Euros cancelled

[Eddie]

48 minutes ago, Henson Park Old Firm said:

I have a feeling we are going to have a 8 team WC

That wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing imho. 

[JM2010]

2 minutes ago, Eddie said:

That wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing imho. 

Think I have to agree. Maybe we have to get back to basics and build what we’ve already got first. 
The SH seem to have it sorted. The NRL is strong and getting stronger and they have a two tier tri nations set up for the next few years.

Over here we need to focus on building the domestic game by increasing attendances, improving playing standards, increasing revenue, increasing the profile of SL, getting more kids playing and improving junior pathways.

England can then play France at the end of the season plus a test series against a SH team. Every 4 years a 8N WC with the 6 SH nations, England plus 1 qualifier. That gives fans regular quality International RL to watch with annual fixtures for England. 

Competitions and test matches can be played below this. It might need to be more domestic based players due to lack of funds to fly a load of NRL players over but that could be a positive 
 

 

[Barley Mow]

28 minutes ago, Eddie said:

That wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing imho. 

It would be a huge shame for France to go from being hosts to not even taking part.

[gingerjon]

19 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

It would be a huge shame for France to go from being hosts to not even taking part.

Contraction is contraction.

We can kind ourselves we're 'building' but, like playing three tests clinging to the M62 when our biggest crowds are always away from the heartlands, it's a comforting lie.

[Hello]

In the bigger scheme of things, this makes RL look more than ever like a "Happy shopper" afterthought of a sport.  Massively dissapointing turn of events, searching for positives is a difficult one.

[nadera78]

8 hours ago, gingerjon said:

Not sure I have the energy to care about this game for much longer

https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/european-championships-cancelled-as-international-calendar-left-in-tatters

I never go to watch live games anymore, since the Broncos gave up trying. I watch fewer games on TV than ever. I visit this forum less than ever. I talk about RL less than ever. I think about it less than ever. And none of it was a conscious decision, it just crept up on me.

Life's too short to bother with a sport that, at best, refuses to help itself and, at worst, seems to actively seek out damage.

[langpark]

I am disappointed as anyone. 

But I hate the fickle comments such as "I am done with this sport", often said by the same person a dozen times at various points throughout the year. 

All is not lost. I expect some national federations to announce some alternative fixtures very soon. 

Edited May 25, 2023 by langpark

[RP London]

3 hours ago, LlanWests said:

can we please have England v Australia please. 

nobody else matters, at the moment. if other nations aren't bothered about RL, that's their problem. it's the IRL's responsibility to, you know what.

I am sure the irony is not lost on anyone that Australia are taking their merryvsweet time announcing anything (rightly or wrongly no judgement) that has lead Tonga to say they will tour here and Samoa likely next year. 

There are other countries than just England and Aus.. the frustration is all about tue knock on of the delaying of 2021 followed by now the 2025 issues coupled with the fact Northern hemisphere RL is screwed no thanks to Northern hemisphere RL.. we have had chances to invest and grow and we have done nowt.. 

I am massively looking forward dyo England v Tonga and have my tickets but the layer below needs it's games..

[Llangennech]

1 minute ago, RP London said:

I am sure the irony is not lost on anyone that Australia are taking their merryvsweet time announcing anything (rightly or wrongly no judgement) that has lead Tonga to say they will tour here and Samoa likely next year. 

There are other countries than just England and Aus.. the frustration is all about tue knock on of the delaying of 2021 followed by now the 2025 issues coupled with the fact Northern hemisphere RL is screwed no thanks to Northern hemisphere RL.. we have had chances to invest and grow and we have done nowt.. 

I am massively looking forward dyo England v Tonga and have my tickets but the layer below needs it's games..

The layer below can organize their own, carry on. But I want to see England v Australia every other year in a Test Series. Obviously I also want to see England play against PNG and NZ at times. I want the Tonga and Samoa sides with a few players who were born there, like they have in their RU sides.  

[Pie tries]

4 hours ago, WelshpoolMarauder said:

Out of interest, how much money does it take to put on an international game? 

Say, for example, Scotland put out an invitation to Wales for a game (which seems like probably the cheapest option as it could be done without flying). What sort of money would they need in order to make it happen?

I'm guessing it must be more than any of the organisations feel they can gamble, otherwise why aren't they already doing it? 

Hotel. Travel. Insurance. Medics. Stadium. Truth is post covid there is no money….

[Pie tries]

3 hours ago, LlanWests said:

can we please have England v Australia please. 

nobody else matters, at the moment. if other nations aren't bothered about RL, that's their problem. it's the IRL's responsibility to, you know what.

Seven long years since this iconic fixture was last played.
 

Only RL could have such such a prized fixture - and waste it…

Bring back GB and get the Ashes back on…

[Llangennech]

1 minute ago, Pie tries said:

Seven long years since this iconic fixture was last played.
 

Only RL could have such such a prized fixture - and waste it…

Bring back GB and get the Ashes back on…

England IMO. Have a blue and red V on the England top with blue shorts. The women's kit should have blue shorts in any case. 

[RayCee]

7 hours ago, LlanWests said:

can we please have England v Australia please. 

nobody else matters, at the moment. if other nations aren't bothered about RL, that's their problem. it's the IRL's responsibility to, you know what.

From a NH perspective that's true. From a SH point of view, England is increasingly irrelevant. The SH can look after itself with internationals and England is finding itself caught between that reality and the lack of meaningful competition in the NH.

NH RL at the international level isn't viable on its own and spending money to prop it up is something the sport can ill afford. It's a nice idea but not a realistic one. Even if some Qatari investment came calling, any financial benefit would go to a handful of clubs and not internationals.

While NH RL revolves around some pro clubs plowing all their earnings back into their clubs, NH international RL won't be going anywhere. It is what it is.  

[welshmagpie]

10 hours ago, JM2010 said:

Think I have to agree. Maybe we have to get back to basics and build what we’ve already got first. 
The SH seem to have it sorted. The NRL is strong and getting stronger and they have a two tier tri nations set up for the next few years.

Over here we need to focus on building the domestic game by increasing attendances, improving playing standards, increasing revenue, increasing the profile of SL, getting more kids playing and improving junior pathways.

England can then play France at the end of the season plus a test series against a SH team. Every 4 years a 8N WC with the 6 SH nations, England plus 1 qualifier. That gives fans regular quality International RL to watch with annual fixtures for England. 

Competitions and test matches can be played below this. It might need to be more domestic based players due to lack of funds to fly a load of NRL players over but that could be a positive 
 

 

The NRL would demand your one qualifier comes from a play-off between Lebanon & the Cook Islands

[RP London]

8 hours ago, LlanWests said:

The layer below can organize their own, carry on. But I want to see England v Australia every other year in a Test Series. Obviously I also want to see England play against PNG and NZ at times. I want the Tonga and Samoa sides with a few players who were born there, like they have in their RU sides.  

Can they?... they seem to be really struggling at the moment..  and we're here partly thanks to that attitude some help can make a world of difference.. 

England v Australia every year would be terrible. Variety is the spice of life..

 

[Tommygilf]

36 minutes ago, welshmagpie said:

The NRL would demand your one qualifier comes from a play-off between Lebanon & the Cook Islands

A match played somewhere in Sydney too of course 

[RP London]

8 hours ago, Pie tries said:

Seven long years since this iconic fixture was last played.
 

Only RL could have such such a prized fixture - and waste it…

Bring back GB and get the Ashes back on…

Oh the GB nugget.. concept is dead let's move on its England now and needs to be built..  there is no justification for GB and the last tour showed how poor it is.

[Llangennech]

34 minutes ago, RP London said:

Can they?... they seem to be really struggling at the moment..  and we're here partly thanks to that attitude some help can make a world of difference.. 

England v Australia every year would be terrible. Variety is the spice of life..

 

That's what the IRL and the other administrators are there for. Aus v england every other year as it used to be. 

[Llangennech]

5 hours ago, RayCee said:

From a NH perspective that's true. From a SH point of view, England is increasingly irrelevant. The SH can look after itself with internationals and England is finding itself caught between that reality and the lack of meaningful competition in the NH.

NH RL at the international level isn't viable on its own and spending money to prop it up is something the sport can ill afford. It's a nice idea but not a realistic one. Even if some Qatari investment came calling, any financial benefit would go to a handful of clubs and not internationals.

While NH RL revolves around some pro clubs plowing all their earnings back into their clubs, NH international RL won't be going anywhere. It is what it is.  

The players want Kangaroo tours of England to start again. 

[RP London]

17 minutes ago, LlanWests said:

That's what the IRL and the other administrators are there for. Aus v england every other year as it used to be. 

But history tells us that doesn't work.. we have to help out in the same way as the NRL are helping deal with developing the southern hemisphere teams. Yes it's what the IRL should do but they have no ability to do it so someone else has to step in. 

Aus aren't bothered about playing us so that is a none argument at the moment.. 

[RP London]

17 minutes ago, LlanWests said:

The players want Kangaroo tours of England to start again. 

Do the organisers? If the organisers don't then it won't happen and at the moment they quite obviously don't.

[fighting irish]

This is heartbreaking news.

Again the burden, falls on the poorest to make anything happen. Good.

The sooner the games fledgling (NH) nations realise and accept that no-one is coming to the rescue, the better.

So what now?

If I were trying to organise an international calendar I'd begin with a merit table and "encourage" teams to play one or two matches a year (at most) against the team/s above and below them.

Each year the merit table is redrawn based on the results.

This removes the grandiosity, gives governing bodies sensible, achievable goals with the ability, for the better organised nations to climb the ladder as they develop. 

[Harry Stottle]

18 hours ago, The Hallucinating Goose said:

That's it, I'm done with RL, gonna start following handball now. 

Beat me to it.

[HartwoodHarvard]

They need to find a way to get Lebanon involved. Do away with the Euros and make 4 nations for the strongest NH teams, similar to Rugby Championship for SH rugby union. England, France and Lebanon are competitive enough to make the league at least watchable, then pro/rel for the final spot

[Barley Mow]

6 minutes ago, fighting irish said:

This is heartbreaking news.

Again the burden, falls on the poorest to make anything happen. Good.

The sooner the games fledgling (NH) nations realise and accept that no-one is coming to the rescue, the better.

So what now?

If I were trying to organise an international calendar I'd begin with a merit table and "encourage" teams to play one or two matches a year (at most) against the team/s above and below them.

Each year the merit table is redrawn based on the results.

This removes the grandiosity, gives governing bodies sensible, achievable goals with the ability, for the better organised nations to climb the ladder as they develop. 

They wouldn't even need a separate 'merit table' because that's essentially how the IRL rankings work:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRL_Men's_World_Rankings

You would just look at the European nations and this autumn have -

France play Tonga (pre-England) then Wales

Wales play Ireland then France

Ireland, Wales and Italy

Italy, Serbia and Ireland

Serbia, Greece and Italy

Greece, Scotland and Serbia

1 home match against the team ranked above them and 1 away against the team below.

What it doesn't do is fund the travel, accommodation and facilities and that is the problem.