Report: 2025 World Cup on verge of collapse

[sam4731]

Anyone considered an 8 team format in a cricket Super 8 style. Everyone plays everyone else, top 4 get semi finals. Plenty of competitive matches still maintaining a good number of games.

[Llangennech]

3 hours ago, johnh1 said:

Let's have an 8 team tournament in the UK instead. 8 good teams and some great matches with very few blow out scores.

Well, England. I want to see a 3 match test series between England and the Kangaroos in England soon, please.

When it was GB I couldn't feel as if I could get behind the 'Roos 100%, but if it's England I will be able to. Hopefully I'll get to the first or second Test wearing my green and red Rabbitohs rain jacket.  

[The Hallucinating Goose]

1 hour ago, Gomersall said:

If that’s the future for the WC then that’s it for me. My enjoyment was watching the teams you rarely see who have had to qualify to be there. Not the same old, same old on an infinite loop.

I quite agree, I love watching the less seen nations at the World Cup but unfortunately it does not seem financially viable to sustain a World Cup with that many teams in it. Trust me, my lifelong dedication and love of RL has been tested to the limit over the last couple of years and this announcement has not helped matters. 

[Gerrumonside ref]

22 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

Anyone considered an 8 team format in a cricket Super 8 style. Everyone plays everyone else, top 4 get semi finals. Plenty of competitive matches still maintaining a good number of games.

I don’t think that would do much for rugby league in France, Wales etc.

There would be no path for them I take it.

I’m not saying your idea doesn’t have merit from a purely sporting point of view (or a selfishly English one either), but I think in the long term it wouldn’t help the sport grow.

[Guest]

Perhaps a Nations League format is best. 8 in Tier 1 and 8 in Tier 2. The winner will get a trophy and move up.

I don't think the WC will be back in 2025 unless Eng take it up again. Either way, it's another hit of bad PR for the sport.

[Pulga]

7 hours ago, langpark said:

Nice try. I was talking about RLWC2021 and you know it. 

RLWC2025 will happen and will be a success. Much to your despair and your fellow prophets of doom. 

No despair on my end. The WC teams that put them on are different groups to the IRL. Jon Dutton was probably one of the best administrators in RL. The IRL though is completely incompetent.

[Jparrish]

Really disappointed to hear this. But can't say I'm surprised, the decision seemed rushed 2029 would of been more realistic 

The only way I'd see it going ahead in 2025 or even 26 is if Australia step up but we know of there disregard for International RL.  I'd be happy with a joint bid from NZ/ Aus too but again what are the chances given the WC in its current format is not commercially viable. 

[Madrileño]

3 hours ago, LlanWests said:

Well, England. I want to see a 3 match test series between England and the Kangaroos in England soon, please.

"A three test series"?

Do any sports still do that??

Sounds really old fashioned to me. I cannot imagine it pulling in many younger fans.

I thought cricket have even binned those nowadays!

Rugby union doesn't really have them any more either?

Is this really the way to drag a dying sport into the 21st century?

I can't imagine the Aussies, who know how to market the game... would have any interest in this. 

[Madrileño]

4 hours ago, fcl said:

Avignon, which has been one of the biggest crowds in recent years (match France - NZ), refused to pay the entry ticket which was €200,000.

When was this @fcl ?

[Matterhorn]

If true - it is very concerning. The optics projected now will unfortunately shine a negative light on the tournament even if it is resolved somehow. Once certain sections of the media smell blood they will follow every ongoing development with a fine tooth comb & report it in such as a way that will now make it an uphill battle to make it a success - I hope I am wrong.

A few points:

Did France agree to hosting before/after Aus/Nz pulled out of the 2021 world cup.

Did the recent test between England & France for the mens/womans really send alarm bells back in France to such an extent that they thought they wouldn't be able to market it or sell it so the French people embrace when there national team had such a huge score against them regardless of the reasons why this occurred.

Is there a Plan B/C at all now if this goes belly up - the only silver lining is we are still a long way away but that also would mean a massive set back & we may get a scaled back event.

Once again rugby league makes headlines for the wrong reasons.

One thing I know is international rugby league won't die it will only keep growing. More countries now playing domestically & more players in the NRL with Pacific heritage proves this.

[JohnM]

1. Is it true?

2. Which "headlines:" has it made?

3. Fanciful speculation about different WC structures: Keep it simple. Nothing wrong in my view with the existing structure. Structure is not the problem.

4. People outside the sport are, based on my experience, nowhere near as negative about the sport as we might think.

5. It's up to the sport as a whole, admin, owners, sponsors, players, fans, to drive the sport forward.

Right ..I've run out of fingers on one hand now....

Edited May 12, 2023 by JohnM

[Matterhorn]

I heard it in the sports report on 2gb radio sydney australia from ray hadley who said the Australian Newspaper reported it.

It wasn't where i expected to here it first

[AB90]

5 hours ago, Madrileño said:

"A three test series"?

Do any sports still do that??

Sounds really old fashioned to me. I cannot imagine it pulling in many younger fans.

I thought cricket have even binned those nowadays!

Rugby union doesn't really have them any more either?

Is this really the way to drag a dying sport into the 21st century?

I can't imagine the Aussies, who know how to market the game... would have any interest in this. 

I agree. Random one off 3 game test series or tours (GB lions 2019) are so 19th century!! 

Unless there’s some kind of four or six nations tournament then don’t bother.

[fcl]

6 hours ago, Madrileño said:

When was this @fcl ?

It was in 2013, 17500 in Avignon for France - New Zealand.

To return to the subject, I think that in England you do not have a fair vision of the situation of rugby league in France. If we do not succeed in organizing this World Cup, it will be a total failure for the federation, since all the development projects were conditioned by this RLWC which was to be the driving force behind the revival of rugby league in France. In France, there is an expression: "we put all our eggs in one basket".

Let's not forget that the national rugby league center project that was launched has been discreetly buried, that there is no development project for the national championship, that the base of our pyramid is inexorably shrinking, etc., etc.

If you want to help us, you English and international authorities of our sport, you must help us to develop our championship so that it becomes fully professional. the Dragons and Toulouse will not help our discipline to grow on our territory.

[Llangennech]

6 hours ago, Madrileño said:

"A three test series"?

Do any sports still do that??

Sounds really old fashioned to me. I cannot imagine it pulling in many younger fans.

I thought cricket have even binned those nowadays!

Rugby union doesn't really have them any more either?

Is this really the way to drag a dying sport into the 21st century?

I can't imagine the Aussies, who know how to market the game... would have any interest in this. 

What? Of course RU still have 3 test series. There are only 2 RL playing nations, England v Australia is the WC final. Can I watch that please. 

Edited May 12, 2023 by LlanWests

[Anita Bath]

how many times have england played australia in the RLWC in the last 50 years?

[crashmon]

1 hour ago, AB90 said:

I agree. Random one off 3 game test series or tours (GB lions 2019) are so 19th century!! 

Unless there’s some kind of four or six nations tournament then don’t bother.

You have 3 test series in RU in the summer internations when the NH tour the SH, and they are very successful.  So I don't have a problem with 3 match test series, apart from whoever tours the England, they should play a warm up game in France, and at least one of the tests should be outside of the heartlands

[ATLANTISMAN]

Lets see how this pans out today (Eagerly waiting news later) This has been on the cards for weeks and the Federation has been working hard to turn this around after basically being badly let down by the change of government.

My personal opinion is that we will end up with an 8 team tournament (Thats what the NRL want I am certain) and we should split the group stages between England and France with Qtr Finals and Semi-Finals split as well with the final still in Nice as planned.

England Leeds Wigan London Bristol (Only stadiums used in heartlands Leeds and Wigan) 

France Toulouse Carcassonne Perpignan Nice etc 

Would still be a great tournament 

 

Paul

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 12, 2023 by ATLANTISMAN
Leeds and Wigan)

[Henson Park Old Firm]

France can fix this World Cup disaster, with Cocaine and strippers.

[crashmon]

11 hours ago, sam4731 said:

Anyone considered an 8 team format in a cricket Super 8 style. Everyone plays everyone else, top 4 get semi finals. Plenty of competitive matches still maintaining a good number of games.

Most enjoyable game I ever saw in a WC was in Bristol in 2013, cook islands vs USA.  You would never get that sort of experience in we shrink to 8 teams

[The Hallucinating Goose]

1 hour ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

France can fix this World Cup disaster, with Cocaine and strippers.

How much are you paying me to strip? 

[welshmagpie]

1 hour ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Lets see how this pans out today (Eagerly waiting news later) This has been on the cards for weeks and the Federation has been working hard to turn this around after basically being badly let down by the change of government.

My personal opinion is that we will end up with an 8 team tournament (Thats what the NRL want I am certain) and we should split the group stages between England and France with Qtr Finals and Semi-Finals split as well with the final still in Nice as planned.

England Leeds Wigan London Bristol (Only stadiums used in heartlands Leeds and Wigan) 

France Toulouse Carcassonne Perpignan Nice etc 

Would still be a great tournament 

 

Paul

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paul what is expected to happen to teams who will qualify this autumn like Jamaica, Ireland etc.

They’ll qualify and then be told no?

[gingerjon]

1 hour ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Lets see how this pans out today (Eagerly waiting news later) This has been on the cards for weeks and the Federation has been working hard to turn this around after basically being badly let down by the change of government.

My personal opinion is that we will end up with an 8 team tournament (Thats what the NRL want I am certain) and we should split the group stages between England and France with Qtr Finals and Semi-Finals split as well with the final still in Nice as planned.

England Leeds Wigan London Bristol (Only stadiums used in heartlands Leeds and Wigan) 

France Toulouse Carcassonne Perpignan Nice etc 

Would still be a great tournament 

 

Paul

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, a men's tournament only - no women, no wheelchair? - and teams that are scheduled to play qualifiers this year told they won't have a competition to play in?

[Big Picture]

3 hours ago, LlanWests said:

What? Of course RU still have 3 test series. There are only 2 RL playing nations, England v Australia is the WC final. Can I watch that please. 

They do eh?  When are those played, and who plays them?  And even if they do, that doesn't change the fact that such series are an anachronism and a holdover from the days when hardly any countries played so they made up for that by having the same countries play each other multiple times.

[Sports Prophet]

17 hours ago, lucky 7 said:

And Australia isn't much interested in holding international Rugby League games nowadays.

What nonsense are you talking about?

The NRL are organising an end of season series this year.

Wake up to yourself.