Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[Jim from Oz]

16 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

As I understand it they aren't in bubbles and are living at home with family who will be mixing with the general population. 

I believe players are largely training in small groups to restrict any spread.

But what's happening is that if 1 player (or coach) tests positive (and in most cases it seems to have been entirely asymptomatic), then those who have been in close contact with them are also stood down.

We don't have loads (indeed any) Super League players ill in hospital. 

SL rules for this year mean that if a club has 7 of the senior squad stood down for COVID, they can postpone the match - however that could mean they have a single member of the coaching staff with a positive test, but 7 players stood down from being in contact with them.

As a club, if you have 7 players unavailable, you're going to take the postponement. But the whole scenario doesn't help convince the ARLC or NZRL that they should be here for the world cup. It doesn't have any resemblance to the set up put it place by the WC organisers.

Thank you for that Barley Mow

[Jim from Oz]

10 minutes ago, RayCee said:

Those who control the information control the people. Mind you with the Internet, that's getting harder to do. But it does show Fox are part of what's going on. 

Fox are a factor in the coup … they need NRL as much as the NRL needs them

[Matterhorn]

People are sick of the BS & the spin coming out of the NRL

If they were fair dinkum about player welfare they'd pause the competition for 1 month - send the warriors home to NZ to catch up with loved ones they haven't seen all year in person. Let all the other players go home to there loved ones as well.

But we don't expect them to do that & we respect there decision not to. We want them to keep playing the game we love. Ultimately it would seem them broke or cash poor at least and all broadcasting agreements wouldn't be worth the paper they are written on.

However, why can't they apply there principles of keeping the game going to the World Cup as well?

Let the players decide, they are grown men and can make there own decisions.

[17 stone giant]

1 hour ago, Matterhorn said:

To all the NRL commentators who think we should just delay for a year, here are a few points to consider?

The things you mention are what the RLWC organisers will have to take into consideration before deciding whether to go ahead with Aus/NZ or postpone, etc. Only they will have the relevant information regarding sponsors etc. to make such a decision. I don't agree that the football WC would necessarily be a major problem though.

My preference would be to delay until next year, so that Australia and NZ can take part. I think it will forever tarnish this World Cup if they are absent. Between them they've contested numerous WC finals, and have won between them the last 8 or so. Whoever wins this WC without them, would not be regarded as genuine world champions.

Having said that, if the organisers decide that going ahead is the only feasible option, I'd accept that. The circumstances are unprecedented and the situation that now exists means that the WC organisers are trapped between a rock and a hard place. As such, I will back whatever they decide.

[frank]

I haven't watched the NRL for about five weeks now, long before their decision on the WC .I can't say I have missed it. Too much stuff up the middle and guys getting crippled. I certainly won't be going to any more Warrior games. Big decision for a guy who has been involved from a young age.

[Matterhorn]

I just want the IRL to not become the toothless tiger and be bullied by the NRL

If it is postponed it could mean any tournament organised in the future by the IRL could be scuttled by the NRL if it doesn't want it to take place.

Brazil doesnt run FIFA, the All Blacks dont run international rugby & the NRL dont run the IRL

[Jim from Oz]

1 minute ago, Matterhorn said:

I just want the IRL to not become the toothless tiger and be bullied by the NRL

If it is postponed it could mean any tournament organised in the future by the IRL could be scuttled by the NRL if it doesn't want it to take place.

Brazil doesnt run FIFA, the All Blacks dont run international rugby & the NRL dont run the IRL

Precisely.

If the IRL is broken by this, this is a RL scandal of Vichy proportions

[Cheshire Setter]

2 hours ago, Jim from Oz said:

The ARLC/NZRL pullout with 4 minutes' notice has nothing to do with covid/player safety, it is a NRL/V'landys coup to grab control of – and profit from the TV rights from – international RL

I know, but the veil they’re hiding behind specifically states “it simply not safe” (press statement). So they will have to find an alternative excuse to roll out.

[Matterhorn]

I'd also like to hear the thoughts of some of the female rugby league players or the wheelchair participants as well who will be affected by this decision.

All the media would need to do is run a story and speak to a male likely to be picked from Australia and also a female from Australia and finally a wheelchair player from Australia.

Tell it in its entirety & explain the decision to pull the men's sides affects these as well. 

[moorside roughyed]

I'm losing interest tbh. Definitely not booking any tickets now. Rugby league, there's too much self interest in the game. This situation with Aus and NZ pulling out just proves how unimportant the international game is within the game. 

[yipyee]

1 hour ago, moorside roughyed said:

I'm losing interest tbh. Definitely not booking any tickets now. Rugby league, there's too much self interest in the game. This situation with Aus and NZ pulling out just proves how unimportant the international game is within the game. 

If you read what the players union down under are reporting then that just isnt true.

Its a power grab to control the international game and subsequent revenues 

[RayCee]

1 hour ago, moorside roughyed said:

I'm losing interest tbh. Definitely not booking any tickets now. Rugby league, there's too much self interest in the game. This situation with Aus and NZ pulling out just proves how unimportant the international game is within the game. 

Self interest is everywhere, it's just more noticeable in a sport run like RL. It is dispiriting how a few at the top are behaving and understandable if going along has lost its appeal. 

If the WC goes ahead, they will need the public getting behind it. The WC organisers have done a fine job. The teams coming are full of of young men and women giving their best and who don't own any of power struggle going on. Hopefully some good crowds go along to support them. 

[Griff]

On 22/07/2021 at 10:07, Rupert Prince said:

WAKEUP EVERYONE.

We need to drastically, fundamentally reorganize our game. 

Great.  What's your plan ?

[Griff]

5 hours ago, Matterhorn said:

I just want the IRL to not become the toothless tiger and be bullied by the NRL

If it is postponed it could mean any tournament organised in the future by the IRL could be scuttled by the NRL if it doesn't want it to take place.

Brazil doesnt run FIFA, the All Blacks dont run international rugby & the NRL dont run the IRL

I don't really care if the Aussies don't come.  In the same way that I didn't care whether the Americans and Soviets came to the Olympics in 1980 and 1984.

Whoever wins, wins.

[Griff]

1 minute ago, Johnoco said:

Would it matter if he had a brilliant plan? 

Depends how brilliant.

[dkw]

7 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

Whoever wins this WC without them, would not be regarded as genuine world champions.

 

Yes they would.

[Dunbar]

10 minutes ago, dkw said:

Yes they would.

Absolutely. A key part of winning a competition (some would say perhaps the most crucial part) is turning up to it.

If you don't turn up to a competition then you have no chance of winning a competition. 

Being World champions at anything is about commitment and investment as well as talent. If Australia or New Zealand don't play in a World Cup then they have lost just a legitimately (but perhaps more embarrassingly) than if they had lost on the pitch.

[del capo]

If the politicians get the chance to step in they might be reminding people that the UK overseas spend from their development fund exceeds £30 million to the Pacific Islands  in question and that was recently increased by  a further £2 miliion at the request of the Australian Government to bolster human rights in the face of growing chinese influence .

Player choice anyone ?,,,,,,,

If the games get wiped out or  even postponed do you think that this government won't seek to get their spend back from somewhere ?

[fighting irish]

6 hours ago, Jim from Oz said:

Precisely.

If the IRL is broken by this, this is a RL scandal of Vichy proportions

The image that came to my mind was that of Lorena Bobbit.

Of course, we should be careful who we get into bed with.

It's understandable that the organisers believed they were trustworthy.

Who would have expected we'd be eviscerated and emasculated by our own?

How naive, how foolish, how tragic.

Stabbed in the dark, while asleep in the honeymoon bed, our gifts laid out before them, at our most innocent, at our most vulnerable.

Shame on Australian RL.  

[RP London]

8 hours ago, Jim from Oz said:

"Concerns among NRL clubs about staging the end-of-season Rugby League World Cup have further heightened after two more English Super League matches were postponed as clubs struggle to deal the impact of the Covid crisis in the UK."

I presume the UK Super League teams are NOT in a covid bubble and thus the "Concerns among NRL clubs" is just more rubbish ??

and a lot is around the fact that 1 positive means about 7 people sitting out.. we test heavily here and the contact tracing is far too strict.. this should end in a few weeks and then we should be completing all matches that are scheduled. 

Its knee jerk without any knowledge IMHO

[Matterhorn]

Think of the world cup scenario when applied in the real world. 

Imagine you are hosting a party & have invited 16 of your closest friends. 
You are so excited about your party you have organized it about 3 years before the actual date to properly plan, organize entertainment & cater for.
You want your friends to be safe coming to the party so you promise to pay there travel, look after them during the party, even hire a few bouncers to keep things under control. 
What's more you promise to pay for them to fly home & pay there costs to be looked after upon arrival at home. 
These are your best friends remember so you want to make sure they all come & participate at your party.
Now with 3 months to go 15 of your friends send rsvp's to say they are coming however 1 wants to delay making a decision.
You want to push on with your party planning so you announce to everyone its definitely on.
This obviously upsets the 1 person who hasn't replied - not only do they say they are not coming they manage to convince 1 other that they are also not coming, citing safety concerns at the party even though you have gone out of your way to give assurances it is safe to come.
This does pose a slight problem as these are 2 of your popular friends & may cause some issue with 14 of your other friends knowing that they are now not coming.
The problem is you have already ordered alcohol, food & booked the band to play on the night.
Your 2 close friends say they will only come if you delay the party by a year.
However, you really want your party to proceed on the day booked & besides can you really pull of the same party in a years time.
You think about this long & hard.
Are these 2 closest people I know really my friends to cancel at such short notice after all my planning & preparation.
You then remember you have 2 other distant friends not that close but have always said they will come at short notice & would be honored to attend.

You tell your 2 close friends thanks I will not move my party 1yr just so you can come & instead the other 2 distant friends now become closer friends.

THE END

[FearTheVee]

11 hours ago, Jim from Oz said:

Normally of course I'd oppose teams based on race (having NZ and NZ Maori in the 2000 RLWC was one of many ridiculous things about that event) but I feel this is our only real chance to salvage the 2021 RLWC and could indeed make the whole event a celebration of culture + provide HUGE media news/coverage

I think it would be great.  In fact I think it woud be better than Oz / NZ now in the circumstances - I hope they don't attend and we make a success of it anyway.  That way the NRL lose lots of players to the tournament anyway and the ARLC and NZRL will end up looking ridiculous come October.

Edited July 26, 2021 by FearTheVee

[EastLondonMike]

Again, the irony of it. Check out the headline in the Sydney Morning Herald. RTS leaving the NRL in pursuit of International honours in a rival code.

 

[fighting irish]

2 minutes ago, EastLondonMike said:

Again, the irony of it. Check out the headline in the Sydney Morning Herald. RTS leaving the NRL in pursuit of International honours in a rival code.

 

Oh mate, shame on Australian RL. 

[Dunbar]

8 minutes ago, EastLondonMike said:

Again, the irony of it. Check out the headline in the Sydney Morning Herald. RTS leaving the NRL in pursuit of International honours in a rival code.

 

But wait, won't all the other sports come to realise that depriving young men (and women) of their ambition of representing their country for sake of their welfare is the way the forward. 

Without asking them, of course, which is surely the only way to do it properly.

Edited July 26, 2021 by Dunbar