Rugby League "World" Cup

[Pfitzy]

Well, I saw an article on Asotasi being out of the Kiwi side and remembered the Leaguies are putting on a World Cup this year... or basically a contest to see who is the second best league side in the World (pending upsets).

The venues include the much-vaunted Browne Park at Rockhampton (capacity 8,000) and a few of the regular venues for the NRL (Bluetongue when they can be bothered, SFS, Penrith Park, Dairy Farmers etc) and even has Telstra Dome on the list (I don't know why either). The teams include the threatening Papua New Guinea who get the honour of facing Australia, New Zealand, AND England in their pool stages. I'm disappointed not to see Lebanon listed as yet, but all the home nations, France, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, and the Kiwis will be there. Yep - that's 10 teams at least officially. Maybe they'll drop Qatar in as a surprise or something...

All the info can be found at

http://rlwc.rugbyleague.org/

 

[Sully]

will any of the players actually play in these countries or be from there or is it like last time where youonly need a distant relative to qualify?

 

[Scarfman]

You know, it occurs to me that the Pacific Nations could switch from union to league. The iRB is stuffing them royally, they're getting next to nothing, And they play rugby like it's league anyway - not as interested in scrums and lineouts as in running and tackling.

If I were them I'd be putting pressure on SANZAR and the iRB in such a way.

 

[Pfitzy]

And the iRB would pack their bags for them I suspect - they're a financial burden when European sources offer a lower ROI. Especially former Eastern Bloc countries - imagine if Euro clubs could slowly weed out their Islander and Kiwi talent for local chaps, pay them less, and have them form a strong European competition without those pesky international limits to consider!

 

[Thomond78]

Didn't I tell you before about the first two rules of Gin Club...?

You do not talk about Gin Club... :angryfire:

 

[Pfitzy]

And just to prove what a joke the whole event is:

[/url]Tonga's Tupou in for Crocker
October 09, 2008

CRONULLA-bound forward Anthony Tupou has been called into Australia's World Cup squad - and hauled out of Tonga's - as the tournament's eligibility rules took another twist.

Tupou will replace Melbourne's Michael Crocker, who was ruled out of the tournament with a broken rib suffered in last Sunday's NRL grand final loss to Manly.

Tupou, 25, has played six Tests for Australia but, after originally being overlooked by the Kangaroos, was named in a Tonga squad brimming with NRL talent.

The former Sydney Roosters second-rower would have required a clearance from the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) to have switched allegiance to the country of his heritage.

The RLIF was scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss the eligibility of several World Cup stars, including Fiji's ex-Kangaroo Jarryd Hayne.

...

It continues, if you can be bothered reading it... Australia takes poaching to new heights :lmao:

 

[the gambler]

Its hardly poaching when you loan them out in the first place. He was just lucky Crocker pulled out when he did and not on the eve of the tournament. Otherwise he would have been stuck playing for Tonga.

 

[whocares]

HAHAHA
I just looked at the web site and there's a picture of Matt Rogers with platnium blonde hair.

Its a bit of a joke of a world cup really. I mean there's no set time between each competition. The last time it was on was in 2000 and the one before that was 1995 and before that it was 1992. ???

 

[barbarian]

The NRL have been really smart with the way they have structured the comp. They have realised the only three teams that can win are Great Britain, New Zealand and Australia, and the rest are just there to have a laugh and make up the numbers. So they have split the comp into 3 pools:

A: Aus, NZ, GB, Papua New Guinea (probably the 4th best side)
B: Randoms x 4
C: Randoms x 4

This means you only really see good teams against other good teams, and bad teams against other bad teams. Like having an RWC made up of just blockbuster matches (ABs vs. England) and fun minnow games (Japan vs Tonga).

The NRL have clearly gone- sure, we realise this is not a serious tournament, and it is going to be Aus vs Nz for the title, so lets structure it in a way where we see the highest possible number of good, even matches. The changing of the eligibility rules (basically anyone who has ever visited a nation other than Australia is eligible to play for that nation) shows there willingness to bend the rules for a good show.

I am not a league fan, but I think that they have gone about this in a good way.

 

[Pfitzy]

Absolutely barb - and it should be great for the blokes playing too. Gotta say though that looking at some of the blokes making up the Tongan team there will be a few sore people in their pool

And I wouldn't discount the Brits just yet - they've been giving the Kangaroos a hell of a run lately.

 

[Virgil]

Absolutely barb - and it should be great for the blokes playing too. Gotta say though that looking at some of the blokes making up the Tongan team there will be a few sore people in their pool

And I wouldn't discount the Brits just yet - they've been giving the Kangaroos a hell of a run lately.

And have had the wood on us recently as well.
Just a joke however with the player swapping, guys been named for the smaller nations only to be yanked out to replace someone injured in another squad.
looks poor really

 

[Pfitzy]

Especially when they might not even get a game except against PNG! I'd rather play for the little bloke and see some serious field time.

 

[Thomond78]

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=9JWLSNbqaUI

Sums it up rather neatly, I think.

 

[Scarfman]

God defend Kiwi comedy. Shit (shut) you blokes are funny.

Back of the Y, Gormsby, Conchords, BroTown, it's all champagne.


All week I've been saying "You're beached as" to people for no apparent reason.

 

[Thomond78]

God defend Kiwi comedy. Shit (shut) you blokes are funny.

Back of the Y, Gormsby, Conchords, BroTown, it's all champagne.


All week I've been saying "You're beached as" to people for no apparent reason.

Buyn uyting chups, too, bru? Or just plunktun?

 

[Virgil]

Classic, some of those other vids are piss funny too.
Very clever arent we

 

[RugbyReg]

Good idea Wal!

Rugby league Immortal Wally Lewis has pushed for Queensland and NSW - not Australia - to contest the World Cup in order to make the tournament competitive.

But the former Kangaroos skipper reckons international teams would still find it hard to match the Maroons and Blues.

Great Britain have threatened world No.1 Australia in the past but they won't be contesting the upcoming World Cup after splitting into England, Scotland and Ireland for the tournament Down Under.

Lewis said that decision had "weakened" the tournament which starts with a PNG-England clash at Townsville on October 25.

"It's very difficult but if other international teams have been broken up into other bodies and the strength has been weakened it makes it very difficult for those teams to beat Australia which is at their best," Lewis said in Brisbane today.

"If they are divided up it makes it a little bit tough for them.

"Really Australia is the only team that doesn't suffer."

Lewis believed the introduction of Queensland and NSW would make the tournament "a hell of a lot more even".

Lewis still doubted whether the Maroons and Blues would be threatened at a World Cup.

"Particularly when you look at the standard that's set in interstate football," the veteran of 33 Tests said.

"State of Origin level has probably been raised to a bar that you have to question even whether the international football is going to get there.

"(Then) ... you are combining both those teams and putting them in the one Australian team."

But Lewis admitted that playing for his country was his greatest honour and proudest moment of his glittering career that also included 31 Origins for his beloved Queensland.

Australia are runaway tournament favourites at $1.18 with bookmakers ahead of New Zealand ($6.50) and England ($7).

Lewis was also shaking his head over the eligibility controversy that has marred the build-up to the tournament.

Tonga are threatening to take the international federation to court after it ruled Fuifui Moimoi and Taniela Tuiaki were ineligible.

And they are also reeling from the sudden withdrawal of squad member Anthony Tupou after he received a last minute call-up from Australia.

Lewis felt for Tonga which loomed as a major threat to Australia.

"If anything else he could have created a huge amount of confidence in their team if he played (for Tonga)," he said.

"It's very difficult to expect they are going to have a great deal of strength."

 

[Moses]

God defend Kiwi comedy. Shit (shut) you blokes are funny.

Back of the Y, Gormsby, Conchords, BroTown, it's all champagne.


All week I've been saying "You're beached as" to people for no apparent reason.

Have you seen Pulp Sport?

Gotta be the funniest show on TV...

 

[Pfitzy]

Wally just wants to see QLD beat NSW again

 

[Moses]

Probably some merit in having a NSW and QLD team in the comp, though you'd then struggle to call it a world cup