2025 Rugby League World Cup qualification

[Pulga]

4 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

Brazil Are a lot stronger the Chile

Malta are already out

Nigeria have a lot of eligible first grade players: Jayden Okunbour, Jason Saab, Tuoyo Edogo, Matt Komalafe, Rio Corkill, Sadiq Adyebi, Muizz Matupha, Eribe Doro, Daniel Okoro Etc. I’m pretty confident all of those players will play expect maybe Saab. I very much doubt Lebanon will have Adam Doueihi in a small tournament like this and there squad could be very weak.

I don't think Brazil are as strong as Chile. We'll have to see though. Chile beat Philippines who pumped Brazil.

The problem is in qualifiers there are more strict quotas. It doesn't really matter how many first grade players you have.

[SydneyRoosters]

39 minutes ago, Pulga said:

I don't think Brazil are as strong as Chile. We'll have to see though. Chile beat Philippines who pumped Brazil.

The problem is in qualifiers there are more strict quotas. It doesn't really matter how many first grade players you have.

Yeah we’ll see Chile could easily put 50 points on Brazil I really don’t know. But Just from looking at what’s going on in Brazil online it looks really strong. They also have a few Brazilian born players in Europe. Ramon Silva how plays for Wigan Reserves and Renato Silva who plays for Catalans U19 Both are Props.

[Number 16]

There's something about Jayden Okunbour; he can really look the part of a top class winger, then his brain f@rts!

[Tommygilf]

5 hours ago, Davo5 said:

A Russia/Ukraine game will be tasty,the MRP will certainly be busy afterwards.

If its our MRP they'd take a look at the evidence about who brought the nuclear weapons, decide it wasn't intended as a threat by Russia's "Saint" Petersburg based players and ban the Ukrainians for playing in blue and amber

[Tommygilf]

I wonder amongst the smaller nations how much crossover there could be with the RU teams?

Brazil Women this year have a large contingent from their sevens RU team I believe for example. Chile's men have just qualified for the Union World Cup in France next year but I have no idea what level of club game they are drawing on.

[Pulga]

9 hours ago, SydneyRoosters said:

Yeah we’ll see Chile could easily put 50 points on Brazil I really don’t know. But Just from looking at what’s going on in Brazil online it looks really strong. They also have a few Brazilian born players in Europe. Ramon Silva how plays for Wigan Reserves and Renato Silva who plays for Catalans U19 Both are Props.

 

 

 

 

 

[Pulga]

Thinking out loud:

I'm not sure Chile have had a domestic comp for quite some time either and I'm pretty sure no youth development.

Brazil and Jamaica are the only Americas countries that should be allowed to qualify.

The IRL is really not fit for purpose.

[SydneyRoosters]

2 hours ago, Pulga said:

Thinking out loud:

I'm not sure Chile have had a domestic comp for quite some time either and I'm pretty sure no youth development.

Brazil and Jamaica are the only Americas countries that should be allowed to qualify.

The IRL is really not fit for purpose.

A bit of a hot take. The World Cup should only be 10-12 teams. We are not yet ready to have so many nations, personally I don’t see a point in a having nations full of heritage players with no fan bases or media attention.

They add absolutely nothing to the World Cup and there purely there to fill up the numbers.

I would much rather have the 7 Mostly Domestic nations and a only few other heritage nations.

 

[Pulga]

8 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

A bit of a hot take. The World Cup should only be 10-12 teams. We are not yet ready to have so many nations, personally I don’t see a point in a having nations full of heritage players with no fan bases or media attention.

They add absolutely nothing to the World Cup and there purely there to fill up the numbers.

I would much rather have the 7 Mostly Domestic nations and a only few other heritage nations.

 

Nah, I feel the opposite. Rugby League's heritage rules are brilliant.

I'd be keen to see a jump to 20 teams. Let's face it, if we have Greece, we could get 4 more teams that would likely be half competitive as well.

People forget that Japan, Portugal, Uruguay, Italy and Namibia have all been beaten by 100+ points in the union version.

But of course RL has a complete lack of foresight.

[SydneyRoosters]

20 minutes ago, Pulga said:

Nah, I feel the opposite. Rugby League's heritage rules are brilliant.

I'd be keen to see a jump to 20 teams. Let's face it, if we have Greece, we could get 4 more teams that would likely be half competitive as well.

People forget that Japan, Portugal, Uruguay, Italy and Namibia have all been beaten by 100+ points in the union version.

But of course RL has a complete lack of foresight.

Personally I don’t see heritage players as a viable option for the future at all. We’re the only sport in the world the international is made up of mostly heritage players. It’s the cheap way to do it instead of the other option which is actually growing the sport in the country. I would personally much rather watch a World Cup with only Aus, NZ, England, France, PNG, Wales and Fiji. Even if most games were fairly one sided. It would fell a lot more pure and derseved.

[SydneyRoosters]

2 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

But chicken and egg, if countries qualify and get exposure, more likelihood of funding to move sport forward. 

Guess prevention of just loading with aussies for other teams and beating native teams so to speak could be players having to declare themselves available for qualifying campaigns for world cups and if they dont then unable to participate in the World Cup for that team in the World Cup cycle.

I really hope. However it doesn’t fill me with confidence when Ireland and Scotland have been playing in the World Cup for 22 years yet the sport has not grown one bit in the country. 

[SydneyRoosters]

5 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

Fair point. How many meaningful games with exposure will Ireland get between now and next World Cup? Scotland drew with NZ in a four nations, were they rewarded with more annual fixtures vs England?

Rugby League needs to focus on developing the 7 nations which play the sport and have been for over 100 years (Bar Fiji). They need to get them to there maximum potential then we should look at other nations.

Australia

New Zealand

England

France

Papua New Guinea

Fiji

Wales

I say these Nations because they have far and away the highest number domestic born players no other nation comes remotely close to these 7.

[dealwithit]

You could make a case for Greece, Serbia and Ukraine — especially if Wales are only 50% domestic born. 

[Mumby Magic]

How come Malta are out?

[Gomersall]

43 minutes ago, SydneyRoosters said:

Rugby League needs to focus on developing the 7 nations which play the sport and have been for over 100 years (Bar Fiji). They need to get them to there maximum potential then we should look at other nations.

Australia

New Zealand

England

France

Papua New Guinea

Fiji

Wales

I say these Nations because they have far and away the highest number domestic born players no other nation comes remotely close to these 7.

Only four of those nations have been playing for more than 100 years.

[JM2010]

On 06/10/2022 at 12:20, Pulga said:

Brazil may not even make the Americas Championship.

Malta would be way ahead of Netherlands 

Lebanon and South Africa way stronger than Nigeria.

 

A full strength Nigeria would probably beat South Africa and he competitive against Lebanon. I'd like to see Lebanon automatically qualify through the WC and Nigeria take the MEA spot. 

[Mumby Magic]

I think Qualification needs a overhaul tbh. We need Internationals yet have, was it 8 or 10 already qualified? Plus am I right in saying Jamaica only played twice to qualify? I'd say hosts and previous World Cup finalists only to qualify. 

[SydneyRoosters]

15 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

Only four of those nations have been playing for more than 100 years.

Yeah I know France and PNG have been both playing for around 90 years but my point still stands. 

[SydneyRoosters]

6 minutes ago, JM2010 said:

A full strength Nigeria would probably beat South Africa and he competitive against Lebanon. I'd like to see Lebanon automatically qualify through the WC and Nigeria take the MEA spot. 

I think if Lebanon automatically qualify the winner MEA will play The Cook Islands for a spot. So I think it may be better if Lebanon don’t through. I’m not 100% sure though.

[Gomersall]

6 minutes ago, Mumby Magic said:

I think Qualification needs a overhaul tbh. We need Internationals yet have, was it 8 or 10 already qualified? Plus am I right in saying Jamaica only played twice to qualify? I'd say hosts and previous World Cup finalists only to qualify. 

I’d prefer it if only the four semi finalists earned guaranteed participation in the next WC. Obviously that would increase to five if the following WC’s host isn’t one of the four.

[Pulga]

4 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

I’d prefer it if only the four semi finalists earned guaranteed participation in the next WC. Obviously that would increase to five if the following WC’s host isn’t one of the four.

I've been thinking the same.

[Gomersall]

1 hour ago, ShropshireBull said:

We definitely need a third team in the northern hemisphere to have critical mass. If you get that you can either have a stand-alone euro comp or annual tours without Australia needing to be involved 

The only viable option I can envisage having the chance to step up would be Wales as there are no obstacles to Welsh players entering the English system as there are with other NH countries barring Scotland and Ireland. They are also a proven nation when it comes to producing rugby players and have two semi pro clubs in the English system.

Edited October 7, 2022 by Gomersall

[Whippet13]

Initial European qualifying fixtures announced, 6 teams.

I'll be supporting Ukraine, but Greece must be hot favourites for this stage.

https://everythingrugbyleague.com/next-phase-of-france-2025-world-cup-qualification-announced/

[JM2010]

Where are Serbia, Malta and Italy?

[welshmagpie]

1 hour ago, JM2010 said:

Where are Serbia, Malta and Italy?

Serbia and Italy are in the Euro Cup (Euro A) next season.

Malta are knocked out after their Euro D campaign last year.