Italy have gained RLEF full membership

[adamkungl]

 

[deal.with.it]

They have definitely improved as a result of the factional mess.
Just the USA needing to become a full rlif member before rlwc, otherwise they cant play ... remember?

 

[deluded pom?]

What's domestic RL in Italy looking like these days?

 

[langpark]

According to the article:
FIRL currently administers 11 open age men’s sides in three regions - plus North West Roosters Saluzzo, who play in the French Championship, six junior clubs, 11 schools, and women’s teams in three geographical areas.

not a bad effort.

 

[deluded pom?]

According to the article:
FIRL currently administers 11 open age men’s sides in three regions - plus North West Roosters Saluzzo, who play in the French Championship, six junior clubs, 11 schools, and women’s teams in three geographical areas.

not a bad effort.

How long is their season? Why do we never hear of any Italian domestic news?

 

[Arucard]

Italy played Greece last weekend

 

[deluded pom?]

http://www.firl.it/en/

Just used the above link, as listed on the RLEF website, to the firl website and I can't find any mention of any recent domestic activity. They list links to eight teams but it's either a blank page or news going back a couple of years. The only recent RL played and reported appears to be the men's national team's WC qualifiers or the women's game against Lebanon. I hope this isn't another instance of the RLEF ignoring their own rules à la Scotland.

 

[langpark]

I am pretty sure, their actual season is only two months long (union off-season) then they play the odd match in between.

 

[Heritage XIII]

Italy played Greece last weekend

That was the rebel organisation which organised the match. Just not sure if this was the RLEF recognised Greek team, if so, then why play the rebel Italians? Some nice pics on their facebook https://www.facebook.com/ItaliaRugbyFootballLeague/

 

[Heritage XIII]

http://www.firl.it/en/

Just used the above link, as listed on the RLEF website, to the firl website and I can't find any mention of any recent domestic activity. They list links to eight teams but it's either a blank page or news going back a couple of years. The only recent RL played and reported appears to be the men's national team's WC qualifiers or the women's game against Lebanon. I hope this isn't another instance of the RLEF ignoring their own rules à la Scotland.

The Italian RL seems dodgy to me. They can't even put out a decent website. How hard is it to have a results page as matches are played & a ladder? Surely the RLEF must look at how countries interact via social media?!? And I've repeatedly asked if the Italians are doing so well domestically why is their inclusion in the RLWC squad unlikely? They get very Italian & bark back "they are not ready" blah blah. Surely there must be 2 or 3 (minimum 6 like the Irish is ideal for now) domestic players worthy of inclusion? Surely with pro heritage players around them they can lift & learn a lot? But typical Aussie mentality (say this because majority heritage players are Aussie based), its all about short term winning.

Well that thinking resulted in the old AMNRL being rightfully turfed out & the US national team's run to the qtrs leaving next to no legacy back in the US but a bunch of disgruntled Americans.

 

[Knownothing]

I think you will find that a lot of these players are actually rah rahs. Who play league for a couple of months, then go back to the other code.

 

[roughyedspud]

Well... all RL players started off as union players 120 years ago lol

 

[adamkungl]

Yeah I don't really buy what the Italians are doing.

From what I can gather (from the very limited information available) the rebel organisation played Greece last week and the RLEF affiliated organisation are basically running a muck around comp for Union players in the offseason.

I expect it would be appreciated by a lot of people on here if the whole picture could be clarified.

Italy is currently bottom of the list for me in teams im cheering for at the WC.

 

[Pommy]

I think you will find that a lot of these players are actually rah rahs. Who play league for a couple of months, then go back to the other code.

I would rather an Italian team of rah rahs giving it a go than a team of Aussies look for a rep cap.

 

[adamkungl]

I don't think the rules should force teams to take domestic players. It's been tried and challenged before, and on principle nations should be able to run their team how they like.

But.

If I'm running one of these sides without a professional standard comp, I want to be building a pathway and improving the standard and popularity of the locals.

How big's a WC squad? Let's say 24 again.
Of those 24 I want to take my best 7 local players. 17 overseas professionals, a full team, and 7 locals - approximately 1 for each on-field position.

I play an Origin-style local rep series as a selection trial, with the carrot for the players and fans that the best performers are getting a trip to Australia to play in front of big crowds, to get mentored by and play against superstars of the game.
If the selected players are lucky they get a game off the bench and even luckier they get noticed by a 3rd or 4th division club that can get them over here for a season or 2. Worst case they go home and improve their local team with what they've learned.
News outlets take notice of the 7 nobodies who went overseas to play Rugby League in Australia.
Connections are made - retiring players or players not likely to make top grade might be enticed to go for a RL season or 2 in their heritage country to raise the quality and IQ of the game.

Maybe my team doesn't make the finals. Probably doesn't. But really is there much different between a bunch of NSW Cup players vs Australia than a bunch of NSW Cup players and a sprinkling of talented amateurs on the bench? Not really.

 

[jim_57]

There's still a rebel organisation? From what I remember from the outside a few years ago the rebel organisation looked far more professional, but for whatever reason, maybe because the other "official" lot were there first they weren't recognized by the RLIF, but were recognized by CONI.

I think offering International oppurtunities is a big one, creating partneships with amatuer and semi-pro clubs for the best amatuer players to trial. More teams like Saluzzo playing a full RL season (in the French system) would help too.

 

[DlEHARD]

Rebel organisations are born from the vacuum of leadership from RLIF. Lack of benchmarks for governance and democracy. Just a general statement.

 

[deluded pom?]

There's still a rebel organisation?

I was under the same illusion too. I thought the rebel organisation had given RL up and gone to RU. Why are the RLEF sanctioning a match involving an organisation they no longer recognise? Some strange goings on.

 

[langpark]

The italians rebels aligned themselves with union, that is why they are banned. They played against the same 'Greece' that was expelled from the RLEF last year. They cannot really play with anyone else.

I am not defending this decision to award the membership to Italy, but as long as the elephant in the room that is Scotland remains a full member, it's pretty hard to criticise any of the other members. Italy, despite its shortcomings, still sound about 10 times more active than Scotland right now.

 

[deluded pom?]

The italians rebels aligned themselves with union, that is why they are banned. They played against the same 'Greece' that was expelled from the RLEF last year. They cannot really play with anyone else.

I am not defending this decision to award the membership to Italy, but as long as the elephant in the room that is Scotland remains a full member, it's pretty hard to criticise any of the other members. Italy, despite its shortcomings, still sound about 10 times more active than Scotland right now.

The criticism is aimed at the RLEF for breaking their own rules at least once and possibly twice.