Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[Mathius Hellwege]

Top players likely to switch allegiance to compete in Rugby League World Cup | Rugby league | The Guardian

[newbe]

30 minutes ago, Mathius Hellwege said:

Top players likely to switch allegiance to compete in Rugby League World Cup | Rugby league | The Guardian

If true, it could make for an exciting WC, freaky results, France do well, Italy surprise results etc. Plus if they play WC does that mean they cant play for Aus n Nz

[The Hallucinating Goose]

1 minute ago, newbe said:

If true, it could make for an exciting WC, freaky results, France do well, Italy surprise results etc. Plus if they play WC does that mean they cant play for Aus n Nz

Hopefully, that'd be a real middle finger to them. You didn't want to play in the World Cup and as a result your teams are going to be permanently weakened!

[Futtocks]

3 minutes ago, newbe said:

If true, it could make for an exciting WC, freaky results, France do well, Italy surprise results etc. Plus if they play WC does that mean they cant play for Aus n Nz

If that happens, and it does pretty well, then I look forward to France's trailers for RWC2025 coming out and the Australians/Kiwis ringing them up and saying "hey, what about us?"

It'll have to be a nice HD internet call to capture the epic Gallic shrug they receive in reply.

[welshmagpie]

45 minutes ago, Scubby said:

NZ and Australia trying to strong arm the pacific islands with sweeteners of end of season tests and future tests in places like Tonga is pretty much as low as it gets.

The logical (obvious?) thing the IRL could do is offer a fit-for-purpose international calendar that guarantees the games that NZ are using to bribe PI nations with, but on a regular schedule. 
 

… if only, eh?

[Moove]

37 minutes ago, Mathius Hellwege said:

Top players likely to switch allegiance to compete in Rugby League World Cup | Rugby league | The Guardian

Interesting to read the last paragraph in particular. Sounds to me like the WC organisers have already jumped through every hoop that's been asked of them and the ARL and NZRL have still stuck two fingers in their direction under the patently false covid concern banner. The bull which has been flowing from them in the last 48 hours seems even more contemptuous.

I sincerely hope we're able to continue with the WC and don't bow down to the bullies, put on a fantastic festival of RL without them and maybe even show a few of the players who choose to switch to a tier two nation what the international scene is capable of if they commit to a world which doesn't revolve around Australia and their NZ lap dog.

Or failing that we sue their asses into the ground.

[Mathius Hellwege]

2 minutes ago, Moove said:

Interesting to read the last paragraph in particular. Sounds to me like the WC organisers have already jumped through every hoop that's been asked of them and the ARL and NZRL have still stuck two fingers in their direction under the patently false covid concern banner. The bull which has been flowing from them in the last 48 hours seems even more contemptuous.

also my interpretation of this and many other quality articles about the affair

[Smudger06]

26 minutes ago, newbe said:

If true, it could make for an exciting WC, freaky results, France do well, Italy surprise results etc. Plus if they play WC does that mean they cant play for Aus n Nz

No they can go back to their original tier 1 nation after 12 months of not playing for another nation. 

[shrewsbury roughyed]

1 hour ago, Mathius Hellwege said:

Top players likely to switch allegiance to compete in Rugby League World Cup | Rugby league | The Guardian

Maybe they’ll switch allegiance to England. Might give us a chance of winning.

[Scubby]

37 minutes ago, welshmagpie said:

The logical (obvious?) thing the IRL could do is offer a fit-for-purpose international calendar that guarantees the games that NZ are using to bribe PI nations with, but on a regular schedule. 
 

… if only, eh?

The have for 2021 I think. It's called a World Cup.

[fighting irish]

2 minutes ago, shrewsbury roughyed said:

Maybe they’ll switch allegiance to England. Might give us a chance of winning.

Doesn't it make the whole competition more exciting?

More unpredictable, with some of these great players spread across the competing Nations?

The Australian and New Zealand withdrawal, not only (ostensibly) improves England's chances of winning but it could produce another (more than one) Tonga. A dark horse, coming out of the shadows, enhanced and emboldened by a sprinkling of great heritage players.

It also opens up the prospect of the USA, Brazil or Serbia taking part making the whole tournament more colourful, more interesting, more intriguing.  

I just hope this goes ahead, despite the antipodeans arrogance, I can't wait! 

[gingerjon]

I get the motivation but driving out members of national sides just so some previously committed  Kangaroos and Kiwis can cosplay as other nationalities really would make the whole thing ... what’s the word ... problematic?

[Devon Ram]

Most of you posting on this post have been interested in the result for weeks & read the first statement the Aussies put out plus the statements from the WC people about the offers to help the Aussies come over & what they offered seemed ok for NZ a week ago 90% of us where aware the Aussies where playing hardball for other reasons, one of the offers was planes just for them & my understand they would put them up in so called country clubs with all the faculty's or has somebody mentioned in another post places like Bath University where they have sports facility's. All this can be done easily places like St Mary's Cricket ground was used in the summer where both cricket teams plus the media where isolated so come on Aussies & Kiwis what's the real reason we have put on safe events under Covid in the UK for months. 

[The Future is League]

2 hours ago, DavidM said:

If Australia is keen then so are we … how much does that sentence say ? Are the kiwis incapable of any independent thought . Secondly he talks about respect for the pacific island nations … what like pulling out of the World Cup then basically trying to get them to . 

Wheres the players welfare here?

[GeordieSaint]

The real reason is power and money. They want to control/run the game. And they don’t want to share any money that involves Australia (or New Zealand). The WC funds go to the IRL after all; not the NRL/NZRL. 

[Smudger06]

8 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

The real reason is power and money. They want to control/run the game. And they don’t want to share any money that involves Australia (or New Zealand). The WC funds go to the IRL after all; not the NRL/NZRL. 

Correct. 

[Spidey]

13 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

I get the motivation but driving out members of national sides just so some previously committed  Kangaroos and Kiwis can cosplay as other nationalities really would make the whole thing ... what’s the word ... problematic?

With the extended squads expected, maybe there’s room for a few guests without casting the others aside?

[welshmagpie]

5 minutes ago, Spidey said:

With the extended squads expected, maybe there’s room for a few guests without casting the others aside?

I read something from PNG the other day that they only plan to fly over 23 players… has extended squads been confirmed at all?

[dkw]

24 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

I get the motivation but driving out members of national sides just so some previously committed  Kangaroos and Kiwis can cosplay as other nationalities really would make the whole thing ... what’s the word ... problematic?

Yeah that's not right in opinion, players who have been preparing in the squad now lose their place? I don't think that's very fair.

[Dunbar]

2 hours ago, gingerjon said:

I get the motivation but driving out members of national sides just so some previously committed  Kangaroos and Kiwis can cosplay as other nationalities really would make the whole thing ... what’s the word ... problematic?

 

2 hours ago, dkw said:

Yeah that's not right in opinion, players who have been preparing in the squad now lose their place? I don't think that's very fair.

There may be a few other nations (i.e. Tedesco with Italy) but I think most players moving from the Kangaroos and Kiwis to other nations will be the Pacific Island teams.

I have to say, I don't know how many squad sessions these teams have in a year (probably none with Covid restrictions) but I do get the impression that the high profile stars who move allegiances (Taumalolo etc) are generally welcomed with open arms and the squad being strengthened is seen as an absolute positive.

[Futtocks]

Jamie Peacock has his say: https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/world-cup-withdrawals-selfish-nothing-24603628 

[Cumbrian Fanatic]

2 hours ago, Scubby said:

NZ and Australia trying to strong arm the pacific islands with sweeteners of end of season tests and future tests in places like Tonga is pretty much as low as it gets.

Promises by New Zealand have just been demonstrated to be not worth the paper they are written on, literally. I wouldn't think those made by Australia are worth any more either. If any of the Pacific Island Nations fall for this I hope they have the money in the bank before they agree to anything

[Spidey]

5 minutes ago, Cumbrian Fanatic said:

Promises by New Zealand have just been demonstrated to be not worth the paper they are written on, literally. I wouldn't think those made by Australia are worth any more either. If any of the Pacific Island Nations fall for this I hope they have the money in the bank before they agree to anything

Tonga would be daft to stay down under when they have a decent chance to be World Champions. Hopefully they believe in themselves enough to tell Aus & NZ to #### off

[DavidM]

The ultimate insult would be Australia planning to play New Zealand while the World Cup is on 

[Man of Kent]

I’ve got a horrible feeling the RLWC board will announce they are cracking on with the tournament then other nations will pull out within days.