Report: 2025 World Cup on verge of collapse

[Big Picture]

28 minutes ago, Jparrish said:

Those tiny insignificant islands contribute to over 40 percent of the NRLs player pool. Not sure what the percentage is for super rugby but bet its pretty high. One of those tiny insignificant countries (Fiji)have produced gold winning 7s teams so surely you'd agree there's a plethora of talent to be tapped into and converted if the pathways are there.

Having previously lived in NZ I can also tell you there are big pacific islands communities. Who could be so easily converted from union fans to RL if they are regularly seeing there team play internationals. 

You need to see the bigger picture 

I do see the bigger picture, it's those of you who think that the rise of those countries will improve things for the game who don't.  New Zealand is a small country, so even if all the RU fans there switched it wouldn't any real difference in the overall scheme of things.

3 minutes ago, Eddie said:

Lads from those tiny insignificant (your word) nations choosing to play League instead of Union. 

That's because in world terms they are insignificant, and for that matter so are Australia and New Zealand.  Even in the unlikely event that the game became so big down there that it dwarfed RU and Aussie Rules combined that wouldn't boost its international stature and profile more than a smidge, if it even boosted at all.

[Eddie]

7 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

I do see the bigger picture, it's those of you who think that the rise of those countries will improve things for the game who don't.  New Zealand is a small country, so even if all the RU fans there switched it wouldn't any real difference in the overall scheme of things.

That's because in world terms they are insignificant, and for that matter so are Australia and New Zealand.  Even in the unlikely event that the game became so big down there that it dwarfed RU and Aussie Rules combined that wouldn't boost its international stature and profile more than a smidge, if it even boosted at all.

A half million more RL fans in NZ would make a big difference. 

[Big Picture]

11 minutes ago, Eddie said:

A half million more RL fans in NZ would make a big difference. 

Half a million is a drop in the bucket in world terms.

[Anita Bath]

42 minutes ago, Eddie said:

After not bothering to come the year before. 

You could say England didnt show up for the semi final

[GeordieSaint]

30 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

Half a million is a drop in the bucket in world terms.

It is. But what’s the objectives for the tournament? I’d suggest it’s not world domination. Off the top of my head, itll be firstly, make some money for the IRL, secondly to solidify the sport’s position as No1 in the Pacific Islands, thirdly to replace RU as the No1 sport in NZ, and then fourthly, continue to grow the sport globally. 

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, Big Picture said:

Half a million is a drop in the bucket in world terms.

Not in rugby league terms though. 

[Sports Prophet]

1 hour ago, Big Picture said:

I do see the bigger picture, it's those of you who think that the rise of those countries will improve things for the game who don't.  New Zealand is a small country, so even if all the RU fans there switched it wouldn't any real difference in the overall scheme of things.

That's because in world terms they are insignificant, and for that matter so are Australia and New Zealand.  Even in the unlikely event that the game became so big down there that it dwarfed RU and Aussie Rules combined that wouldn't boost its international stature and profile more than a smidge, if it even boosted at all.

That’s a really negative way to look at it. 

As @GeordieSaint says, the tournament objectives must be relevant to the sport’s current position and achievable but also aggressive.

Sure the sport won’t be hitting the headlines in Berlin or Rio, but no matter how Big the Picture is, a successful WC in the Pacific would be a very, very valuable outcome for the growth of Rugby League.

[RayCee]

5 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

Sure the sport won’t be hitting the headlines in Berlin or Rio, but no matter how Big the Picture is, a successful WC in the Pacific would be a very, very valuable outcome for the growth of Rugby League.

The women's team from Brazil improved greatly through their brief sojourn at the last WC. In their last game, they nearly upset a much more experienced team from Canada. So you're right it won't hit the headlines in most places but if the women from Brazil could build on their last appearance, maybe they will be noticed in Rio.