Report: 2025 World Cup on verge of collapse

[Hello]

18 hours ago, Anita Bath said:

Unsustainable, with or without Covid, which is why they have not been welcomed back in the post covid world.

Qatar would be interesting, they could always have Israel folau as tournament ambassador.

Not welcomed back or not wanted to try again after what happened? Qatar is a difficult one for me, gut reaction is big no but joking aside about folau, could it possibly bring some plusses? Interesting one.

[Tex Evans Thigh]

If Qatar make it financially appealing then it might sway the board but it would surely need to be a very enticing offer given the other many downsides.

South Africa is a non-starter and should remain that way. We have no presence there and very little hope of establishing one.

A New Zealand led, pacific hosted comp would be my preferred option. NZ has the infrastructure and a population that is aware of and interested in the game. It also feels an opportune time to boost the game there and potentially aim for a 2nd NRL team.

If Fiji can legitimately support some games, along with PNG and maybe Aus, you could have a nice balance. 2 groups in NZ (including NZ, Samoa and Tonga) Have PNG host a group and perhaps the other one in Aus/Fiji, or some combination of this, e.g.:

Group 1 (New Zealand) - NZ, Tonga, Qu1, Qu2

Group 2 (Aus) - Aus, Lebanon, Italy, Greece

Group 3 (Fiji/NZ) - Eng, Fiji, Qu1, Qu2

Group 4 (PNG/NZ) - Samoa, PNG, Qu1, Q2

Maybe even have a game in Tonga and Samoa, how awesome would that be. Have the QFs spread and then semis and final in NZ.

Some combination, with Aus marginalized and the focus on NZ and pacific islands would be a great spectacle if it is possible to pull off.

[Eddie]

2 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

Angling is not a sport , it's a cruel pastime , the excuse that Fish don't feel pain isn't proven , I as a kid used to go fishing , no choice , my mum stated to my Dad " if you're going fishing you're taking them 2 with you as well " I bloody hated it

I don’t think it’s a sport either (and nor for that matter are formula one or snooker), but regardless it’s very popular as an activity but few people would watch it. 

[RP London]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

At the risk of reigniting the died down flame of a few painful pages of discussion on crowds, I think…

no wait. I actually don’t want to reignite that flame.

Cmon GJ, start living in the dream. In the dream there is a 2025 RLWC taking place in empty stadiums which… oh wait, I almost reignited that flame again.

No, I’m with you GJ, let’s avoid fantasy and get back to Aus/Pacific. 

If Qatar want to host it in 2025, then they will want to host it in 2029. Let’s at least give it some planning time to succeed. Start with giving them 6 yrs of free coverage of NRL and SL in Qatar and the surrounding nations to at least get the locals wet for it.

Wouldn't be against that at all.. need to build them into an international plan too, how they get a team together even if it is expats etc.. maybe a world club championship there in 2027 building up.. etc

[graveyard johnny]

3 hours ago, GUBRATS said:

Angling is not a sport , it's a cruel pastime , the excuse that Fish don't feel pain isn't proven , I as a kid used to go fishing , no choice , my mum stated to my Dad " if you're going fishing you're taking them 2 with you as well " I bloody hated it

these sad gits who spend thousands on equipment and go around in full camouflage outfits from head to toe to prove they can "out smart"  a fish - amaze me

[GUBRATS]

2 hours ago, Eddie said:

I don’t think it’s a sport either (and nor for that matter are formula one or snooker), but regardless it’s very popular as an activity but few people would watch it. 

I'd argue for the others , but the fact it is impossible to have more than one person in the identical place in a lake/river/sea makes it definatly not a sport 

[GUBRATS]

1 hour ago, graveyard johnny said:

these sad gits who spend thousands on equipment and go around in full camouflage outfits from head to toe to prove they can "out smart"  a fish - amaze me

I'd prefer the Crocodile Dundee version of fishing

[GUBRATS]

2 hours ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

If Qatar make it financially appealing then it might sway the board but it would surely need to be a very enticing offer given the other many downsides.

South Africa is a non-starter and should remain that way. We have no presence there and very little hope of establishing one.

A New Zealand led, pacific hosted comp would be my preferred option. NZ has the infrastructure and a population that is aware of and interested in the game. It also feels an opportune time to boost the game there and potentially aim for a 2nd NRL team.

If Fiji can legitimately support some games, along with PNG and maybe Aus, you could have a nice balance. 2 groups in NZ (including NZ, Samoa and Tonga) Have PNG host a group and perhaps the other one in Aus/Fiji, or some combination of this, e.g.:

Group 1 (New Zealand) - NZ, Tonga, Qu1, Qu2

Group 2 (Aus) - Aus, Lebanon, Italy, Greece

Group 3 (Fiji/NZ) - Eng, Fiji, Qu1, Qu2

Group 4 (PNG/NZ) - Samoa, PNG, Qu1, Q2

Maybe even have a game in Tonga and Samoa, how awesome would that be. Have the QFs spread and then semis and final in NZ.

Some combination, with Aus marginalized and the focus on NZ and pacific islands would be a great spectacle if it is possible to pull off.

Problem being is there is nobody going to underwrite a tournament like that , it would cost more than having it Quatar and logistically is a nightmare 

[Henson Park Old Firm]

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/france-saga-could-provide-extra-twist-to-end-of-season-european-championship

[David Shepherd]

4 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

It can’t buy you happiness. Many think it can, but it can’t.

But it can by beer and sex and chips and gravy.

[Copa]

1 hour ago, graveyard johnny said:

these sad gits who spend thousands on equipment and go around in full camouflage outfits from head to toe to prove they can "out smart"  a fish - amaze me

What’s the deal with the outfits? Earlier this year I was in England and I saw plenty of people wearing some type of fishing outfit to stand on a footpath and fish a small stream with no natural riparian zone at all. It was in the middle of town.

[GUBRATS]

8 minutes ago, David Shepherd said:

But it can by beer and sex and chips and gravy.

My ex business partner had a Macc Lads tape we used to listen to in the van  

They we very ' PC '

[DI Keith Fowler]

1 hour ago, Copa said:

What’s the deal with the outfits? Earlier this year I was in England and I saw plenty of people wearing some type of fishing outfit to stand on a footpath and fish a small stream with no natural riparian zone at all. It was in the middle of town.

I'm always intrigued by people who have them with a big carp as their profile picture. Spending your life trying to catch someone's escaped mutant goldfish out of a canal cannot be the point of life. 

[GUBRATS]

27 minutes ago, DI Keith Fowler said:

I'm always intrigued by people who have them with a big carp as their profile picture. Spending your life trying to catch someone's escaped mutant goldfish out of a canal cannot be the point of life. 

Any idea how they ' escaped ' ?

[Copa]

2 hours ago, DI Keith Fowler said:

I'm always intrigued by people who have them with a big carp as their profile picture. Spending your life trying to catch someone's escaped mutant goldfish out of a canal cannot be the point of life. 

Carp are junk fish in Australia. They are plentiful and easy to catch. My son catches them up to a metre in length and we kill and bury them in our garden for fertiliser. We know they are prized fish in England but we were still amazed to see fishing stores in England dedicated to carp fishing gear.

[Whippet13]

More details on the NZ bid, including 12 team preference, which would reduce the cost risk. Games in NZ, Aus and potentially a couple in the islands.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/world-cup-blowouts-about-to-end-with-minnows-removed-from-the-pool-20230518-p5d9i1.html

[Henson Park Old Firm]

Looks like a 12 team wc

[Barley Mow]

48 minutes ago, Whippet13 said:

More details on the NZ bid, including 12 team preference, which would reduce the cost risk. Games in NZ, Aus and potentially a couple in the islands.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/world-cup-blowouts-about-to-end-with-minnows-removed-from-the-pool-20230518-p5d9i1.html

Two things jump out at me there:

1. The article says that "IRL officials" have flagged reducing the number to 12 rather than New Zealand have - does that mean it is regardless of where it is held?

2. Abdo says "If we are unable to play a World Cup in France in 2025, then we will certainly be looking to host content and think about meaningful competitions".

Content, and meaningful competitions - that isn't necessarily a world cup.

[Man of Kent]

Current IRL top 12 are Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, England, Tonga, PNG, Fiji, Lebanon, France, Wales, Ireland and Cook Islands.

I wonder if they are thinking about Maori NZ, Indigenous Aus type teams. 

 

 

[Barley Mow]

1 minute ago, Man of Kent said:

I wonder if they are thinking about Maori NZ, Indigenous Aus type teams. 

I really hope not.

[Tommygilf]

Currently 8 teams have qualified - England, Lebanon, Australia, NZ, Samoa, Tonga, PNG and Fiji.

4 spaces left one would assume would be a pro-rata'd version of existing qualification routes - 

2 Europe down from 4 (*technically 5 as France are now playing for qualification)

1 Americas down from 2

1 MEA/Pacific Repechage winner

Puts a lot of pressure of the Euros this year, to the extent that I would remove England Knights from them now.

[gingerjon]

12 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

The article says that "IRL officials" have flagged reducing the number to 12 rather than New Zealand have - does that mean it is regardless of where it is held?

I think that's probably the correct reading.

They've looked at the last World Cup and the reasons why France are saying they can't get the money and decided that contraction is the safest option.

[Henson Park Old Firm]

What happened to QATAR?

[Gerrumonside ref]

Just now, Henson Park Old Firm said:

What happened to QATAR?

We went Handball for a bit and then Angling, I don’t think Qatar ever recovered!

[gingerjon]

15 minutes ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

What happened to QATAR?

It was a two line comment from Troy Grant.