i would love to see rugby league expand away from the 3 nations (i am trying to be honest before anyone hits me with the list of 20+ ranked nations) if the rlif where to look at a competition away from the heartland of GB/AUS/NZ/FR. then how about where alot of english people go on holiday, Florida? south sydney and leeds are playing a game there in january, i believe jacksonville has just or is about to host the West Indies rugby league federation. Jacksonville has an established rugby league team 'The Axemen' who have received help from the Jaguars (American football). This is a country that is struggling to accept any other sport than its own. Rugby Union has been there since the year dot and unfortunately the USA 'eagles' are still poor. the other option is have it in the northern section of America Round New York/ philie/ connet/washington etc

The whole deal with RL in the USA is interesting. The Axeman are a relatively new team around only for a few years. The other teams have been around for much longer. The Floridians did host the Jamaicans last month and was a success by all accounts, the Jamaicans were wrapped about the whole things. Romeo and Spinner Howland have done a lot of hard work to get the game going bwtween them.

I suspect the south/Leeds venture is just that to peromote the game outside the heartlands, but despit the game getting national coverage on the news the AMNRL Grand Fibal still only got a bout 2000 people. Their lack of Junior development is what's really setting them back at the moment.

Rugby Union in the US is still percieved as an elitist sport that only the rich kids play... indeed it is embedded in the Privat uni system there. Rugby is seen as the weekemans sport to the NFL... and in many ways it is. The NFL fans though to appreciate RL... I have personally seen this in Europe with the american tourists that see a game league that absolutely love it. They see it as a faster version of "their sport".

Really what needs to be done is that inbetween the world cups, there need to be established competitions like the Four nations, Pacific Nations cup, European nations Atlantic Nations cup. However these need to be done as full test, have the big four involved so that smaller nations can have a shot at them and get experience and the Eligibility rules need to be enforced. This is what will bring in the credibility of the sport.

The eligibility (RLIF people I hope you arereading this) rules need to be enforced so that you don't get Australia and NZ poaching the best players from the other nations. Reading over a few forums this is the issue, its not that the rules are bad... but they need to be enforced. So you can't have someone just choping and changing an mixing teams as they please. You select a country and tharefore you stick with it. It is unfortunate that Australia and New Zealnd devalue the other countries so much... Tonga, Samoa and Fiji can be real forces if allowed to have their best teams. The recent Fui Fui Moi Moi debacle is a classic example being eligible for three countries by theree different applications of the rules. In this case there shouls be a clear case of which rule takes precedence... in all cases I think it should be birth right so he plays for Tonga... and he should be damn proud of it. Not made to seel dirty by the bullies across the ravine.

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Druzik:

The whole deal with RL in the USA is interesting. The Axeman are a relatively new team around only for a few years. The other teams have been around for much longer. The Floridians did host the Jamaicans last month and was a success by all accounts, the Jamaicans were wrapped about the whole things. Romeo and Spinner Howland have done a lot of hard work to get the game going bwtween them.

I suspect the south/Leeds venture is just that to peromote the game outside the heartlands, but despit the game getting national coverage on the news the AMNRL Grand Fibal still only got a bout 2000 people. Their lack of Junior development is what's really setting them back at the moment.

Rugby Union in the US is still percieved as an elitist sport that only the rich kids play... indeed it is embedded in the Privat uni system there. Rugby is seen as the weekemans sport to the NFL... and in many ways it is. The NFL fans though to appreciate RL... I have personally seen this in Europe with the american tourists that see a game league that absolutely love it. They see it as a faster version of "their sport".

Really what needs to be done is that inbetween the world cups, there need to be established competitions like the Four nations, Pacific Nations cup, European nations Atlantic Nations cup. However these need to be done as full test, have the big four involved so that smaller nations can have a shot at them and get experience and the Eligibility rules need to be enforced. This is what will bring in the credibility of the sport.

The eligibility (RLIF people I hope you arereading this) rules need to be enforced so that you don't get Australia and NZ poaching the best players from the other nations. Reading over a few forums this is the issue, its not that the rules are bad... but they need to be enforced. So you can't have someone just choping and changing an mixing teams as they please. You select a country and tharefore you stick with it. It is unfortunate that Australia and New Zealnd devalue the other countries so much... Tonga, Samoa and Fiji can be real forces if allowed to have their best teams. The recent Fui Fui Moi Moi debacle is a classic example being eligible for three countries by theree different applications of the rules. In this case there shouls be a clear case of which rule takes precedence... in all cases I think it should be birth right so he plays for Tonga... and he should be damn proud of it. Not made to seel dirty by the bullies across the ravine.

 Agree with the juniors debacle, that is what I was complaining about way back on the RLIF forums. I am going to get into contact with Spinner Howland about getting ajunior competition in Florida and maybe David Niu about a competition in the northern USA (for juniors).

I would have to say that if you are playing a WC in 'England' then its missing an opportunity not to play French games in France and Welsh games in Wales.  But that's not the same as co-hosting.

You're right on FIFA druzik but not on UEFA.  The 2008 tournament is Austria/Switzerland, the 2012 is Poland/Ukraine and who has bid for 2016?  Currently its Sweden/Norway and Wales/Scotland.  Two of the three bids for 2012 were joint bids (the third was sole nation - but from a federation mired in scandal).  It makes a lot of sense for UEFA as the 'medium' nations can get together and often geographically involve no further distances than within one of the bigger countries.  UEFA, of course, run the European Championships rather than FIFA - but as an Aussie RL fan you are forgiven for making that mistake!

crimpo:

... but as an Aussie RL fan you are forgiven for making that mistake!

LOL Fair cop! OK I guess the UEFA comp is a stepping stone for nations hosting the WC in the future.

Is this something that RL can look at doing?

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u guys have good points i would like 2 c league stand up 2 theres other sports and play in 4 years time again our game is starved of international league it took wayne bennett 2 sort out world league with startin the tri nations now we need other touraments like haven france png and maybe samoa or tonga in a regular comp and russia the usa and maybe cook islands and fiji in another .just 2 mix things up a bit coz the island teams play each other all the time .

Actually Bennett is abig fan or IRL in all levels. I'd love to see him quict the broncos and the NRL and go it alone as the guys running the RLIF. He'd get the place sorted out quicj smart.

Have to sing the Praises of Elliot and Sheensy for going to train the the USA and Russia squads for the qulaifiers this month and next!

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spud:

i'm dead set against co-hosting...i'd rather we held it on a rotational basis..

 

2008 AUSTRALIA

2013 GB

2017 NZ

2021 FRANCE

2025

2029

2033
 

 Back on the co-hosting issue, isnt holding the comp in GB co-hosting? it is 4 countries after all. I wouldn't mind seeing co-hosting, how otherwise is samller countries such as PNG, wales, ireland scotland etc ever going to get world cup games?

heres what i think the scedule should vbe:

2008: Australia

2013: England

2017: NZ & PNG

2021: France

2025: Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands

2029: Wales, Ireland, Scotland

by 2029 hoipefully there will be other countries big enough to host it, Russia, South Africa, USA?

to avoid travel issues they could do what the CWC did with west indies this year and give a visa that allows access to all countries hosting. Or why not just have each pool assigned a country, say 2017 there are four pools have 3 play their games in NZ and PNG's pool play their pool games in PNG. Then they would only have to worry about traveling between countries come finals time. 

Also is it true that the RLIF has officially anounced the WC for 2013? i read a report on this recently

The popularity of rugby league in New Zealand will need to increase before the country can host a World Cup.  At the present the sport is most popular in Auckland.  It is played in other areas such as the Bay of Plenty, Wellington, Canterbury, and a few other areas, however I don't know if the people of those regions would turn out to a rugby league Test match in large numbers.

The best way to keep the game in a financally strong  position is by allowing Australia to host the event every 8-12 years.  Australia is a rich country and it has a strong history in sport.  A lot of money can be generated through advertising revenue and the sale of broadcasting rights, merchandise and tickets.

The ARL is almost guaranteed a "sell-out" at any match that is held in Townsville, Rockhampton and Cairns, as the sport is very popular in north Queensland.  The Titan's new home ground is a good one, and it could produce a sell-out crowd or two.   

The sport is very popular the Northern Territory.  According to the Ausport.gov.au, the participation rate for adults who play rugby league in the Northern Territory is equal to that of Queensland, standing in at 0.9% of the adult population.  New South Wales' participation rate for adults who play rugby league is 0.7%.  Based on this, it might be a good idea for the NRL and ARL to lobby the Darwin Council to build an "indoor" rugby league stadium that has an inbuilt cooling system (this is to nullify the negative effect taht the city's heat would have on the rugby league events held in it).  It would allow the city to field an NRL team and host a World Cup match for future tournaments that might be held in the country.

The way I view it is it's a necessity for the NRL to reach the Northern Territory before the AFL and ARU do, as it's an area of Australia that can provide the NRL and the Kangaroos with a lot of talent.  A fair few Aborigines from the Northern Territory have succeeded in the AFL.  I do not doubt the territory's ability to produce a Matty Bowen or two.  All it needs is a decent system in place to help nurture its talent so they are not poached by the AFL and ARU.

jim_57:

Also is it true that the RLIF has officially anounced the WC for 2013? i read a report on this recently

"Portugal will field a young side, predominantly to give their players some "big match experience" while Malta openly admit they are building towards the 2013 Rugby League World Cup." SAMMUT SET TO PLAY FOR MALTA IN BATTLE AGAINST PORTUGAL, RLeague.com, Wednesday 26 Sep 2007 08:25

u guys are talkin bout the game needs to grow in the rest of the world hows it gona grow if the world cups are only held in england and oz im sure wales and france and nz could all host a cup and england3 lions league is played in every province in the north and south island some comps are bigger than others and we have a strong number of fans there to so dont take us out of the mix .

kiwis:

u guys are talkin bout the game needs to grow in the rest of the world hows it gona grow if the world cups are only held in england and oz im sure wales and france and nz could all host a cup and england3 lions league is played in every province in the north and south island some comps are bigger than others and we have a strong number of fans there to so dont take us out of the mix .

There might be rugby league fans in every province of New Zealand, however there may not be enough of them to produce a sell-out crowd at every match that is played in a Rugby League World Cup that is hosted on New Zealand soil.

A World Cup in New Zealand would be dependent upon support from the media, the local councils and Federal Government, and the ARL and RFL.  A lot of money would need to be spent on promoting the game in New Zealand.  A New Zealand based Rugby League World Cup could lead to a massive financial loss for the organisers of the tournament.

being so close 2 oz and now its so cheap to fly frm oz to nz there would be alot of people come over frm there if nz hosted a world cup yes it would take alot of work and the other countries need there chance 2 give it a shot at it you never know we may surprise you

I think NZ would be capable of hosting a world cup, i alsio think it wouldn't be a bad idea to co-host with PNG. But as a trial, try having a four nations just in NZ with a feature match in PNG? this would be a great guage as to what sort of crowds and ratings we'd be looking at for a world cup

The Four Nations idea sounds promising.