Aussies & Kiwis not coming in 2023...

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

8 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

You don’t need a SL team in Wales to grow Wales internationally. You need pathways for kids to progress to the professional ranks. 

You don't need a Welsh SL team, but it would be a lot easier to grow the Welsh national team if there was one. 

[Mojo]

16 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Why won't said players be playing for Samoa or Tonga?

State of Origin will be on at the same weekend. And the island players playing origin will definitely choose origin because of the money, and its the biggest rugby league event of the year. I don't blame those island players for choosing origin tbh.

[Big Picture]

4 hours ago, Mojo said:

State of Origin will be on at the same weekend. And the island players playing origin will definitely choose origin because of the money, and its the biggest rugby league event of the year. I don't blame those island players for choosing origin tbh.

State of Origin won't be on weekends, it's going back to Wednesday nights because its ratings were better then than on weekends.

4 hours ago, ShropshireBull said:

Second then who is funding it . If you have a team that effectively is the Welsh national team play week in week out together then they will inevitably be more competitive vs England. 

Absolute minimum should be RFL funding a full time academy in Wales and taking money off current English academies if necessary. For us to have an international game, then Welsh RL players are simply worth more to the sport.

Also pay for a coach at University level in Swansea so if WWR are staying around at least create a more meaningful pathway.

We all know how that would go down with the M62 crowd, they'd never tolerate it.

Edited November 21, 2022 by Big Picture

[AB90]

14 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

If we're accepting the Pacific teams stay down under for an Oceania cup next year, and that nothing is set in stone, such as a European nations league comp, there is potential to do anything that fits.

Given Lebanon are clearly the second strongest NH side, England should be at least considering them as opponents from a competitive outlook. Alongside France, Wales and Ireland (and others of course) there is a potential for a good competitive series to be put together. Such a competition would also allow for a bit more concrete TV coverage and enable games to be hosted outside of England. Beirut away anyone?

No doubt England will revert to type though and not be able to conceive of anyone but the Kiwis touring here.

Are we really considering Lebanon to be a ‘Northern Hemisphere’ team!?

Yes, the country of Lebanon is in the northern hemisphere but from a rugby league standpoint they are ‘Southern Hemisphere’ team as their strongest 17 are all based in Australia.

[Tosh]

6 hours ago, Mojo said:

State of Origin will be on at the same weekend. And the island players playing origin will definitely choose origin because of the money, and its the biggest rugby league event of the year. I don't blame those island players for choosing origin tbh.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to see if these wealthy players and in some cases millionaire players went with their heart and not their wallets and actually took a stance and refused to play origin and instead opted to represent their heritage.

 

[UTK]

27 minutes ago, Tosh said:

Wouldn’t it be amazing to see if these wealthy players and in some cases millionaire players went with their heart and not their wallets and actually took a stance and refused to play origin and instead opted to represent their heritage.

 

This has already happened before with Andrew Fifita and Haumole Olakau'atu made the same choice despite not being picked this season. 

At the same time you can't really take this stance on those players who don't choose to do so anyway, the overwhelming majority are born and raised in NSW/QLD anyway so their hearts may lie equally with their Origin side and their Nation of heritage. 

In any case it doesn't matter anymore because there are no clashes with the removal of the weekend Origin game.

[MatthewWoody]

I think its within their rights to play Origin and Int rl.

 

[Tommygilf]

3 hours ago, AB90 said:

Are we really considering Lebanon to be a ‘Northern Hemisphere’ team!?

Yes, the country of Lebanon is in the northern hemisphere but from a rugby league standpoint they are ‘Southern Hemisphere’ team as their strongest 17 are all based in Australia.

I understand what you are saying, but they are a Northern Hemisphere nation and should be treated as such.

[Mojo]

3 hours ago, Big Picture said:

State of Origin won't be on weekends, it's going back to Wednesday nights because its ratings were better then than on weekends.

We all know how that would go down with the M62 crowd, they'd never tolerate it.

State of origin players goes in to camp for basically 2 weeks they definitely won't be available for the mid test

[Mojo]

1 hour ago, UTK said:

This has already happened before with Andrew Fifita and Haumole Olakau'atu made the same choice despite not being picked this season. 

At the same time you can't really take this stance on those players who don't choose to do so anyway, the overwhelming majority are born and raised in NSW/QLD anyway so their hearts may lie equally with their Origin side and their Nation of heritage. 

In any case it doesn't matter anymore because there are no clashes with the removal of the weekend Origin game.

Not many Tongan's play in Origin. A few tongan's chose Origin over Tonga this year. Origin tho has quite a few samoan heritage players.

I don't see the Origin rules being changed tbh the international game is at its highest than ever before why would they change that now

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

On 20/11/2022 at 11:04, Jughead said:

A lot of doom mongering and the sky is falling down talk, here. There’ll be international rugby league in 2023 and beyond. 

Yeah...I've been guilty of that this last week 

I'm now going to cheer up and get back on the positive horse 

I'm actually very positive about what IMG are going to do so am keeping that in my head 

[MatthewWoody]

5 hours ago, Mojo said:

Not many Tongan's play in Origin. A few tongan's chose Origin over Tonga this year. Origin tho has quite a few samoan heritage players.

I don't see the Origin rules being changed tbh the international game is at its highest than ever before why would they change that now

Origin rules are ok imho as they're now. 
What we need is the NRL still letting players play SOO and play for nations ≠ than Australia. 
Choosing Tonga, Fiji or Samoa shouln't mean renouncing to Origin, which is one of the best stages our game has to offer. 

[MatthewWoody]

Players want England to tour Australia:

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/australia-world-cup-winner-latrell-mitchell-wants-england-next/

[MatthewWoody]

19 hours ago, Mojo said:

State of Origin will be on at the same weekend. And the island players playing origin will definitely choose origin because of the money, and its the biggest rugby league event of the year. I don't blame those island players for choosing origin tbh.

I think they shouldn't have to chose. They already lose money when renouncing to Australia calls, we shouldn't ask them to renounce to SoO. 

[The Future is League]

There could be some mileage in this as regards a touring team to here

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/mitchell-keen-to-tour-with-indigenous-all-stars-but-not-at-kangaroos-expense-20221122-p5c0ed.html#:~:text=Latrell Mitchell says he hopes,a Rugby League World Cup.

[MatthewWoody]

7 minutes ago, The Future is League said:

There could be some mileage in this as regards a touring team to here

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/mitchell-keen-to-tour-with-indigenous-all-stars-but-not-at-kangaroos-expense-20221122-p5c0ed.html#:~:text=Latrell Mitchell says he hopes,a Rugby League World Cup.

LM is spot on.

Indigenous would be great as a touring team (as the Maori All Black in the other code).

[Jughead]

Call me old fashioned but I’d rather international teams toured instead of rep teams.