How can international rugby league recover its credibility after the humiliating cancellation of the 2025 World Cup in France?

[Rugby League World]

How can international rugby league recover its credibility after the humiliating cancellation of the 2025 World Cup in France?

In the latest issue of Rugby League World magazine, Michael O’Hare asks where does international rugby league go from here?

Reaf the article in full now on TotalRL.com

https://www.totalrl.com/how-can-international-rugby-league-recover-its-credibility-after-the-humiliating-cancellation-of-the-2025-world-cup-in-france/

[RP London]

fair reflection. 

I would point out though that there have been major champs and tournaments change from time to time in the past and questions about their ability to happen.. the Commonwealth games just gone were supposed to be in South Africa but they gave them back. So while I get and agree with much of the sentiment I wouldnt be so worried about the visual of the move/cancellations as long as it goes ahead, that is always the key. 

Football does tend to have contingencies built in "just in case" ie going back to a previous host from not too distant past or just going to a major nation that can handle it. Mexico 1986 was supposed to be in Colombia but they resigned in 82 for Mexico to be picked in 83.. 

The cancellation will potentially harm the game in France, of course, but as long as the comp still goes ahead much of the harm to the game as a whole will not be there.. the issue is if it does not go ahead at all or goes ahead in a "poor" way.

the rest about how bad the international game is and how badly run it is is pretty much bang on IMHO

Edited July 10, 2023 by RP London

[Damien]

Playing some international games and tournaments and setting a regular schedule would help for starters. Much of the lack of credibility comes from barely playing internationals and a very irregular schedule that is based on the whims of the NRL.

[Gerrumonside ref]

A stable international calendar that we as fans can plan and prepare for.

[ATLANTISMAN]

The conversation at the Dragons regarding France not hosting the RLWC/2025 died weeks ago no-one even mentions it anymore.

 

Paul 

[Griff]

39 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

The conversation at the Dragons regarding France not hosting the RLWC/2025 died weeks ago no-one even mentions it anymore.

 

Paul 

Not surprised.  It must be a huge embarrassment.

[JM2010]

Just have an international calendar so everyone can play

[The Daddy]

Did international rugby league have any credibility to begin with?

[Pie tries]

7 hours ago, The Daddy said:

Did international rugby league have any credibility to begin with?

Yes. Remember the Ashes….JD at Wembley, Joe Lydon at OT, Henderson doing a boogie….

[Llangennech]

11 hours ago, Rugby League World said:

How can international rugby league recover its credibility after the humiliating cancellation of the 2025 World Cup in France?

In the latest issue of Rugby League World magazine, Michael O’Hare asks where does international rugby league go from here?

Reaf the article in full now on TotalRL.com

https://www.totalrl.com/how-can-international-rugby-league-recover-its-credibility-after-the-humiliating-cancellation-of-the-2025-world-cup-in-france/

IMO most of the best answers and solutions are simple ones. As I've said before have an Australia v England Test Series every other year, in even years. Lets see more ppl in northern England watch RL.  

[westlondonfan]

I imagine a lot of us doubted whether the World Cup would actually take place in France anyway at the end of the day.

I thought the Four Nations was going well before it was scrapped. With Tonga and Samoa doing so well recently a five nations or even a six nations could probably work too.

Edited July 10, 2023 by westlondonfan

[JM2010]

I thought the IRL were releasing an International calendar in July?

[yipyee]

13 hours ago, RP London said:

fair reflection. 

I would point out though that there have been major champs and tournaments change from time to time in the past and questions about their ability to happen.. the Commonwealth games just gone were supposed to be in South Africa but they gave them back. So while I get and agree with much of the sentiment I wouldnt be so worried about the visual of the move/cancellations as long as it goes ahead, that is always the key. 

Football does tend to have contingencies built in "just in case" ie going back to a previous host from not too distant past or just going to a major nation that can handle it. Mexico 1986 was supposed to be in Colombia but they resigned in 82 for Mexico to be picked in 83.. 

The cancellation will potentially harm the game in France, of course, but as long as the comp still goes ahead much of the harm to the game as a whole will not be there.. the issue is if it does not go ahead at all or goes ahead in a "poor" way.

the rest about how bad the international game is and how badly run it is is pretty much bang on IMHO

I think its that France cancelled after stepping in when USA cancelled.

Thats after Australia wimped out of the last one for a year.

Qatar have allegedly offered and I would bite their hand off. If its true it would be a cash Injection and give RFL / international fed a bit of breathing space.

[Sports Prophet]

13 hours ago, Damien said:

Playing some international games and tournaments and setting a regular schedule would help for starters. Much of the lack of credibility comes from barely playing internationals and a very irregular schedule that is based on the whims of the NRL.

If anything the media blackout has taught us, it is that for the NRL to organise International fixtures comes with difficult negotiations with the players. 

Tonga has taught us that any PI nation has the capacity to go and organise their own series without the financial assistance of the NRL.

Rather than being at the “whims of the NRL”, if NZ, Samoa, Fiji, PNG et al wish to play their own matches/series, they are more than welcome to organise them on their own merits. If those bodies are not in a financial situation to deliver matches or a series without the funding support of the NRL, then they put themselves at the mercy of these RLPA collective bargaining negotiations which have hamstrung Australian RL for years.

[StandOffHalf]

Bring back the Ashes! That is RL's big ticket internationally. Games at such venues as the Etihad, Headingley, Wembley, maybe Newcastle. Go big.

NZ, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, PNG should all be playing several games against one another every year mid-season.

A Euro Comp and other comps for the developing regions.

[Sports Prophet]

19 minutes ago, StandOffHalf said:

Bring back the Ashes! That is RL's big ticket internationally. Games at such venues as the Etihad, Headingley, Wembley, maybe Newcastle. Go big.

NZ, Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, PNG should all be playing several games against one another every year mid-season.

A Euro Comp and other comps for the developing regions.

I agree with the sentiments around going big for Aus v GB, but the sad reality for the PI nations is that they can’t play mid season as the players are all suitably contracted to play NRL.

[StandOffHalf]

1 hour ago, Sports Prophet said:

I agree with the sentiments around going big for Aus v GB, but the sad reality for the PI nations is that they can’t play mid season as the players are all suitably contracted to play NRL.

Until that changes international RL will stagger along from pillar to post.

[DACS]

An Ashes series would only get big crowds in Britain. In the media in Oz the PI nations have more credibility than GB as a team due to the profile of their players. Reality is the only long term solution is for GB to be competitive, which seems as long away now as it has in the past 40 years. If GB beat Australia you'd see the pom-bashing hatred return. Right now its more of a sympathetic or sneering view that GB isn't worth bothering about. 

[Damien]

3 hours ago, StandOffHalf said:

Until that changes international RL will stagger along from pillar to post.

Indeed. With more enlightened NRL administrators the game was seeking to move from one mid season international to three, with standalone Origin and international weekends. That would have benefitted the international game and the NRL competition and seen greater player welfare with no more backing up after Origin matches. What an international calendar we could have had then.

Then the PI nations became a victim of their own success and the international game seen as a threat to the golden goose that is Origin by v'Landys and Co. So we instead see mid season internationals scrapped and, as the RLPA have shown, the NRL just want to control and profit from the international game while limiting its growth to play second fiddle.

Edited July 11, 2023 by Damien

[Spidey]

Australia have zero interest in the Ashes - if that’s the only solution we’re screwed 

[StandOffHalf]

41 minutes ago, Damien said:

Indeed. With more enlightened NRL administrators the game was seeking to move from one mid season international to three, with standalone Origin and international weekends. That would have benefitted the international game and the NRL competition and seen greater player welfare with no more backing up after Origin matches. What an international calendar we could have had then.

Then the PI nations became a victim of their own success and the international game seen as a threat to the golden goose that is Origin by v'Landys and Co. So we instead see mid season internationals scrapped and, as the RLPA have shown, the NRL just want to control and profit from the international game while limiting its growth to play second fiddle.

The scrapping of the mid-season internationals is one of the things that has saddened me the most in recent times. There was so much potential there to really kick on and do something magical with those nations.

It would have had the effect of making me much more enthusiastic and warm towards Origin if it had been placed in those rep weekends as part of a feast of state and international football. It really had the potential to shine such a vibrant, colourful, unique light on the game we all love.

What a small-minded, wasted opportunity!

[RP London]

8 hours ago, yipyee said:

I think its that France cancelled after stepping in when USA cancelled.

Thats after Australia wimped out of the last one for a year.

Qatar have allegedly offered and I would bite their hand off. If its true it would be a cash Injection and give RFL / international fed a bit of breathing space.

not many people outside the tiny world of RL would have known about the USA part so that doesn't worry me at all.. 

Australia wimping out caused damage to the potential profitability of the competition and it also damaged what could have been a really big win for League as the first sport off the blocks with a major comp.. but that's been done to death on here and there were issues that again were not solely league and people would not have seen it necessarily as a major issue outside of our circles "cos of Covid".

If Qatar was really then maybe but in reality i'd be trying to get the NZ and Pacific islands one off the ground if I could.. but equally the key is a 16 team comp happening somewhere IMHO.. not to have it would be terrible and to have it watered down to be Southern Hemisphere + England wouldnt help either. 

[RP London]

I know the ashes has history etc (and dear god lets leave GB in the bin) but I'm really looking forward to seeing England v Tonga this year.. and I'll no doubt get tickets for Samoa the next year. Let the Aussies do the aussies and we will get things moving and organised without them if we need to.. We cannot keep harping back to something that the other half doesnt want move on. 

If we get it right and build it the Aussies will want back in, then we can do an ashes if we want to more on our terms. 

What we have to do though is stop the small mindedness about stadiums, get one outside the heartlands every time (London or Newcastle for me) 1st or 2nd test where there is definitely something on the line... But we have to stop hoping we will get something we cannot, the Aussies dont want to come over, fine, lets move on.

[RP London]

8 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

If anything the media blackout has taught us, it is that for the NRL to organise International fixtures comes with difficult negotiations with the players. 

Tonga has taught us that any PI nation has the capacity to go and organise their own series without the financial assistance of the NRL.

Rather than being at the “whims of the NRL”, if NZ, Samoa, Fiji, PNG et al wish to play their own matches/series, they are more than welcome to organise them on their own merits. If those bodies are not in a financial situation to deliver matches or a series without the funding support of the NRL, then they put themselves at the mercy of these RLPA collective bargaining negotiations which have hamstrung Australian RL for years.

This is the bit that really annoys me.. 

We can moan all we like about the aussies not wanting to play but for the first time in my lifetime we have a number of opportunities to have some great games and series and, again for the first time in my lifetime, we actually dont need them. 

What we do need is some gumption to go and get this organised.. worry about ourselves and not worry about what every other nation is doing and get these games on.. we seem to have done that this year and hopefully next. 

We need to make sure around us the WRL are getting games on v France. That other euro nations are getting games on too (which they seem to be doing).. screw waiting around and just act. 

[Jparrish]

The simple answer is more regular international RL. If Tonga have agreed to come surely we can get Samoa and NZ over next year. 

Idea for 2024: (insert sponsor name ) 4 Nations: England, Samoa, New Zealand, France.

I know people will say the French will just get whipped but it allows for 2 games per weekend for 3 weeks and would be more financially viable. I'd be open to Tonga, Fiji, Lebanon or Ireland taking the 4th place though if it works.

Have England play there 3 games in London, Midlands and North East. Fixtures between the others to be held in the "heartlands". France could host their game against NZ . The comp won't be as saturated as the WC and would turn a profit.