Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[Mr Frisky]

2 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

Not quite the one thing, one of two things.  They never embraced the Origin concept in interstate matches, their version of State of Origin was more halfhearted, maybe because the Vics were worried about losing their dominance over SA and WA?  As they haven't interstate matches since 1999 SOO is another thing which RL has over them.

I can't imagine just how they expect anyone to buy that load of ###### when the Australian national RU team will be playing in Britain this November.

As the Aussie RU team and the All Black's basically chase money and will play anywhere for money why don't we just invite them to play in the WC? - they are over in the UK anyway so why not.

As they may get a hammering in some games we could even let them play with 15 men to help level up the paying field.

[Bleep1673]

Has Japan gone into Lockdown again, or are they operating as normal for Olympics, with some events blocked out?

[Spidey]

1 minute ago, Man of Kent said:

Adam Pearson pipes up with Super League clubs' very own 'selfish and parochial' view https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/adam-pearson-hull-fc-super-5686936

Oh just #### off Pearson

[unapologetic pedant]

40 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

Today's announcement has probably revealed the existence of the RWC to many who wouldn't have known about it. 

And despite that, you remain pluckily determined to help them confuse it with something else.

Top marks for irony.

[Bleep1673]

4 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Adam Pearson pipes up with Super League clubs' very own 'selfish and parochial' view https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/adam-pearson-hull-fc-super-5686936

Selfish & Parochial, Superleague? Nah, wouldn't stand up in court, too drunk. Apart from relocating Catalans to Liverpool, it's not an M62 sport, at all.

NRL Players probably do more miles per season than SL Clubs do

Edited July 22, 2021 by Bleep1673

[Smudger06]

Wow.....I remember the TRL day for the 12th SL Team announcement, this blows that away haha......

[graveyard johnny]

would like to hear something come from the mouths of some of the "stars" themselves - or have they been zipped by their overlords?

[Griff]

51 minutes ago, RP London said:

Tokyo is in an a state of Emergency and Japan is pretty much locked down... 

Yeah - but what are the infection rates ?

[Davo5]

5 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Adam Pearson pipes up with Super League clubs' very own 'selfish and parochial' view https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/adam-pearson-hull-fc-super-5686936

What an embarrassing clown he is.

[DI Keith Fowler]

45 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

Today's announcement has probably revealed the existence of the RWC to many who wouldn't have known about it. 

You know what if this gets pulled back from the brink and they do come over, this whole fiasco will probably have been a boost to the tournament. 

[JohnM]

18 hours ago, Eddie said:

Must admit I didn’t put Canberra v Paramatta on this morning, whereas I’d usually have had it on in the background while I was working. 

you missed a great game, though. 

Respect.

 

Edited July 23, 2021 by JohnM

[Devon Ram]

2 hours 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. 

So nothing to do with planned Autumn tour mentioned in first statement pull the other one.

[Cheshire Setter]

15 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

can't imagine just how they expect anyone to buy that load of ###### when the Australian national RU team will be playing in Britain this November.

This is just the worst thing. The Brits will head indoors out of the rain on a Saturday afternoon and flick through the channels to find RU as the only significant international sporting programme on the TV. Suddenly our opportunity to be the sporting event to represent the return to normality will be brushed under the carpet to accommodate the RU. Thanks for doing your bit to finally finish off RL in the Northern Hemisphere guys.

Edited July 22, 2021 by Cheshire Setter

[Spotty Herbert]

Has anyone seen any reaction from the Australian / New Zealand women or wheelchair players? Was V'landys just talking about the men or all competitors? Wouldn't it look funny to the population of one of the (allegedly) most macho nations on earth if the women and disabled players arrived in the UK to play but the big, butch Aussie men weren't brave enough to?

[Tex Evans Thigh]

Doubt I'll add much to what has been said already but...

- Worst thing is the method of communication by the Aus/NZ GBs. 4 mins notice is disgusting and not consulting the players is unforgivable. Heads should roll.

- If we can go ahead without them, just do it, or replace with players already in Europe in 'select' teams. 

- This is obviously a NRL/clubs play so cant see any other nations players being released.

- Their priority is Origin. Since international RL picked up in quality, they have actively sought to undermine it to retain Origin's credibility and status. Anyone denying that is deluded. 

- Gus Gould is a myopic, arrogant doylem. Wants to play a 5 game origin series and is apparently a genius because he came up with the wonderful idea of having junior pathways. Pure genius.

- The BBC can do one. In 2017 I wrote a complaint to them as the RLWC final was even mentioned on the front page of their sports section, or maybe it was down near the bottom. Aus/NZ pull out and its the headline. Why do we bother? 

[Mr Frisky]

Let's face it, RLWC is the only thing, ever, that the Aussies and NZ could hold the world to ransom on - 2 small countries on the back side of the world that no one talks about - they will be loving this as they think it makes them important

[Big Picture]

2 hours ago, Futtocks said:

Jason Robinson and Phil Veivers were interviewed, at around the 1:40pm mark.

I hope they put it online so those of us who missed it can still hear it.

[Mathius Hellwege]

On the one hand I  am so disapointed that I do not want to post, on the other hand my hatred towards the NRL is now so big that I have to make one post 

 

First, this is absolutely not about corona as Australian tennis, cricket and rugby union (!) players are coming

Second, this is absolutely not about player welfare as the NRL is proving since month, is not willing to postpone or cancel some friendlies and of course everybody knows what they would do to save one SOO game....

 

Unfortunaltey they bribed New Zealand with an Ocenania Cup there in November so the other Pacific nations will cancel, too

 

Hopfeullt the RLWC will be held with invitational teams....

[Gomersall]

 

[Damien]

28 minutes ago, Devon Ram said:

But what other sports are they up against a Man Utd or a Leeds United, Arsenal its a false argument even certain Non-League football teams in the UK get decent gates all their is down under is Rugby League, Union & Cricket. 

I have not got a clue what you are talking about or what that is to do with the replies.

[Eddie]

4 minutes ago, Spotty Herbert said:

Has anyone seen any reaction from the Australian / New Zealand women or wheelchair players? Was V'landys just talking about the men or all competitors? Wouldn't it look funny to the population of one of the (allegedly) most macho nations on earth if the women and disabled players arrived in the UK to play but the big, butch Aussie men weren't brave enough to?

I hadn’t thought of that, would be superb if it happened. 

[graveyard johnny]

but come on - what about their mental health? staying in luxury hotels for a bit - surrounded by their mates-sightseeing trips in a country at the other side of the world (something us normal folk can only dream of nowadays) a chance to shine on the international stage in front of millions of fans and become a "real" world star (not boreigin) lets put their mental health first THEY ARE GONNA MISS THEIR MUMMIES 

[Damien]

23 minutes ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

I think Damien was being rather facetious when he said that, after another poster suggested 99.2% of Aus population was in 5 cities that didn't include those areas. 

Yes quite right, just realised he's been banned too.

[Big Picture]

2 hours ago, EastLondonMike said:

Understandably theres a lot of emotion going on. And despite the fact both the NZRL and ARLC have acted in such an unprofessional way, we need to take a positive approach to this. Difficult with all the emotion, but essential. The game suffers if not.

If there were genuine concerns about player safety you'd like to think they would have requested some other kind of reassurance or insisted on a higher level of player protection while over here (ie bubble all players and staff in one location).

I guess the RLWC need genuine answers from the ARLC and NZRL. I don't know the situation with other Australian sports and whether they have been playing under the same conditions as the NRL players, so not sure if there is a like for like comparison, but the fact other sports are still planning on coming to the UK shows where theres a will theres a way.

The ARLC and (we assume) the NZRL have arguably shown their true feelings about the event with the hastiness in the announcement and reluctance to explore all possible avenues.

I know clubs are obliged to release players for Internationals, but I'd be interested to know in what form that obligation actually is. I don't know personally. Whether it's a written obligation or just a verbal handshake. If it's the latter and nothing official, we won't see any Aussie or NZ NRL players for dust. Will also put an interesting slant on things with the English based NRL players. 

Still lots to play out with this one.

The fact remains that the Australian national RU team will be playing in Britain this November, so their claim that it won't be safe for the RL players won't wash.

 

2 hours ago, gavin7094 said:

Some sports were very heavily affected and the overall medal table was heavily skewed.

So, if your definition of a credible tournament is one where the best in the World compete and the better participant wins, then yes, the 1980 Olympics were not credible.

 

Does anyone remember that though, or do they instead consider it all legitimate?  I think you'd find that it's the latter and not the former.

Edited July 22, 2021 by Big Picture

[Devon Ram]

2 hours ago, gavin7094 said:

2 aren't comparable.

Your favorite answer, get  it into to your head its not us that has pulled out where just angry, so stop your stupid remarks.