Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[John Drake]

No party political posturing in here, please.

Various posts deleted.

Save that stuff for the politics sub forum, if you must.

There's quite enough to cope with dealing with internal RL politics right now!!

Thank you.

[Smudger06]

I think at this point the RFL needs to become the World governing body, doesn't even require a name change. 

[Smudger06]

2 minutes ago, bamfordsbeans said:

I,ve no longer any interest in the NRL.From being a keen viewer on Sky I shall now class the game down under as I would a game of union .

Feel the same way. 

[DI Keith Fowler]

Just now, northamptoncougar said:

If it goes ahead i'll be buying more tickets to more games, this isn't about safety it's about how small minded the NRL and that's saying something considering our own governing body.

It's more frustrating when it comes from them. RL in this country is two bald men fighting over a comb, Australian's on the other hand have fantastic mullets and an abundance of combs... and I don't know where I'm going with this.

[Tommygilf]

We're the main/2nd news story on both Sky Sports News and BBC Sport Apps. On the main page of BBC News, and a leading story at Sky News.

The Aussies and Kiwis have given the competition a profile higher than everyone bar Prince Harry??

[hunsletgreenandgold]

9 minutes ago, Damien said:

 

 

Interesting to hear what he says because whilst his retweets seem to mainly be scathing about Aus/NZ pulling out, his actual tweets seem a lot more on the fence about the whole thing. One suggests players speaking up privately about their concerns as one of the reasons this has come now. 

[RP London]

have to say i am feeling a bit more bullish than i was when this first broke. 

The comments on here and the bbc, the statements coming out of the RFL, IRL and RLWC are all fighting and I like that.. fight for the international game.. keep us in the news cycle calling out the aussies.. 

just had a bit of time in our factory with some of the guys i've been able to get interested in going to Bramall Lane and they've, pretty much to a man, just said "f8ck 'em, play it without them!"... 

theres still a tournament to be had here.. we need the RLWC and IRL to fight for it (need to make sure the islands and other minor nations are still up for this, Brazil statement is brilliant etc) but we can still do it, they may still come but lets get this going without them.. 

[Man of Kent]

On Radio 4 now. Jason Robinson and Phil Veivers.

[BrisbaneRhino]

Its hardly a surprise.  Aus and NZ were clearly hoping the WC would be cancelled and that they wouldn't have to make a call.  Here in Aus we're still in a complete elimination mindset, with cities and states locking down with few cases.  The whole mindset here is simply against opening up, and its getting a bit crazy, as no politicians are seriously talking about how we move beyond this stage to something a bit more normal.

Add to that the fact the NRL and clubs here just don't value the international game and we are where we are.  It won't surprise if other nations that would be full of NRL players also pull out as I doubt clubs will release players.

[lucky 7]

2 minutes ago, Smudger06 said:

I think at this point the RFL needs to become the World governing body, doesn't even require a name change. 

Nobody from the ARL/NRL should be allowed anywhere near international Rugby League. Insular is an understatement

[RP London]

2 minutes ago, DI Keith Fowler said:

It's more frustrating when it comes from them. RL in this country is two bald men fighting over a comb, Australian's on the other hand have fantastic mullets and an abundance of combs... and I don't know where I'm going with this.

And they dont even want to go to the barbers to allow us to make a toupe for our 2 bald men... 

does that work? really not sure... 

[Smudger06]

2 minutes ago, northamptoncougar said:

If it goes ahead i'll be buying more tickets to more games, this isn't about safety it's about how small minded the NRL and that's saying something considering our own governing body.

The disgraceful thing is the ARLC are now spinning it to be about covid safety and the masses are lapping it up.

Those who know, know this not to be the true Reason at all. Australia are sending cricketers to Bangladesh, no one knows the real situation on the ground regarding covid in that country. They have sent large Olympic teams to Japan. 

It's betrayal this is, a proper stab in the back. 

[BrisbaneRhino]

I should add, I say run it.  Apart from Aus and NZ we've got France and a few other valid countries. Stick two fingers up at Aus. You can't complain about not winning it if you don't turn up.

[fighting irish]

2 minutes ago, BrisbaneRhino said:

Its hardly a surprise.  Aus and NZ were clearly hoping the WC would be cancelled and that they wouldn't have to make a call.  Here in Aus we're still in a complete elimination mindset, with cities and states locking down with few cases.  The whole mindset here is simply against opening up, and its getting a bit crazy, as no politicians are seriously talking about how we move beyond this stage to something a bit more normal.

Add to that the fact the NRL and clubs here just don't value the international game and we are where we are.  It won't surprise if other nations that would be full of NRL players also pull out as I doubt clubs will release players.

Shame on Australia and New Zealand RL !  

[hunsletgreenandgold]

4 minutes ago, BrisbaneRhino said:

It won't surprise if other nations that would be full of NRL players also pull out as I doubt clubs will release players.

It's not the NRL/Clubs choice for recognised international fixtures. That said, I don't disagree with what you're saying with regards the likelihood of that happening. 

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, Smudger06 said:

The disgraceful thing is the ARLC are now spinning it to be about covid safety and the masses are lapping it up.

Those who know, know this not to be the true Reason at all. Australia are sending cricketers to Bangladesh, no one knows the real situation on the ground regarding covid in that country. They have sent large Olympic teams to Japan. 

It's betrayal this is, a proper stab in the back. 

110%

[RP London]

3 minutes ago, Man of Kent said:

On Radio 4 now. Jason Robinson.

hes just brought up the new zealand cricket team that came over last year when we were in a worse situation arguably.. 

good point.. 

[OMEGA]

 

At the same time The Australian Wallabies will be in the U.K. playing almost as many games as the Kangaroos would If they participated in the World Cup

[Damien]

 

Just now, RP London said:

hes just brought up the new zealand cricket team that came over last year when we were in a worse situation arguably.. 

good point.. 

And of course the New Zealand Womens Cricket team are coming this autumn. As are the All Blacks. As are Australia RU.....

[RP London]

1 minute ago, hunsletgreenandgold said:

It's not the NRL/Clubs choice for recognised international fixtures. That said, I don't disagree with what you're saying with regards the likelihood of that happening. 

for the smaller nations thought it could cost them massively... they have signed agreements in place... Australia are sticking their chest out... NZ are being paid off but legal challenges could still hurt them... the smaller nations cannot afford that.. it could get messy but i think its a fight we need to have.. 

[lucky 7]

2 minutes ago, BrisbaneRhino said:

Its hardly a surprise.  Aus and NZ were clearly hoping the WC would be cancelled and that they wouldn't have to make a call.  Here in Aus we're still in a complete elimination mindset, with cities and states locking down with few cases.  The whole mindset here is simply against opening up, and its getting a bit crazy, as no politicians are seriously talking about how we move beyond this stage to something a bit more normal.

Add to that the fact the NRL and clubs here just don't value the international game and we are where we are.  It won't surprise if other nations that would be full of NRL players also pull out as I doubt clubs will release players.

The problem the other other countries have is that they already have signed up and will be sued for compensation from the world cup organizers. Apart from Australia who didn't sign up i hope these Rugby League boards have deep pockets to pay the compensation

[northamptoncougar]

4 minutes ago, BrisbaneRhino said:

Its hardly a surprise.  Aus and NZ were clearly hoping the WC would be cancelled and that they wouldn't have to make a call.  Here in Aus we're still in a complete elimination mindset, with cities and states locking down with few cases.  The whole mindset here is simply against opening up, and its getting a bit crazy, as no politicians are seriously talking about how we move beyond this stage to something a bit more normal.

Add to that the fact the NRL and clubs here just don't value the international game and we are where we are.  It won't surprise if other nations that would be full of NRL players also pull out as I doubt clubs will release players.

unless the country completely isolates itself from the rest of the world forever (including no food imports or any flights ever in and out) then elimination is impossible. Currently Aus is playing a long game of hide and seek that's it.

[Cheshire Setter]

10 minutes ago, BrisbaneRhino said:

The whole mindset here is simply against opening up, and its getting a bit crazy, as no politicians are seriously talking about how we move beyond this stage to something a bit more normal.

This is the whole problem with the Aus and NZ model. It has seen the last 18 months convincing the public that COVID is something that you can hide away from until a magical solution appears. This simply is not possible. The vaccine reduces the death rate. It doesn’t stop you catching COVID and it can’t stop it spreading. 
 

What is Aus and NZ’s policy for when all eligible citizens have taken the vaccine (a few won’t of course)? When they open up again case rates will go sky high and there will be some hospitalisations and deaths. By pretending to the public this won’t ever happen they have created an unrealistic outlook. They’ll be locking down forever more while the rest of the world learns to move on.

Wasn’t it Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park who said ‘Nature finds a way’? You can’t beat COVID, just mildly irritate it! 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

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 weight 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?? 

[BrisbaneRhino]

Agree - we're in a Walter Mitty world where Aus can magically avoid COVID by just waiting it out.  There is NO understanding that as soon as borders open it will be back, and it will go round the world for a decade or more in different forms.