the UK and International game. It will also be all across the BBC for the first time in its history - that is awesome.

[Smudger06]

5 hours ago, Jim from Oz said:

Back on topic of the RLWC going ahead … I am of course ECSTATIC about this but extremely disappointed I can't attend: like all other people Down Under, I am being held in prison here in Australia till at least mid-2022, and our vaccine rollout is an utter shambles.

Wonder when the Australian TV rights holder will be announced ??

Can't you even go through quarantine both ends? 

[Scubby]

1 minute ago, Smudger06 said:

Can't you even go through quarantine both ends? 

Tourist flights aren't allowed in Australia until 2022 I think. Also, the prices are off the charts at present as there is a quota on arrivals.

[dkw]

Great news about the world cup, we all need something to look forward to at the moment and i would have been gutted if it had been cancelled, especially if it was driven by the clubs not the players.

 

 

58 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Well, the post about negativity on here was a little early but definitely prophetic now the usual subjects have arrived to to peddle their 'I prefer to live in the real world' version of talking the game down.

Yeah didnt take long did it, no surprise to see who it is either. Its so pathetic and a blatant attempt to just distract from the good news of the confirmation.

 

[GeordieSaint]

59 minutes ago, Scubby said:

How it started.........      how it's going. 

Joking aside Jim, we will have to do it tough without Australasian fans. Hopefully, there are still enough floating around the UK to make a noise.

Aussie fans making noise? Like mice even when they are winning…