Amnrl

[Bazzi]

According to Steve Mascord the AMNRL have folded

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

https://twitter.com/therealsteavis/status/499470885309267968


‏@therealsteavis
I'm hearing the @amnrl has folded and the #rugbyleague war in the US is over. Sad day for many hard-working people now lost to the game.

 

[Craigo]

Unfortunately more people were lost to the game BECAUSE of David Niu and Steve Johnson. IMO DN could have achieved so much more and left a wonderful legacy yet refused to be transparent and forced the situation we now have.
Johnson's refusal to pick a majority USA born and bred WC squad was an absolute travesty. I for one would be absolutely stoked if that bloke never, ever had a US selectors cap on again!
Hopefully the USARL are given full RLIF accreditation so we can start to see the game prosper as it should.

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

THE battle for control of rugby league in America is over, with the establishment AMNRL telling the International Federation it will not be applying for full membership status.

The decision leaves the breakaway USARL as the only governing body for the the sport in the United States. The AMNRL did not run any competitions this year but did field Tomahawks sides in recent internationals against Canada and Samoa.

Despite qualifying for the World Cup quarter-finals, the Tomahawks have been told they will be excluded from the 2017 tournament unless they become a full member of the RLIF. The USARL and AMNRL were each invited to apply.

In a letter to Federation chairman Nigel Wood, seen by stevemascord.com : “The AMNRL has regrettably decided that as the RLIF will not support the model it has proposed that it would be futile to make an application for full RLIF membership.

“The AMNRL is proud to have been the founding fathers of rugby league in the USA and in particular its recent success at the Rugby League World Cup and the Hawaiian Rugby League Event.

“The position in the USA must be resolved for the good of the game even at the loss of loyal servants of the game.

“The AMNRL will, of course, encourage its clubs and their players to stay with rugby league.

“Rugby league in the USA wouldn’t exist but for the efforts of David Niu and the AMNRL trusts one day he will rightly recognised.”

It’s unknown what impact the new developments will have on future international matches, including a slated trip to Jamaica by the Tomahawks in October.

http://stevemascord.com/2014/08/13/rugby-leagues-american-civil-war-ends-amnrl-to-fold/

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Good. Let's hope it remains civil and any losses are minimised.

 

[Steve Davy]

It does try to cask David Niu as an unsung hero, which is a little rich.

 

[FortyTwenty]

Very interesting news ... thumbs up to Steve Mascord for keeping us all in the loop.

I believe a very crucial point, not to be missed, is that the RLIF state that "Full Membership is required to participate in the 2017 RLWC". [NB: Full membership criteria is detailed here: http://www.rlif.com/about-rlif/membership_criteria ]

So, the question stands:
If the USARL are awarded RLIF Membership, will they also be granted an interim period to ensure they can meet Full Membership criteria; prior to the 2017 RLWC qualifiers?

I think it would be in everyone's interest to see a USARL National Team [i.e. not the "Tomahawks"] participate in the RLWC ... or, at least, the RLWC: Atlantic Qualifiers (against Canada & Jamaica).

 

[miguel de cervantes]

http://www.rlif.com/about-rlif/membership_criteria[/URL] ]

The US won't be the only ones struggling to meet those criteria. The Cooks, Canada, Jamaica, Italy, Scotland and Ireland will surely be in some doubt as to furfilling the demands.

Conduct regular Rugby League Competitions within the country – Competition is defined as a League Competition played under International Laws of Rugby League over a minimum of a 10 week period.
(a) Minimum 8 senior teams
(b) Minimum 4 reserve/U21/Student grade teams
(c) At least 500 registered participants (players, coaches and match officials)
(d) A registered office and admin.
(e) At least a 6 team Junior RL and/or School (Under 18) competition.
(f) Coach Education Scheme approved by the RLIF.
(g) Referees Accreditation Scheme approved by the RLIF

Also, I'm assuming the RLIF will be on Italy's case as to asking both Federazioni to jump through hoops until one gives up.

 

[Rodney]

Affiliates are allowed to compete in Qualifying but nations have to be full members if they want to compete in the finals (source: Russia Rugby League facebook page).
USARL would easily have time to get to affiliate status (Spain took less than a year and they didn't start off with a domestic competition) before qualifying.

 

[Fighter]

USARL currently meets all the criteria and have applied for membership

 

[Evil Homer]

Great news and long overdue. It's a sad state of affairs really when we're celebrating the demise of a competition but this was absolutely necessary to move forward. Looking forward to seeing a legit USA team taking to the field in the future.

 

[Rugger]

Looking forward to seeing a legit USA team taking to the field in the future.

This also what I'm looking most forward to. Hopefully the national team will consist of USA born and bred players that are actively participating in the current competition. Also, hopefully (qualified and talented) players from ALL active teams (not just a roster of Fight & Axemen players) will have an opportunity to be members of the team.

Looking forward to the progress!

 

[Evil Homer]

^ Yeah, I'd hate to see another situation where only players from certain teams were being recognized. It might be worth the USARL setting up an independent selection committee to ensure that doesn't happen.

 

[byrner]

Hopefully the national team will consist of USA born and bred players

What has born got to do with anything?
That is a very nationalist view of things.

 

[joshreading]

I know, what has nationalism got to do with representing your nation in sport. (insert sarcasm)

:roll:

 

[byrner]

I know, what has nationalism got to do with representing your nation in sport. (insert sarcasm)

:roll:

So if someone is not born somewhere but is a citizen, they are not able to represent that country?

 

[joshreading]

No one has said that, what has been clearly said, is that the over representation of guys that have sometimes not even been to the USA is a joke.

Secondly, most of them ALSO do NOT have citizenship. They have heritage. I have atleast 6 different national/ethnic heritages in my background. Being proud of your heritage and having a true national link are not the same.

 

[Rugger]

No one has said that, what has been clearly said, is that the over representation of guys that have sometimes not even been to the USA is a joke.

Secondly, most of them ALSO do NOT have citizenship. They have heritage. I have atleast 6 different national/ethnic heritages in my background. Being proud of your heritage and having a true national link are not the same.

Exactly. Being American and being "American" are two totally different things.

 

[gyallop]

No one has said that, what has been clearly said, is that the over representation of guys that have sometimes not even been to the USA is a joke.

Secondly, most of them ALSO do NOT have citizenship. They have heritage. I have atleast 6 different national/ethnic heritages in my background. Being proud of your heritage and having a true national link are not the same.

Try telling that to a pacific island person!

So when are you calling on NZ to stop picking the Cooks Tongans and Samoans who move there to make a living from union or league but arent NZ citizens?

Even the almighty Aussies dont pick only players born in Australia, they pick the best side they can under the rules.

The USA embraced their FIFA World Cup squad but in league should be different?

If the USA had picked USA born players playing in their 7 match AMNRL and USARL competitions of what 300 players would they have even made the last RLWC?

 

[Evil Homer]

It's about doing the right thing, giving blokes a fair crack and not filling the team with ringers or guys who aren't committed. Obviously you want the strongest team, but there's also a responsibility to actually represent the nation you're claiming to represent.

I mean we could throw eligibility laws out the window, get a bunch of top NRL players to pull on Brazil jerseys but it wouldn't be a Brazil national team, it wouldn't be representing Brazil.