Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[JM2010]

4 hours ago, Mattrhino said:

Unfortunately we now have to act as if Australia and NZ no longer exist in the international game.

It will be difficult but it must be done. We can no longer depend on them to act as a friendly partner.

Completely agree. We need to develop NH RL. Domestically in the UK as well as other counties such as France, Balkans, North America, Central Europe. A good starting point would be getting more juniors from different backgrounds playing the game in the UK. The professional game in the UK could also support some of the domestic leagues in the other countries to help them develop.

On the International front we need a full international calendar involving nations that don't rely on the NRL for players

[Gerrumonside ref]

2 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

It does feel like Aus and NZ have backed themselves into a bit of a corner here. They are arguing player welfare but that doesn't work because of other sports going ahead with their tours but if someone was to bring that up to them they would have to publicly insult those other sporting bodies by effectively saying they do not care about their players' welfare as much as rugby league do.

So, u-turn and damage their standing in the international rugby league community even more because should they go back on this decision they will hold nowhere near the same wimeight they have done, or stick with the official line and insult every other sporting body in Australia and damage their standing in their own country. Come on Aus, which decision will it be? Shall we toss the coin for you?? 

Hopefully they go for u-turn

[Damien]

Now this is the Daily Mail but there is some pretty damning stuff in here:

The tournament organisers received a WhatsApp message just before 7am today, which was followed by a conversation at 7.15am. A second WhatsApp landed at 7.26am with a four-minute warning that the Australians and New Zealanders were about to publish their explosive statement.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-9814279/Cowardly-Aussies-sent-WHATSAPP-say-announcing-withdrawal-Rugby-League-World-Cup.html

[Exiled Townie]

Just received this in my email - 

TOURNAMENT UPDATE

RLWC2021 has been informed at very short notice that Australia and New Zealand will not be participating in the Rugby League World Cup this year. We understand this will impact our fans so please bear with us while we continue discussions with all stakeholders to agree on the best way forward. A further statement will be made in due course and we will communicate this with you via email as soon as a possible. Thanks for your continued support,  RLWC2021

Edited July 22, 2021 by Exiled Townie

[Moove]

1 minute ago, Damien said:

Now this is the Daily Mail but there is some pretty damning stuff in here:

The tournament organisers received a WhatsApp message just before 7am today, which was followed by a conversation at 7.15am. A second WhatsApp landed at 7.26am with a four-minute warning that the Australians and New Zealanders were about to publish their explosive statement.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-9814279/Cowardly-Aussies-sent-WHATSAPP-say-announcing-withdrawal-Rugby-League-World-Cup.html

Regardless of anyone's thoughts on the actual decision made, I'm not sure how you can be much less professional. The way they appear to have behaved in the last 12 hours is frankly disgusting.

[welshmagpie]

1 minute ago, Exiled Townie said:

Just received this in my email - 

If it’s the same one I had at 9:45 this morning there’s nothing new said within it 

[Cheshire Setter]

2 minutes ago, Exiled Townie said:

Just received this in my email - 

What does the statement say? That’s just a banner! 

[Exiled Townie]

1 minute ago, Cheshire Setter said:

What does the statement say? That’s just a banner! 

See the post three up, thats the statement, don't know how the banner appeared .

[Man of Kent]

3 minutes ago, Damien said:

Now this is the Daily Mail but there is some pretty damning stuff in here:

The tournament organisers received a WhatsApp message just before 7am today, which was followed by a conversation at 7.15am. A second WhatsApp landed at 7.26am with a four-minute warning that the Australians and New Zealanders were about to publish their explosive statement.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-9814279/Cowardly-Aussies-sent-WHATSAPP-say-announcing-withdrawal-Rugby-League-World-Cup.html

Excellent piece of journalism that tells it how it is. Selfish, arrogant and short-sighted.

[gavin7094]

Covid effectively out of control.

Hospital admissions threatening NHS again. 

Deaths rising. 

Increasing numbers of Super League games postponed or cancelled due to increasing cases. 

6 hour queues at Heathrow.

Euro 2020 spoiled by crowds storming the venue.

Then 2 weeks staring at 4 walls in a hotel room when you get home. 

Who wouldn't want to come here? 

Postpone it or play it in Australia. 

[gavin7094]

Just now, gavin7094 said:

Covid effectively out of control.

Hospital admissions threatening NHS again. 

Deaths rising. 

Increasing numbers of Super League games postponed or cancelled due to increasing cases. 

6 hour queues at Heathrow.

Euro 2020 spoiled by crowds storming the venue.

Then 2 weeks staring at 4 walls in a hotel room when you get home. 

Who wouldn't want to come here? 

Postpone it or play it in Australia. 

I could go on, but you can see why they might have arrived at the decision they did. 

[The Rocket]

4 minutes ago, Moove said:

Regardless of anyone's thoughts on the actual decision made, I'm not sure how you can be much less professional. The way they appear to have behaved in the last 12 hours is frankly disgusting.

Just don`t get that at all, sounds like there was absolutely no consultation, just drop a bombshell at 7.00 in the morning, this is either the ultimate in pure arrogance or some sort of power struggle going on behind the scenes. But there`s something seriously amiss here.

[Damien]

2 minutes ago, gavin7094 said:

Who wouldn't want to come here? 

Fair enough. However the players are grown adults it is their choice, not the NRL clubs.

[Dunbar]

I suspect that it will have very little effect but here is the submission I made to NRL.com feedback page today.

............................................................

I write to you today as a lifelong supporter of the great game of Rugby League.

While I may be based on the other side of the world in the UK, I have always felt a massive connection to the game in Australia, ever since I first saw the great Kangaroo team of 1986 progress unbeaten through England and France and I had the absolute pleasure of watching the likes of Sterling, Miles, Meninga and Kenny ply their wonderful skills in our club competition.  Fast forward 35 years and now I am subscriber of WatchNRL who very very rarely misses a single game of NRL.

I can honestly say that my passion for the sport of Rugby League in Australia is only surpassed by my love of international Rugby League; that unfortunately all too rare occasion when we get the chance see the best players from competitions from all over the world come together to test themselves.  Of course, the elite competition in which the international teams play is the World Cup.  The 2021 edition was set to be the biggest, most ambitious and potentially most impactful tournament our sport has ever seen.  A tournament that would have allowed Rugby League to reach audiences in both volume and reach that it has never seen before.

And then we hear the news today that the ARL and the NZRL have decided to forfeit attendance at the upcoming World Cup.  A decision that has been foreshadowed by noises coming out of the NRL about the impact that the competition will have on players and their preparation for the 2022 season.

I see that the reasons that have been given for this stand down is player welfare and player safety.  But what has become of player choice?  The choice that a player has to play in a competition that only comes around two or maybe three times in their lifetime if they are lucky.  Let us use Boyd Cordner as our example here.  He has had to step down from the game tragically early due to the ongoing effects of concussion.  Many years from now, when he reflects on his career, I am sure one of the highlights he will remember most fondly will be playing and scoring in a World Cup final and subsequently lifting the trophy.  A potential memory that the authorities have unilaterally taken away from a generation of players by deciding to withdraw them from the competition.

As I started with.  I have been a player and fan of our sport for 35 years and in that time I have seen Rugby League throw away many opportunities to showcase our great game.  But none like today.  While other sports move heaven and earth to allow elite players to play in elite competitions, our sport decides that it is all too hard.  Come the autumn of this year when I see the Premier League soccer grounds full of passionate fans or the Australian Rugby Union team playing in front of 80,000 fans at Twickenham, I will remember today as the day that our sport threw away yet another chance to show the world it is indeed the greatest game of all. 

It is the greatest sport and it deserves better than what it received today.  I am not even angry, I am beyond that, I am just deeply deeply saddened that the game has once again self destructed.

And to finish where I started.  I used to love the Australian Rugby League and I was a subscriber to WatchNRL.  No more.  I have watched my last game of NRL.

[Smudger06]

USA have also declared interest in replacing a team

[lucky 7]

1 minute ago, Dunbar said:

I suspect that it will have very little effect but here is the submission I made to NRL.com feedback page today.

............................................................

I write to you today as a lifelong supporter of the great game of Rugby League.

While I may be based on the other side of the world in the UK, I have always felt a massive connection to the game in Australia, ever since I first saw the great Kangaroo team of 1986 progress unbeaten through England and France and I had the absolute pleasure of watching the likes of Sterling, Miles, Meninga and Kenny ply their wonderful skills in our club competition.  Fast forward 35 years and now I am subscriber of WatchNRL who very very rarely misses a single game of NRL.

I can honestly say that my passion for the sport of Rugby League in Australia is only surpassed by my love of international Rugby League; that unfortunately all too rare occasion when we get the chance see the best players from competitions from all over the world come together to test themselves.  Of course, the elite competition in which the international teams play is the World Cup.  The 2021 edition was set to be the biggest, most ambitious and potentially most impactful tournament our sport has ever seen.  A tournament that would have allowed Rugby League to reach audiences in both volume and reach that it has never seen before.

And then we hear the news today that the ARL and the NZRL have decided to forfeit attendance at the upcoming World Cup.  A decision that has been foreshadowed by noises coming out of the NRL about the impact that the competition will have on players and their preparation for the 2022 season.

I see that the reasons that have been given for this stand down is player welfare and player safety.  But what has become of player choice?  The choice that a player has to play in a competition that only comes around two or maybe three times in their lifetime if they are lucky.  Let us use Boyd Cordner as our example here.  He has had to step down from the game tragically early due to the ongoing effects of concussion.  Many years from now, when he reflects on his career, I am sure one of the highlights he will remember most fondly will be playing and scoring in a World Cup final and subsequently lifting the trophy.  A potential memory that the authorities have unilaterally taken away from a generation of players by deciding to withdraw them from the competition.

As I started with.  I have been a player and fan of our sport for 35 years and in that time I have seen Rugby League throw away many opportunities to showcase our great game.  But none like today.  While other sports move heaven and earth to allow elite players to play in elite competitions, our sport decides that it is all too hard.  Come the autumn of this year when I see the Premier League soccer grounds full of passionate fans or the Australian Rugby Union team playing in front of 80,000 fans at Twickenham, I will remember today as the day that our sport threw away yet another chance to show the world it is indeed the greatest game of all. 

It is the greatest sport and it deserves better than what it received today.  I am not even angry, I am beyond that, I am just deeply deeply saddened that the game has once again self destructed.

And to finish where I started.  I used to love the Australian Rugby League and I was a subscriber to WatchNRL.  No more.  I have watched my last game of NRL.

Lets hope others unsubscribe from WATCHNRL

[gavin7094]

1 minute ago, Smudger06 said:

USA have also declared interest in replacing a team

This would remove any credibility that the competition, or the sport, might have and should not be contemplated under any circumstances. 

[Phil]

5 minutes ago, gavin7094 said:

Covid effectively out of control.

Hospital admissions threatening NHS again. 

Deaths rising. 

Increasing numbers of Super League games postponed or cancelled due to increasing cases. 

6 hour queues at Heathrow.

Euro 2020 spoiled by crowds storming the venue.

Then 2 weeks staring at 4 walls in a hotel room when you get home. 

Who wouldn't want to come here? 

Postpone it or play it in Australia. 

But their original reasoning was that it interfere with their pre season 

[Smudger06]

3 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

I suspect that it will have very little effect but here is the submission I made to NRL.com feedback page today.

............................................................

I write to you today as a lifelong supporter of the great game of Rugby League.

While I may be based on the other side of the world in the UK, I have always felt a massive connection to the game in Australia, ever since I first saw the great Kangaroo team of 1986 progress unbeaten through England and France and I had the absolute pleasure of watching the likes of Sterling, Miles, Meninga and Kenny ply their wonderful skills in our club competition.  Fast forward 35 years and now I am subscriber of WatchNRL who very very rarely misses a single game of NRL.

I can honestly say that my passion for the sport of Rugby League in Australia is only surpassed by my love of international Rugby League; that unfortunately all too rare occasion when we get the chance see the best players from competitions from all over the world come together to test themselves.  Of course, the elite competition in which the international teams play is the World Cup.  The 2021 edition was set to be the biggest, most ambitious and potentially most impactful tournament our sport has ever seen.  A tournament that would have allowed Rugby League to reach audiences in both volume and reach that it has never seen before.

And then we hear the news today that the ARL and the NZRL have decided to forfeit attendance at the upcoming World Cup.  A decision that has been foreshadowed by noises coming out of the NRL about the impact that the competition will have on players and their preparation for the 2022 season.

I see that the reasons that have been given for this stand down is player welfare and player safety.  But what has become of player choice?  The choice that a player has to play in a competition that only comes around two or maybe three times in their lifetime if they are lucky.  Let us use Boyd Cordner as our example here.  He has had to step down from the game tragically early due to the ongoing effects of concussion.  Many years from now, when he reflects on his career, I am sure one of the highlights he will remember most fondly will be playing and scoring in a World Cup final and subsequently lifting the trophy.  A potential memory that the authorities have unilaterally taken away from a generation of players by deciding to withdraw them from the competition.

As I started with.  I have been a player and fan of our sport for 35 years and in that time I have seen Rugby League throw away many opportunities to showcase our great game.  But none like today.  While other sports move heaven and earth to allow elite players to play in elite competitions, our sport decides that it is all too hard.  Come the autumn of this year when I see the Premier League soccer grounds full of passionate fans or the Australian Rugby Union team playing in front of 80,000 fans at Twickenham, I will remember today as the day that our sport threw away yet another chance to show the world it is indeed the greatest game of all. 

It is the greatest sport and it deserves better than what it received today.  I am not even angry, I am beyond that, I am just deeply deeply saddened that the game has once again self destructed.

And to finish where I started.  I used to love the Australian Rugby League and I was a subscriber to WatchNRL.  No more.  I have watched my last game of NRL.

Most excellent, dispatch it to more authorities and influencers forthwith....

[lucky 7]

The next time the NZRL want to tour here to put some money in their coffers i suggest we tell them where to put it where the sun doesn't shine

[Eddie]

3 minutes ago, Damien said:

Fair enough. However the players are grown adults it is their choice, not the NRL clubs.

Not quite true, the NRL clubs are their employers so they must have a say. I would be interested to know how many of them wanted to come though. 

[DI Keith Fowler]

2 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

Just don`t get that at all, sounds like there was absolutely no consultation, just drop a bombshell at 7.00 in the morning, this is either the ultimate in pure arrogance or some sort of power struggle going on behind the scenes. But there`s something seriously amiss here.

I do suspect there's something going on here, you don't do things like this if you've made a reasoned, difficult decision to withdraw. It smells like brinkmanship. Would it be too far to say it looks like a move out of the V'landys playbook?

[gavin7094]

1 minute ago, Phil said:

But their original reasoning was that it interfere with their pre season 

No.  It was about player welfare. 

 

[Smudger06]

1 minute ago, gavin7094 said:

This would remove any credibility that the competition, or the sport, might have and should not be contemplated under any circumstances. 

They were runners up in the Final qualifier......

[The Rocket]

Just now, Dunbar said:

And to finish where I started.  I used to love the Australian Rugby League and I was a subscriber to WatchNRL.  No more.  I have watched my last game of NRL.

And you know what,  it`s f..ing typical Dunbar, they turned on everything that you would love in a game of League tonight. Damn bloody shame it has to be this way. Have a look at the highlights anyway mate, I wouldn`t hold it against you.