Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[Archie Gordon]

I don't see the purpose of this downbeat interim statement. Worrying.

[Whippet13]

5 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

I don't see the purpose of this downbeat interim statement. Worrying.

Managing expectations and not giving anything away to the enemy.

[Archie Gordon]

Just now, Whippet13 said:

Managing expectations and not giving anything away to the enemy.

I think they've given away the fact that less than 14 nations are fully committed.

[Dave T]

8 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

I don't see the purpose of this downbeat interim statement. Worrying.

Yeah, I have no idea what this adds. 

[Scubby]

It only seems 4 years since the Australian players were threatening to boycott the 2017 World Cup over pay disputes. They really do hold the RLWC as the pinnacle down under  It has only taken 20 years to completely destroy one of the most revered brands in sport.

https://www.ibtimes.com.au/australian-players-could-boycott-2017-rugby-league-world-cup-1554218

 

[Scubby]

5 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

I think they've given away the fact that less than 14 nations are fully committed.

That is John Dutton's writing you can tell by the language. Agree, completely unnecessary.

[Damien]

10 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

I think they've given away the fact that less than 14 nations are fully committed.

There may well be 14 nations committed but they can't necessarily guarantee the players. I wouldn't put anything past the NRL.

[GeordieSaint]

11 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said:

I think they've given away the fact that less than 14 nations are fully committed.

I think we've been openly talking about the Pacific Islands... but they may not actually be the most difficult to persuade to participate?! The Lebanese, Greeks, and Italians are all Sydney based... we haven't really discussed them.

[Damien]

8 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

I think we've been openly talking about the Pacific Islands... but they may not actually be the most difficult to persuade to participate?! The Lebanese, Greeks, and Italians are all Sydney based... we haven't really discussed them.

I think from a standards perspective they are more replaceable.

[Toby Chopra]

12 minutes ago, Damien said:

I think from a standards perspective they are more replaceable.

Do you mean the teams or their players? 

[theswanmcr]

22 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

I think we've been openly talking about the Pacific Islands... but they may not actually be the most difficult to persuade to participate?! The Lebanese, Greeks, and Italians are all Sydney based... we haven't really discussed them.

That’s a really good point. The new statement definitely hints that others need to be persuaded with the mention of misinformation etc.

[bobbruce]

26 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

I think we've been openly talking about the Pacific Islands... but they may not actually be the most difficult to persuade to participate?! The Lebanese, Greeks, and Italians are all Sydney based... we haven't really discussed them.

The big problem with these teams is they are effectively run by the ARLC/NRL. If things start looking up for the WC I can see an announcement pulling one or two of these sides out. 

[Damien]

13 minutes ago, Toby Chopra said:

Do you mean the teams or their players? 

Teams

[Henson Park Old Firm]

Wasn't today meant to be RLWC d-day?

[Devon Ram]

20 minutes ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

Wasn't today meant to be RLWC d-day?

According a article in todays Daily Express put back till next week, it says more NRL players willing to travel so are the RLWC hoping for a climb down over the weekend ?

[Damien]

I am so annoyed the game has been reduced to this:

 

 

[Dave T]

2 minutes ago, Damien said:

I am so annoyed the game has been reduced to this:

 

 

Makes me want to vomit.

[Jim from Oz]

7 hours ago, fighting irish said:

I don't think the indiginous teams are going to come here, with the blessing of the ARLC nor should we welcome them alone.

If they did, the outcry from the other players, who would have been selected for Australia would be heard from here and rightly so.

For me, the only way through this is with ''rebel'' unsanctioned rep teams made up of the best players who declare their desire to be in it, or two non-qualifiers (USA + A.N.Other).

We (the organisers) can't welcome the indiginous teams and condone what the ARLC have done by leaving out the other  eager players (Cherry-Evans et al) that makes us look as bad as them.

I say, unless Aus and NZ climb down and opt back in, we should quickly appoint two ''rebel'' coaches/managers and select the best invitational teams we can muster from all the willing players. Then (crucially) print up the Green and Gold and the Black and White jumpers, so they can rightly feel/claim that they are playing for their respective National teams.

If we haven't got the cojones to go that far, then bring on the USA option.

I'm thinking more and more that this is the right direction.

I love the idea of the Indigenous and Maori sides as replacements, but that would leave the non-Indigenous and non-Maori players on the sideline (when many of those would want to attend) – and create a massive rift among the players.

So I agree, unless Aus and NZ climb down and opt back in (which is highly doubtful), the best option is "Invitational XIIIs" for Australia and NZ, and, failing that, sides like the US and Serbia (but the latter would be a far harder "sell" for organisers.

Perhaps this is why the latest statement from RLWC organisers is so vague, as they explore all the options, none of which are easy to sort out.

All up, the ARLC/NZRL decision to pull out is simply the greatest act of treachery RL has seen since Vichy – except it's self-inflicted. V'landys, Gould + co really have destroyed so much … for so little.

Still angry and disgusted. 

[Jim from Oz]

8 hours ago, The Rocket said:

You are going to absolutely love this.

It is well known that there has been hesitancy about getting vaccinated over here, most probably because we haven`t had the bejesus scared out of us by high mortality rates, but don`t worry Uncle Pete is going to save Oz.

V'landys reveals NRL's big vaccination plan (theage.com.au)

Peter V'landys is hoping that the public will take the lead set by NRL players and go out to get their COVID-19 jabs

I can only hope this is a lead in to, and not a distraction from, an announcement where squads of Australia`s finest Womens, Mens and Wheel-chair Rugby League athletes will soon be heading overseas to represent our nation fully protected from any nasty foreign bugs.

You couldn't make this up …

[Man of Kent]

‘Misinformation’ is a very interesting word in that statement. What could that be?

Could that ARLC/Phil Gould-style misinformation about players not wanting to play?

Or could it be misinformation about Covid in the UK? Or misinformation about vaccines (eg they make you ill/dead/gay/Jewish/controlled by Bill Gates)? 

[theswanmcr]

30 minutes ago, Damien said:

I am so annoyed the game has been reduced to this:

 

 

This is not a good look and not very promising at all

[Jim from Oz]

37 minutes ago, Damien said:

I am so annoyed the game has been reduced to this:

 

 

The Australian RU and the AFL must look at this and simply can't believe their luck …

[Jim from Oz]

9 minutes ago, theswanmcr said:

This is not a good look and not very promising at all

Agreed … very worrying. Is he on the RLWC board?

[Tex Evans Thigh]

Our sport reminds me of Ricky Gervais’ joke about daddy long legs having really deadly venom but not having adequate fangs to administer it.

[theswanmcr]

15 minutes ago, Jim from Oz said:

Agreed … very worrying. Is he on the RLWC board?

No he’s not according to this https://www.rlwc2021.com/about/board-&-governance