Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[Rioman]

53 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

What I would propose is based upon every international meaning something. So I would have this based on IRLF rankings for 2020.

Year 1  During October/November have groups of 4 play round robin games in one country per group.

Group 1 - England, Australia, NZ, Tonga.  
Group2 - PNG, France, Samoa, Fiji

Group 3 - Scotland, Lebanon, Greece, Ireland  

Group 4 - Italy, Wales, Serbia, Malta Group 5 etc.

You have one team promoted and one team relegated 

Year 2 and Year 3 follow similar patterns.

At the end of Year 3 the teams in the top 4 tiers are the 16 teams that qualify for the WC. You also have one team from each group in one WC group.

Year 4 -  World Cup

Then repeat.

Yes it will cost money to stage but there are two ways to fund this-

1. if - and its a big if - ALL countries commit to something like this long term then it makes the concept more attractive to sponsors
2. any profit from any Group game gets put back into the pot 

 

 

Should the NR gain control of international Rugby League the schedule will be:

Year 1. Pacific Nations Tournament. Oz, NX, PNG, Fiji, Tonga & Samoa

            GB/England scratching around for opponents

Repeat for years 2, 3 and 4

 

[fighting irish]

Hopefully Covid will not be a factor next year, but the elephant in the room which is Australia's desire to thwart International Rugby League's growth (territorially, numerically, and politically) will have to be addressed.

It's clear that they see exciting International matches as a thorn in their flesh, firstly because scheduling IRL, will require a change to the NRL fixtures/season and secondly because they see International football as a direct competitor to the State of Origin series, (Oh Calamity!).

Whether they fear, being beaten by NZ, Tonga, or England on a regular basis is another elephant in another corner of this room, we're forced to share with them.

If we can't remove their ambivalence towards International RL then its never going to progress, as it should. 

[17 stone giant]

2 hours ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

It appears that Australia pulling out of the WC has upset people from around the UK.

On the Daily Mail Online site there is an article by an Aussie hack called Mike Colman who has savaged the English cricket team for the suggestion that they might not tour Australia later in the year for The Ashes.

I was going to sign up so I could post a suitable response about the two faced article but to my surprise there are many comments from people all over the UK about the ARLC decision.

I understand why Australia and New Zealand wanted the RLWC postponed for a year, and I would understand if the England cricketers want the same for the Ashes. These are unprecedented times and I think it's important to show some empathy for the concerns that players and other parties have. I don't envy them for having to spend time in bubbles and away from family etc.

Yes it's frustrating if these events can't go ahead right now, but there's always next year, or some other suitable time in the future.

[Damien]

58 minutes ago, JohnM said:

Fan power caused the ESL soccer breakaway to dismantle in a couple of days. I realise that we are miniscule in all respects compared to soccer, but why can't fan power achieve something here?  Hands up the number of posters who think the WC will happen in 2022?

It needs that fan power to come within Australia.

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, 17 stone giant said:

I understand why Australia and New Zealand wanted the RLWC postponed for a year, and I would understand if the England cricketers want the same for the Ashes. These are unprecedented times and I think it's important to show some empathy for the concerns that players and other parties have. I don't envy them for having to spend time in bubbles and away from family etc.

Yes it's frustrating if these events can't go ahead right now, but there's always next year, or some other suitable time in the future.

The England players want the cricket postponed.

The Australian Clubs wanted the RLWC postponed.

Pretty important distinction.

[dkw]

8 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

I. These are unprecedented times and I think it's important to show some empathy for the concerns that players and other parties have. I don't envy them for having to spend time in bubbles and away from family etc.

 

So you think the world Cup should go ahead then seeing as though 85% of players asked want to play in it?

[17 stone giant]

Just now, Tommygilf said:

The England players want the cricket postponed.

The Australian Clubs wanted the RLWC postponed.

Pretty important distinction.

I don't think we can be absolutely sure about what the players wanted, because it never reached the point of them having to actually prove it and come here.

It's one thing saying that you want to do something, whilst knowing that you're not actually going to have to live up to those statements, but it's another thing when it actually comes to having to walk the walk.

Only each of the players themselves will know how they truly felt about things.

[Big Picture]

5 hours ago, Mark S said:

On a positive note, the tournament is getting loads of free publicity. I have said it before, nothing galvanises UK sports fans like being made fools of by rivals. 
 

it also gives the organisers more time to develop commercial partnerships.

Can the organizers keep them galvanized until next year though?

[Scubby]

So where is the ARLC and NZRL joint statement thanking the RLWC/IRL and stating their 100% commitment to get behind the rescheduled 2022 competition?

[gingerjon]

13 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

The England players want the cricket postponed.

To be even fairer, the players don't necessarily want the cricket postponed, they want to be allowed to have their families visit for a small period within a very long tour.

[17 stone giant]

7 minutes ago, dkw said:

So you think the world Cup should go ahead then seeing as though 85% of players asked want to play in it?

I think it should go ahead in 2022, when hopefully 100% of players will want to play in it, and when hopefully it will have the support of the Australian and New Zealand administrators.

[Damien]

The ego of the man! This was all about him, he is obviously a man who is used to getting his own way. I don't hate many people people but I think I can make an exception here:

 

[fighting irish]

1 minute ago, 17 stone giant said:

I think it should go ahead in 2022, when hopefully 100% of players will want to play in it, and when hopefully it will have the support of the Australian and New Zealand administrators.

Your last comment is the subject of my last post here. I don't know if you've read it, but (if not) have a look?

[Big Picture]

3 hours ago, The Rocket said:

That is the quote, as I said it`s odd. Does go to show that not everyone is happy, especially if someone is putting their job on the line to say something. Does make you wonder why they call them journalists though, if they aren`t allowed to question anything that the NRL do, NRL mouth piece might be more appropriate.

The part about said journalist being on the NRL's payroll rather than a paper's or radio/tv station's payroll said plenty.

[Rioman]

25 minutes ago, Damien said:

It needs that fan power to come within Australia.

Problem is knowledge of Rugby League outside of Australia is virtually non existent to the average Australian RL fan. (Honourable exceptions to those who post on here.)

[Rioman]

14 minutes ago, Scubby said:

So where is the ARLC and NZRL joint statement thanking the RLWC/IRL and stating their 100% commitment to get behind the rescheduled 2022 competition?

It goes along the lines of: "oh shoot, they've called our bluff and re-organised it for next year. Quick!, think of another excuse not to participate"

[17 stone giant]

7 minutes ago, Johnoco said:

Hopefully? it comes down to our supposedly biggest tournament hopefully happening and hopefully players wanting to be involved?

I'm afraid the best I can say is "hopefully", yes. That's how it's been during Covid. Things are uncertain and plans sometimes change. I would say that things are looking a lot more positive on that front now, and I'd say there's a great chance that the RLWC will go ahead in 2022, with Australia and New Zealand, and with all the players. But I can't be certain that there won't be anymore setbacks, so I need to have an element of hope.

[Tommygilf]

25 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

I don't think we can be absolutely sure about what the players wanted, because it never reached the point of them having to actually prove it and come here.

It's one thing saying that you want to do something, whilst knowing that you're not actually going to have to live up to those statements, but it's another thing when it actually comes to having to walk the walk.

Only each of the players themselves will know how they truly felt about things.

Numerous public statements, a call for an Indigenous side, and Tom Burgess postponing his wedding?

Not to mention the RLPA saying categorically that they weren't consulted.

This makes it the total opposite of the Ashes where the board want to go but the players are saying no.

Edited August 5, 2021 by Tommygilf

[Damien]

20 minutes ago, Scubby said:

So where is the ARLC and NZRL joint statement thanking the RLWC/IRL and stating their 100% commitment to get behind the rescheduled 2022 competition?

It is quite worring reading the report on the NRL site. Why is this such a big deal? After everything that has happened I would have expected a co-ordinated response of the let bygones be bygones and let's move on for the good of the game type with a statement saying that Australia and NZ sign participation agreements for next year and are fully committed to 2022. The NRL have won, they have what they wanted and there simply shouldn't be any need for further discussion:

The next step will be to ensure the ARLC and NZRL sign participation agreements for Australian and New Zealand teams to compete in the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments at the end of next season.

“I have spoken to Peter V’landys and Chris, my chairman, has spoken to Peter V’landys, and we of course remain open to carrying on those conversations,” Dutton said.

“I have had a number of conversations recently with Andrew Abdo that I would describe as very positive and very conciliatory, and we will continue to work in that way. As tough as this is, it is about building or rebuilding relationships.”

https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/08/05/2021-world-cup-officially-postponed-due-to-covid-19-pandemic/

[The Rocket]

15 minutes ago, Damien said:

The ego of the man! This was all about him, he is obviously a man who is used to getting his own way. I don't hate many people people but I think I can make an exception here:

Here`s my prediction, 5 years and you will be eating your words.

Before he got the job there were people saying he could do for League what Ecclestone did for F1.  V`landy`s is more ruthless than even I thought, NSW Racing wasn`t big enough for him, League will give him something that can he can take around the world.

You`re upset at the moment and your angry, but as I said, 5 years.

[17 stone giant]

14 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

Your last comment is the subject of my last post here. I don't know if you've read it, but (if not) have a look?

The Australians don't strike me as people who are ambivalent about international sport. I would say that they're equally as passionate about it as we are in the UK. They love the Ashes cricket, they watch the Wallabies, they are watching in increasing numbers their football team, they love the Olympics, and I'm sure they love international RL too, when it's of a certain standard.

That last bit is the key, and it's absolutely NO different to us. We (England) don't bother playing Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and loads of other teams, because the administrators know that very few people are interested. The crowd would be poor, and the game would probably even lose money. We're not a load of sheep who would sell out Old Trafford for RL matches against Scotland, just because we're all so blindly in love with international RL.

The sad reality is that a lot of international RL is considered ######, by most people. And that includes most RL fans in England. That's why so few fixtures are ever arranged, and why when they are, the crowds are poor. It's also the reason why England play All Star teams.

[Man of Kent]

Some nuggets from Dutton at the postponement press conference.

• 85% of players surveyed via the RLPA said they wanted to play.
• The BBC broadcast arrangements are unaffected by moving to 2022.
• RLWC2021 expects to be in a stronger financial position than 2021 as they can do more commercial deals - they've had new approaches since the initial 'selfish, parochial and cowardly' decision for some "really interesting" prospects that could well be announced soon.
• They have drafted provisional 2022 dates with the FIFA World Cup very much in mind, i.e. RLWC 2022 will end before that starts.  
• The fixtures will remain the same, eg. England vs Samoa will be game one, although some venues may have to be switched around (although he expects the same host cities to remain onboard). 
• The 2022 schedule is due to be published - and tickets will go back on sale - before Christmas.
• They've started "positive conversations" with the ARLC about signing a participation agreement for 2022, and they are having conversations with Andrew Abdo and a number of NRL chief executives with the aim of strengthening relations between relevant governing bodies.
• It will still be called Rugby League World Cup 2021 (not 2022).

[Griff]

4 minutes ago, The Rocket said:

Here`s my prediction, 5 years and you will be eating your words.

I very much doubt that.

[Damien]

We will see the NRLs appetite for a World Cup in 2022 if they bring the NRL season forward so that our World Cup finishes before the Football one. 

[17 stone giant]

3 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

Some nuggets from Dutton at the postponement press conference.

Loads of positive stuff in there. Great to hear. I think it's right to continue calling it 2021, as so much merchandising (logos) etc. will have that on there already.