Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[Tommygilf]

There are two weeks isolation required currently for (re)entry to Australia and New Zealand.

The question here entirely is "who pays", both in terms of time and money.

The Clubs and NRL are digging their heels in, the RLWC is not their competition they shouldn't be forced to give EXTRA time off to players to isolate for a competition that isn't theirs. The ARLC and NZRL are unwilling to foot the bill either, especially considering the actual difference between the former and the NRL is negligible at best these days. The RLPA will naturally not want its members to have to give up holiday time to their employers for rep games.

What the statement from the two NGBs effectively means is that if the players go, and have to isolate on their return, its not on the NGBs. They are washing their hands of this problem.

[RayCee]

9 minutes ago, Mark S said:

Maybe this is all a ruse to generate some publicity, and the Aussies will come over after all. This morning alone the tournament has properly received PR that would be worth millions.

I live in hope that it is!!

As long as it isn’t to leverage more money out of the organising committee, yes a stroke of genius.

[Spidey]

Just now, Gerrumonside ref said:

Anyone else think the swear filter should be removed on this one thread for just this one occasion?

We need to vent!

Agreed @ckn - take note

[Tommygilf]

11 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

Olympics and Euros are completely different tournaments that have their own challenges and deemed to have overcome them.

Those events proceeding and the measures undertaken to have them proceed will be unique to those tournaments and completely different to the measures required (and the financial ability) for the RLWC.

There have been more tournaments than those two, they are just the big ones.

[Rupert Prince]

13 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

Huge difference. Work it out for yourself.

You are talking rubbish.  Large numbers of UK people have been making sacrifices for the Olympics.

Far and away the majority of the public have been vaccinated and are safe.  Overwhelmingly we have antibodies and we are getting a booster.

Our govt is doing the right thing and it did it promptly... i ignore the prejudiced opposition.

Is Australia having to stay in regular lockdowns.   They cannot stop this thing getting in.  It's all to do with corrupt Australian politics.

.

[Spidey]

1 minute ago, Tommygilf said:

There are two weeks isolation required currently for (re)entry to Australia and New Zealand.

The question here entirely is "who pays", both in terms of time and money.

The Clubs and NRL are digging their heels in, the RLWC is not their competition they shouldn't be forced to give EXTRA time off to players to isolate for a competition that isn't theirs. The ARLC and NZRL are unwilling to foot the bill either, especially considering the actual difference between the former and the NRL is negligible at best these days. The RLPA will naturally not want its members to have to give up holiday time to their employers for rep games.

What the statement from the two NGBs effectively means is that if the players go, and have to isolate on their return, its not on the NGBs. They are washing their hands of this problem.

If there’s two less Squads coming over there’s a bit of the budget spare to help with that cost of isolation. With Tonga now probably second favourite. Worth the bill

[Harry Stottle]

Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Italy, Greece, Lebanon, Cook Islands all reliant on NRL player's to fill their squads, these player's have mostly the same employers as the Aus and NZ player's, not a snowball in hells chance of any of these teams taking part.

Has the song says "Let's call the whole thing off"

[Gerrumonside ref]

This is mainly a power play by the Aussie domestic clubs and we should battle to make sure it is reported as such.

People have agreed in principle to something and broken their promise with Covid as a convenient excuse.

Need to ensure the reputation damage for Australia is as big as can be made.

[17 stone giant]

Just now, Harry Stottle said:

"Let's call the whole thing off"

I agree. Time to look at whether 2022 is possible instead.

[Chrispmartha]

More I think about it more I think we should just crack on, the group im going to the openng game with agree they aren’t RL fans so don’t really care whos in it

[DavidM]

12 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

Olympics and Euros are completely different tournaments that have their own challenges and deemed to have overcome them.

Those events proceeding and the measures undertaken to have them proceed will be unique to those tournaments and completely different to the measures required (and the financial ability) for the RLWC.

Why is it completely different . The organisers will have been bending over backwards to make it as secure and safe as possible and reassure them as much as they can . Nothing is risk free , there are cases inside many bubbles in sport , but like other events what could be done would be done … but the NRL side just aren’t willing to see beyond self interest 

[DavidM]

12 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

Olympics and Euros are completely different tournaments that have their own challenges and deemed to have overcome them.

Those events proceeding and the measures undertaken to have them proceed will be unique to those tournaments and completely different to the measures required (and the financial ability) for the RLWC.

Why is it completely different . The organisers will have been bending over backwards to make it as secure and safe as possible and reassure them as much as they can . Nothing is risk free , there are cases inside many bubbles in sport , but like other events what could be done would be done … but the NRL side just aren’t willing to see beyond self interest 

[Mattrhino]

Just now, 17 stone giant said:

I agree. Time to look at whether 2022 is possible instead.

Would you trust Aus to take part in 2022. I wouldn't.

[Tommygilf]

1 minute ago, Harry Stottle said:

Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Italy, Greece, Lebanon, Cook Islands all reliant on NRL player's to fill their squads, these player's have mostly the same employers as the Aus and NZ player's, not a snowball in hells chance of any of these teams taking part.

Has the song says "Let's call the whole thing off"

But the NRL know they can't bill these national federations like they can the ARLC.

If they hold firm, indeed if players switch to them to play, then its even more likely they come over.

[DavidM]

I was so peeved I posted twice 

[gingerjon]

1 minute ago, Mattrhino said:

Would you trust Aus to take part in 2022. I wouldn't.

Of course they won't take part in 2022. They never want to take part.

[Spidey]

1 minute ago, Mattrhino said:

Would you trust Aus to take part in 2022. I wouldn't.

Not in the slightest. Australia only want to play international rugby on their terms. 

[RP London]

28 minutes ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

https://twitter.com/BBCBreakfast/status/1418118191147061251?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^tweet

agree with this... also sounds like its still game on.

[JohnM]

Re vaccination. Low level of take up because Aussies are scared it might turn them into Strop replicas. I have news for them. Its too late... that happened years ago.

[Mattrhino]

I'd wager if it doesn't go ahead. That will be time for the RLWC for a long time.

[JohnM]

10 minutes ago, Gerrumonside ref said:

Anyone else think the swear filter should be removed on this one thread for just this one occasion?

We need to vent!

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[Industria ditat]

The only thing that surprised me about this is the announcement that the World Cup was going ahead. I actually thought that it would have been cancelled by now as there was never any certainty of the Aussies/ Kiwis coming and without them the World Cup is massively devalued.

I may be in a minority, but I don't blame them.

They are jumping through hoops to keep their domestic competition going and will probably have to do so for the rest of the season. By October most of them will probably have had enough and won't want all the hassle and uncertainty that the World Cup will entail for them.

[Futtocks]

 

[Rioman]

5 minutes ago, Coventry said:

Nobody here will touch the AZ vaccine with a barge pole, especially as two more died from clotting today.  As a pom living in Oz it was obvious months ago that the WC wasn’t going to happen.  The country is locking down tighter by the day and the public are not allowed to leave the country.  If they somehow get out they won’t be coming back until 2022 at the earliest.  There are  still some 40,000 expats trying to get back, and have been since 2020. 

My daughter who lives in Oz and is an Aussie Citizen had Astra Zeneca and is fine, but then again she's from Yorkshire and obviously made of sterner stuff .

[DavidM]

So basically we’ve got a bit of muscle flexing  now … they want to push this as a way to get the tournament postponed ( you can’t do it without us can you ? ) , and the organisers want to go ahead , or did . So what gives now ?