Commonwealth Games

[Heritage XIII]

Lebanon is not a Commonwealth country. It was a French territory. I don't think there's any Asian countries that are in the Commonwealth that play RL. I guess Hong Kong had a comp recently.

Hong Kong have launched a domestic comp complimented with tag rugby league comps. They will play a home international against Japan soon & have toured the Philippines & perhaps Thailand in the last couple of years. HK appear to be very active & if they still have Commonwealth games status, would have been a good choice.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

No disrespect to Hong Kong but I wouldn't be including them just yet. There has to be a balance between diversity and standards. That's why Canada, Jamaica and South Africa would be reasonable inclusions.

If money isn't an issue the choice of Scotland, in particular, over any of those three is bizarre and deplorable in equal measures. Who made that decision?

 

[deluded pom?]

Isn't HK now classed as a part of China? Would it be a bit disingenuous to use the HKRL rep team in international events, that they could compete at, and call them China? Also, with the handing back in 1997 did HK leave the Commonwealth?

 

[yakstorm]

Hong Kong haven't completed in a Commonwealth Games since 94 and are no longer part of the Commonwealth, so they won't be there anytime soon.

Regardless anyway, agree if they are going to limit team entries then they should reward nations based upon their domestic structures, putting Jamaica, Canada and South Africa all ahead of Scotland.

Jamaica possibly being ahead of a few other nations who did gain entry.

 

[adamkungl]

How f**ked are the NZRL though. Ranked #1 in the sport 18 months ago and can't afford to send a team. Just another useless RL admin.

 

[deluded pom?]

Hong Kong haven't completed in a Commonwealth Games since 94 and are no longer part of the Commonwealth, so they won't be there anytime soon.

Regardless anyway, agree if they are going to limit team entries then they should reward nations based upon their domestic structures, putting Jamaica, Canada and South Africa all ahead of Scotland.

Jamaica possibly being ahead of a few other nations who did gain entry.

Do we know how the teams were selected? Purely invitation by the organisers or were they put forward by the RLIF?

 

[DlEHARD]

Hong Kong has a right to field international sides independent of China. Look at the Olympics, look at soccer, look at rugby union and soon rugby league.

Yakstorm is right about the Commonwealth.

Also the people of Hong Kong wouldn't be too happy about being classed as People's Republic of China, no matter what Beijing would like to think.

 

[Stallion]

Some details finally about this.

http://www.asiapacificrl.com/2017/04/24/dates-announced-commonwealth-championship/

Not a lot but something.

Not too sure many of those "eligible" nations will be there.

I would strongly suggest that better publicising of this 9s Commonwealth gives the game of rugby league much more validation. I dont think its being touted well enough to date although that can be said about the upcoming world cup. For instance when playets are interviewed after a finals game their should be some mention of the world cup by the interviewer.

 

[Stallion]

Some details finally about this.

http://www.asiapacificrl.com/2017/04/24/dates-announced-commonwealth-championship/

Not a lot but something.

Not too sure many of those "eligible" nations will be there.

The advent of the Commonwealth games nines gives rugby league validation. It will resonate well with younger people and should be publicised well by the rugby league if they know whats good for the game.

 

[kiwileaguefan]

How f**ked are the NZRL though. Ranked #1 in the sport 18 months ago and can't afford to send a team. Just another useless RL admin.

While there is a lot of truth in what you have said, like I have said several times before on here is the only way NZRL make money is through the Kiwis.Now the RLIF take all the profits from the RLWC leaving NZRL with next to nothing...so I can understand where they are coming from. But they could have assembled an Australian based U20's side that could have competed at minimal costs.

Its the fact that the game is rapidly dying in NZ that should be the more concerning point. Kids are still getting snapped up by NRL clubs by the bucket loads, but the number of Teams/Clubs are slowly disappearing.

I have no issues with them not sending a team to this, but I was bitterly disappointed they didn't send a team to the Student World Cup. I know NZRL now financially cover the Kiwi Ferns (Womans) and they have been focusing on the elite junior level, but there is no excuss on not sending a team to the student World Cup.

 

[Stallion]

While there is a lot of truth in what you have said, like I have said several times before on here is the only way NZRL make money is through the Kiwis.Now the RLIF take all the profits from the RLWC leaving NZRL with next to nothing...so I can understand where they are coming from. But they could have assembled an Australian based U20's side that could have competed at minimal costs.

Its the fact that the game is rapidly dying in NZ that should be the more concerning point. Kids are still getting snapped up by NRL clubs by the bucket loads, but the number of Teams/Clubs are slowly disappearing.

I have no issues with them not sending a team to this, but I was bitterly disappointed they didn't send a team to the Student World Cup. I know NZRL now financially cover the Kiwi Ferns (Womans) and they have been focusing on the elite junior level, but there is no excuss on not sending a team to the student World Cup.

Is the decline to do with lack of access/presence to most NZ schools, warriors poor form and the axing of the National under 20s? I figure these things all add up?

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Lebanon's not a Commonwealth nation. Perhaps Hong Kong could have been selected to rep this region (that's if they are still Comm status for the games despite being given back to China?)

South Africa selected a management team for the games so it'll be interesting to hear what they say about their exclusion?

Yes, quite right. I'm not sure why I wrote Lebanon - brain fade

 

[adamkungl]

the only way NZRL make money is through the Kiwis

Imo this is through their own lack of initiative and short term thinking.

Example, playing 90% of Kiwi test matches in Australia for a slightly larger ticketing payday.
Which means:
Non existent merch sales
No chance to grow the all important home fanbase
No chance to inspire kids to play Rugby League
Matches only ever played at the whims of the wealthy Kangaroos

 

[kiwileaguefan]

Imo this is through their own lack of initiative and short term thinking.

Example, playing 90% of Kiwi test matches in Australia for a slightly larger ticketing payday.
Which means:
Non existent merch sales
No chance to grow the all important home fanbase
No chance to inspire kids to play Rugby League
Matches only ever played at the whims of the wealthy Kangaroos

If the Kiwis play in NZ they may break even (if against Aussie or England). I do recall a couple of the Tongan Test just breaking even. Now if they play in Australia they are guaranteed a decent amount (I have been told around/over the $100,000 mark when they played at Suncorp). So really it is simple decsision - NZRL have no assests unlike Auckland Rugby League. I think if your recall the last couple of Tests against Australia have been forced to be played in Australia due to TV rights.

To be fair not many kids grow up wanting to play for the Kiwis. In fact I'm sure if you go through every current Kiwi player, i would say at least 75% would say they wanted to be All Blacks when they grew up. Thats the way it is here...NZRL would be lucky to change that - ever.

I am really concerned about the crowds for the NZ RLWC games...while they have started pumping advertising, i have never seen Rugby League at such a low level of fan interest in NZ. I really do hope i am wrong, but then again why the hell are they not playing the Tonga vs Samoa game in Auckland in the largest Polynesian city of the World??

 

[kiwileaguefan]

Is the decline to do with lack of access/presence to most NZ schools, warriors poor form and the axing of the National under 20s? I figure these things all add up?

I think it is happening in alot of sports here, this generation of kids rather be on electronics than playing sport. Added to this people work weekends now as nearly everything is open seven days a week. Rugby is still massive but even in my region their numbers have been dropping away.

We have started to hit schools a bit more now in my area and we have a couple that have signed up to play in our local competitions. There is still way to much opposition from Rugby at schools. I doubt we will ever see a truly strong national secondary school competition. The Warriors are entering an U20's side to the NSWRL so they still have this avenue to attract players.

But the recent form of both the Warriors and the Kiwis have pretty much turn League in to a bit of a common joke this year..

 

[Jim from Oz]

I really do hope i am wrong, but then again why the hell are they not playing the Tonga vs Samoa game in Auckland in the largest Polynesian city of the World??

i said this when the draw was first released !

Having the Tonga vs Samoa game in Hamilton not Auckland is preposterous !!!

 

[morningstar]

i said this when the draw was first released !

Having the Tonga vs Samoa game in Hamilton not Auckland is preposterous !!!

It's only an hours drive from Auckland.

Samoan fans traveled en masse to Whangarei in the 2014 four nations which is 3&1/2 hours drive. Ticket sales are pretty encouraging to be fair and Auckland is having trouble selling two Kiwis games. I'm glad they don't have a third game to worry about.

 

[adamkungl]

Hamilton is fine.
Nice drive, reasonable population, good stadium.
Wales v Samoa in the 2011 RWC drew a crowd of 30,000. If we get above 20,000 each for the 2 games there it will be a great result

 

[kiwileaguefan]

Hamilton is fine.
Nice drive, reasonable population, good stadium.
Wales v Samoa in the 2011 RWC drew a crowd of 30,000. If we get above 20,000 each for the 2 games there it will be a great result

Only got 11,000 for the Warriors game there this year and has never had more than 17,000 to a league game there. Be lucky to get any where near 15,000 unless the go on a cheap ticket binge for the region.

I saw in another forum only 4,500 tickets sold for the Kiwis vs Samoa game.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Thank you Kidwell and Warriors