Rugby League World Cup 2021 (Merged Threads)

[Scubby]

1 minute ago, jacksy said:

You forgot the refereeing.

That goes back before 2016 TBF  

[GeordieSaint]

3 minutes ago, Whippet13 said:

Axed the Anzac test, last played in 2017.

Axed the mid season Pacific tests.

Note: Scubby already brought it up.

[Rowan]

So, in the week that three more of the planned Super League games are called off because of Covid are we still trying to say to the Aussies and Kiwis - don't worry everything is fine there's nothing to worry about?

[Dunbar]

4 minutes ago, Rowan said:

So, in the week that three more of the planned Super League games are called off because of Covid are we still trying to say to the Aussies and Kiwis - don't worry everything is fine there's nothing to worry about?

Depends. Do you think the Super League players are in danger?

[Rowan]

Don't know, Dunbar, but isn't that the point?

[Davo5]

10 minutes ago, Rowan said:

So, in the week that three more of the planned Super League games are called off because of Covid are we still trying to say to the Aussies and Kiwis - don't worry everything is fine there's nothing to worry about?

Is the World Cup next week ?

Are Superleague players in Covid secure bubbles ?

[GeordieSaint]

Just now, Rowan said:

Don't know, Dunbar, but isn't that the point?

Another point is not to compare SL protocols with those being put into place by the RLWC team; very very different beast.

[LeeF]

54 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

Why do you think these so called bullies turned up in the past (e.g. when there wasn't Covid)?

I've been watching rugby league since 1990 and I've seen the Aussies and New Zealanders come here many times. For example, off the top of my head the Aussies were here in 1990, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2013, 2016. Bit hazy about the rest, but I'm sure I've missed some years.

So when and why did they decide to become bullies?

You do understand what a bully is and how they operate? 
Either you are being deliberately obtuse or you are Phil Gould

[DavidM]

4 minutes ago, Rowan said:

Don't know, Dunbar, but isn't that the point?

Theres an awful lot of sport going on here , and a lot planned for the rest of the year . The NRL reaction is an outlier really

[Rowan]

Thanks, I was just asking the question - didn't realise this forum was full of Covid experts. 

[Scubby]

15 minutes ago, Rowan said:

So, in the week that three more of the planned Super League games are called off because of Covid are we still trying to say to the Aussies and Kiwis - don't worry everything is fine there's nothing to worry about?

The SL is currently being run on Co-op stamps. The world cup is a world class international sporting event with £25m from the UK Government to help cover these things.

[LeeF]

17 minutes ago, Rowan said:

So, in the week that three more of the planned Super League games are called off because of Covid are we still trying to say to the Aussies and Kiwis - don't worry everything is fine there's nothing to worry about?

You do understand the difference between the 2 competitions?

[LeeF]

1 minute ago, Rowan said:

Thanks, I was just asking the question - didn't realise this forum was full of Covid experts. 

Or maybe you didn’t bother reading before you posted

[Rowan]

Well I haven't read 89 pages that's for sure but there are protocols for the Olympics and there are still cases in the British camp. Anyway, it's a moot point. I wasn't looking for an argument.  Cheers

[17 stone giant]

9 minutes ago, LeeF said:

You do understand what a bully is and how they operate? 
Either you are being deliberately obtuse or you are Phil Gould

I suppose they would say that we're bullies for demanding that they come here when they have what, in their opinion, are genuine concerns regarding their welfare.

[Dunbar]

Here's an idea.

We don't force players to come if they don't want to.

The ARL and NZRL don't stop players who want to come from coming.

It's so crazy it just may work.

[LeeF]

28 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

I suppose they would say that we're bullies for demanding that they come here when they have what, in their opinion, are genuine concerns regarding their welfare.

Wow

[Scubby]

32 minutes ago, Rowan said:

Well I haven't read 89 pages that's for sure but there are protocols for the Olympics and there are still cases in the British camp. Anyway, it's a moot point. I wasn't looking for an argument.  Cheers

Yes you were!

[RP London]

41 minutes ago, Rowan said:

Well I haven't read 89 pages that's for sure but there are protocols for the Olympics and there are still cases in the British camp. Anyway, it's a moot point. I wasn't looking for an argument.  Cheers

All been covered.. super league is being caught in the track and trace issues. Come middle of August it won't be happening with the change in rules. 

[Dunbar]

11 minutes ago, Scubby said:

Yes you were!

"Argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of anything the other person says."

Could be the mission statement of some forum members!

[fighting irish]

17 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

"Argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsaying of anything the other person says."

Could be the mission statement of some forum members!

No its not! 

 

 

lol

[Spotty Herbert]

59 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

I suppose they would say that we're bullies for demanding that they come here when they have what, in their opinion, are genuine concerns regarding their welfare.

We aren't demanding they come. We are demanding the NRL gives the players a chance to decide for themselves instead of being bullied into not coming.

[17 stone giant]

6 minutes ago, Spotty Herbert said:

We aren't demanding they come. We are demanding the NRL gives the players a chance to decide for themselves instead of being bullied into not coming.

Sometimes organisations have to take leadership decisions affecting those they are responsible for. That's what the Aussie and NZ administrators have done. The idea that everything can always be resolved by asking the players, is just not reality. You have administrators in order to make decisions on things. That's what they're paid for. Sometimes you might agree with their decisions, sometimes you might not. But that's how it is. They have a responsibility to more than just players. What about all the people that have to travel with the team - people who might be older and more vulnerable than elite athletes.

I'm not saying that they made the right decision - I haven't studied all the information to make that decision. However, I do read what others say, and I note that Cameron Smith said that he wouldn't be travelling, were he still playing at 38. I know this was partly because at that age he'd been in several World Cups, but it doesn't detract from the fact that he still wouldn't have come. Not because he's a bully, not because he's a coward, not because he doesn't care about international RL, but because he has concerns as a result of the wider Covid situation.

Given everything that's gone on in the past year and a half, I'm quite happy to show some empathy and understanding to people who have such concerns. That includes Aussie and NZ rugby league administrators.

[Spotty Herbert]

5 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

Sometimes organisations have to take leadership decisions affecting those they are responsible for. That's what the Aussie and NZ administrators have done. The idea that everything can always be resolved by asking the players, is just not reality. You have administrators in order to make decisions on things. That's what they're paid for. Sometimes you might agree with their decisions, sometimes you might not. But that's how it is. They have a responsibility to more than just players. What about all the people that have to travel with the team - people who might be older and more vulnerable than elite athletes.

I'm not saying that they made the right decision - I haven't studied all the information to make that decision. However, I do read what others say, and I note that Cameron Smith said that he wouldn't be travelling, were he still playing at 38. I know this was partly because at that age he'd been in several World Cups, but it doesn't detract from the fact that he still wouldn't have come. Not because he's a bully, not because he's a coward, not because he doesn't care about international RL, but because he has concerns as a result of the wider Covid situation.

Given everything that's gone on in the past year and a half, I'm quite happy to show some empathy and understanding to people who have such concerns. That includes Aussie and NZ rugby league administrators.

At the expense of having empathy with the RLPA, Christian Welch, Jason Taumalolo, numerous senior Australian international players, the entire northern hemisphere rugby league community, all those Pacific island players who are desperate to be able to follow through on their human right to represent their nation, the wheelchair players who were going to have an opportunity to play in the greatest tournament of their careers to date?

The only empathy you are showing is with the parochial interests of the NRL clubs who are worried their 2022 pre season may be a little bit disrupted and their power over world rugby league may not be as strong as it has been.

You should be ashamed of yourself, but your posts to date suggest you don't understand the concept of shame - just like the NRL administrators you are trying to defend.

[Dunbar]

14 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

Sometimes organisations have to take leadership decisions affecting those they are responsible for. That's what the Aussie and NZ administrators have done. The idea that everything can always be resolved by asking the players, is just not reality. You have administrators in order to make decisions on things. That's what they're paid for. Sometimes you might agree with their decisions, sometimes you might not. But that's how it is. They have a responsibility to more than just players. What about all the people that have to travel with the team - people who might be older and more vulnerable than elite athletes.

I'm not saying that they made the right decision - I haven't studied all the information to make that decision. However, I do read what others say, and I note that Cameron Smith said that he wouldn't be travelling, were he still playing at 38. I know this was partly because at that age he'd been in several World Cups, but it doesn't detract from the fact that he still wouldn't have come. Not because he's a bully, not because he's a coward, not because he doesn't care about international RL, but because he has concerns as a result of the wider Covid situation.

Given everything that's gone on in the past year and a half, I'm quite happy to show some empathy and understanding to people who have such concerns. That includes Aussie and NZ rugby league administrators.

With respect, the second half of your post (focusing on personal choice) contradicts your first part which supports the decision of the authorities to take a unilateral decision.

If the decision to not send a team is valid (right or wrong), why should Cameron Smith's opinion on whether he would have made the choice to come matter at all?