Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[frank]

Just announced  on the news here.

[Copa]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/07/22/arlc--nzrl-joint-rugby-league-world-cup-statement/

[Copa]

I suspect it won’t be long until others pull out too

[Lapsed Leeds Fan]

And the story underneath is about rugby league aiming for the 2032 Olympics as a priority. The game won't be around in 2032 with decisions like this.

[davet]

"The majority of NRL players are currently living away from home under difficult biosecurity protocols. They would then be required to remain under protocols and away from home for the duration of the tournament before again quarantining on return to Australia. This is too much to ask our players and officials to do.

 

Have they actually asked the players what THEY want to do??

[jacobus]

Joke.

Must be.

[DoubleD]

Disappointing but not surprising. Given everyone is in bubbles in Australia it’s a lot of ask of players from a mental health point of view to continue that and then quarantine. Yes some will happily do it but I’m actually of the view it might be better now to wait a year when we could hopefully get a good run at it, to allow more international supporters to attend, hopefully sponsors will stay on board and we’ll pick up a few more and hopefully all other partners stick with us . 

That’s my glass half full view. 

On the flip side, there’s no guarantee things are going to be any better next year 

[frank]

Australia will still have the same attitude if the cup is delayed until next year.

[The 4 of Us]

This is not a surprise and I don’t actually blame them. Our own government appear to have made a decision to open up just as the rest of the world are making decisions to lock down harder and there’s even talk about the Olympics being cancelled at this late stage. 
 

what concerns me is that this decision comes so close to the announcement that the competition was going ahead. It’s almost as though their concerns were ignored, and an announcement made to crack on regardless in an effort to force their hand. But that would never happen in RL would it. 
 

Some much bigger sporting competitions that the RL World Cup have been postponed by COVID. I see no embarrassment or concern in RL doing so until next year and that should have been decided months ago, rather than waiting on decision making which is looking increasingly shaky. 

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, The 4 of Us said:

This is not a surprise and I don’t actually blame them. Our own government appear to have made a decision to open up just as the rest of the world are making decisions to lock down harder and there’s even talk about the Olympics being cancelled at this late stage. 
 

what concerns me is that this decision comes so close to the announcement that the competition was going ahead. It’s almost as though their concerns were ignored, and an announcement made to crack on regardless in an effort to force their hand. But that would never happen in RL would it. 
 

Some much bigger sporting competitions that the RL World Cup have been postponed by COVID. I see no embarrassment or concern in RL doing so until next year and that should have been decided months ago, rather than waiting on decision making which is looking increasingly shaky. 

The competitions postponed because of Covid were postponed to this year

[Spidey]

NZ signed a conditional participation agreement ?  Was it simply to do what the ARL told them

[DoubleD]

Just now, Spidey said:

NZ signed a conditional participation agreement ?  Was it simply to do what the ARL told them

I’m sure they encouraged them

[DoubleD]

4 minutes ago, The 4 of Us said:

This is not a surprise and I don’t actually blame them. Our own government appear to have made a decision to open up just as the rest of the world are making decisions to lock down harder and there’s even talk about the Olympics being cancelled at this late stage. 
 

what concerns me is that this decision comes so close to the announcement that the competition was going ahead. It’s almost as though their concerns were ignored, and an announcement made to crack on regardless in an effort to force their hand. But that would never happen in RL would it. 
 

Some much bigger sporting competitions that the RL World Cup have been postponed by COVID. I see no embarrassment or concern in RL doing so until next year and that should have been decided months ago, rather than waiting on decision making which is looking increasingly shaky. 

The environment has got worse since then and it’s certainly no sign of improving on either side of the world so I have no issue with that. 

However, it would have been better and more professional if this news wasn’t leaked, that they’d had this conversation behind closed doors and the RLWC came out with a statement advising they were postponing for a year. It just makes us look small time and disconnected this way

[Tommygilf]

The Wallabies and the All Blacks still doing their Autumn tours? 

[Futtocks]

To be honest, the way things are being handled in this country as regards COVID, I can understand their reluctance. They are coming from countries where a single-figure outbreak is immediately acted upon, while our infection rates are soaring again.

[The Rocket]

Just came inside and my son told me, shattered, embarrassed, angry, I`m sure they could of arranged something if they really wanted to. My sincerest apologies from one Australian who really wanted it to happen. The rest of the comp this year is going to leave a sour taste in my mouth.

[Tommygilf]

This is entirely, 110%, down to the NRL refusing to compromise and move fixtures back by a fortnight so that the issue over "who's time any potential isolation comes out of" isn't such a major issue.

I hope the NZRL is getting some good money from across the Tasman for this.

[Pie tries]

I’m very disappointed, but not surprised and not certain I disagree with them.

the world is a mess, this year was never going to happen….

[UBranger]

Shame about NZ. What an opportunity for all the other countries now. Tonga favourites.

[WN83]

Covid has been a brilliant excuse for the NRL clubs to hide behind for two years now. They will continue to ride it for as long as possible.

 

What a depressing time for rugby league. 

[LaneCoveTiger]

I hope it goes ahead without them. If other NRL players commit to it the Islander teams will be stacked. May finally see RTS play for Samoa.

[gingerjon]

Main news on BBC Breakfast

Great

[Tommygilf]

Just now, Futtocks said:

To be honest, the way things are being handled in this country as regards COVID, I can understand their reluctance. They are coming from countries where a single-figure outbreak is immediately acted upon, while our infection rates are soaring again.

Indeed, but they also have a vaccination rate which is abysmally small. 

So they're seeing UK covid infection numbers high, but then refusing to or being incapable of seeing that we have half as many deaths as they have cases currently because of our vaccination rates. We may be fighting the same pandemic, but currently we're using different tools. 

In any case, its nonsense. This is about 2 weeks and who's account they go on. The ARLC and NZRL have washed their hands of it so its now between the clubs, players, and minor nations. Great!

[RP London]

The international game is in trouble now.. the World Cup if moved to next year will be swallowed by the football world cup in qatar... newspapers and tv will be all about that and people will just forget about us. 

And that is IF it goes ahead. 

The shot in the arm the tournament would have been for the game on the national consciousness here has gone and they cannot expect it to be as "in your face" as it would have been with a fee pass this year. 

Sponsors are not going to line up to come on board now, what we have will hopefully stay but not sure we will get anymore because the impact it will have will be less, the coverage they will get will be less. 

The games will continue to diverge to be almost 2 different sports without an international game to hold it together. 

Its an utter joke and its the insularity of the NRL at its finest.. 

No international game and my interest will fall away for sure.. i'll still keep an eye out but wont be as avid a fan as i was.

[LeeF]

As usual the NRL care solely about the NRL. This is nothing to do with putting the players first or even anywhere

Anyway I hope that those crucial pre season games in March go well after all they are so crucial to the NRL