RLWC2013 Qualifiers: Lebanon | Italy | Russia | Serbia

[miguel de cervantes]

RLWCQ Schedule:

GAME 1 - Italy v Russia (1500h October 15, 2011) [Stadio Del Plebiscito, Padova]

GAME 2 - Lebanon v Serbia (October 16, 2011) [Tripoli]

GAME 3 - Lebanon v Russia (October 22, 2011) [?]

GAME 4 - Italy v Serbia (1400h October 23, 2011) [Belgrade]

GAME 5 - Serbia v Russia (October 29, 2011) [?]

GAME 6 - Italy v Lebanon (1430h October 29, 2011) [Belgrade]

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Oops, forgot to add a poll. Help!

 

[miguel de cervantes]

http://www.lebrl.com/articles.php?id=168

ETIHAD ANNOUNCESES FREE GIVE AWAY OF 2 TICKETS
Last Updated: Tuesday, October 04, 2011.

Lebanon national team partner Etihad airlines has announced an exciting competition prize for spectators attending Lebanon’s home Rugby League World Cup qualification match against Serbia on 16 October in Tripoli 2pm.

Joe Chamoun Lebanon Manager said: “as a sports fan we are extremely excited with partnering the LRLF with their World Cup Qualifiers and wish them the best of luck on their WCQ campaign, also looking forward to develop our partnership into the future “

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier, which joined the LRLF’s portfolio of blue chip partners this year, will give away two free tickets to any of the following destination (Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Seychelles, Sydney & Melbourne ) of your choice on Etihad Airways. Travel is valid from Jan 20 till March 20 2012. During a goal-kicking competition. LRLF staff will hand out flyers upon entrance to the match and those who are selected will have the opportunity to compete in a rugby league kicking competition on the Tripoli Olympic Stadium pitch at halftime.

Mohamed Habbous LRLF President said: “The LRLF is happy to announce this partnership with one of the world's leading airlines. We hope that our relationship with Etihad Airlines will only grow and get better from here. We want to thank them for supporting our Federation and we hope to do them proud by qualifying for the 2013 RL WC."

Entrance is free to all spectators.

A week after the match versus Serbia, Lebanon plays Russia for the third time in world cup qualification, and the fourth time overall, and then completes its campaign on 29 October in Belgrade with a match against star-studded Italy.

 

[Evil Homer]

Russia v Lebanon is on the 22nd, Serbia v Italy on the 23rd according to the RLEF website. It would be nice if they included venues in the fixture lists. Edit - I believe Russia v Lebanon is being played in Vereya.

 

[Billythekid]

This is one of the biggest mistakes we have made in recent years. If someone like Lebanon misses out whilst the cook islands get automatic admission we are screwing ourselves over.

 

[hutch]

This is one of the biggest mistakes we have made in recent years. If someone like Lebanon misses out whilst the cook islands get automatic admission we are screwing ourselves over.

Agreed!

 

[Arucard]

Cook Islands beat Samoa and Fiji and were 1 game away from last years 4Nations. Maybe you should have a whinge about Fiji and Samoa having to qualify instead.
I agree that there are too many auto qualifiers but to keep picking on the Cooks is getting old. If Lebanon are good enough then they will make it.

Go the Kukis!

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Why did they change the qualification system compared to the 2008 system?

It shouldve been top 5 test teams automatically through, plus Wales (co-host)

Still it will be interesting this tournament.

 

[VictoryFC]

Big opportunity for Serbia; a real litmus test.

 

[jim_57]

Cook Islands beat Samoa and Fiji and were 1 game away from last years 4Nations. Maybe you should have a whinge about Fiji and Samoa having to qualify instead.
I agree that there are too many auto qualifiers but to keep picking on the Cooks is getting old. If Lebanon are good enough then they will make it.

Go the Kukis!

I think the main problem is Cook Islands has a population of about 20,000 people and if a player is eligable to play for them he also qualifies for NZ. By all means give them the oppurtunity to qualify but automatic qualification was a terrible decision. In saying that I believe alot more nations should have had to qualify aswell, 12 auto-qualifiers was a bit laughable.

 

[Billythekid]

Cook Islands beat Samoa and Fiji and were 1 game away from last years 4Nations. Maybe you should have a whinge about Fiji and Samoa having to qualify instead.
I agree that there are too many auto qualifiers but to keep picking on the Cooks is getting old. If Lebanon are good enough then they will make it.

Go the Kukis!

As mentioned my problem mostly stems from the fact that it has such a tiny population and is pretty much going to be made up by kiwi rejects. What possible reason or benefit is there for making them an automatic qualifier? I could at least understand if it was one of our growing markets but this just doesn't make sense.

In general i'm just against auto qualifiers in general (outside of the top few teams obviously).

Personally the whole system kinda annoys me. It's basically set up to favor those nations who can just stack their team with ESL and NRL players (often times players who are only there whilst they try and earn a spot for another nation).

I just think that Lebanon is one of the countries that has the most potential for league going forward and we are deliberately handicapping ourselves if we hold them back.

I would be much happier to see auto qualifiers going to countries who are actually growing the sport in their own country.

 

[roughyedspud]

the cooks would have qualified anyway

 

[Billythekid]

the cooks would have qualified anyway

Australia and NZ are also going to be in the finals no matter what so maybe we should just skip straight to that?

 

[LunarPark]

The qualification process is always a very exciting part of any tournament. To be honest I think the only auto qualifiers should have been Australia, NZ, England and Wales seeing as they are joint hosts. Maybe a case for France and PNG too if you don't want the process to be too long.

Then you would have more teams in the qualifying that would also give the pacific nations some meaningful games prior to the world cup as wel las providing a more rigorous process and perhaps allowing some of the stronger nations to try out some new players prior to the world cup.

 

[NRL-TGG]

How are the Cook Islands an automatic qualifier?

I was under the impression they qualified due to their success in the pacific cup. I.e. making the final.

I thought that no success in the pacific cup would mean no WC qualification.

 

[adamkungl]

Next time around, 2017, we should have a 16 team tournament.
Automatic qualifiers will be the participants of the 4N tournaments held in that time, ie. big 3 plus winners of Euro and Pac Cups. If I had it my way there would be just one in each hemisphere and a year off - so 5 automatic qualifiers. For arguments sake lets say the top 3 + Wales and PNG.

Then vying for qualification we would have (for arguments sake + extreme optimism lets throw in every ranked team) the following teams. Split them into groups and run qualifying tournaments around the world. Held in the right places with double headers the RLIF could build awareness and some team support for the WC, get some good crowds hopefully without losing much money (could it be profitable if done correctly?)

Group A - 3 qualify: France, Scotland, Lebanon, Germany, Malta, Serbia, Sweden
Group B - 3 qualify: Ireland, Italy, Russia, Norway, Latvia, Ukraine, Czech Republic
Group C - 3 qualify: Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands, South Africa
Group D: - 2 qualify: Jamaica, USA, Canada

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Italy will win, but I'm going for Lebanon.

 

[VictoryFC]

Group A - 3 qualify: France, Scotland, Lebanon, Germany, Malta, Serbia, Sweden
Group B - 3 qualify: Ireland, Italy, Russia, Norway, Latvia, Ukraine, Czech Republic
Group C - 3 qualify: Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands, South Africa
Group D: - 2 qualify: Jamaica, USA, Canada

Haven't checked rankings, but are those based on seeding? Or just randomised? The two Euro groups that is.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Italy will probably win but Lebanon deserve it so much more.

 

[ByRd]

The Lebanon squad flies out today, my brother in law is apart of the coaching staff so i hope the boys can pull it off and get through!!!