Understanding the 2021 World Cup Qualifiers

[Springs09]

Right.. someone fill in the gaps cos I'm baffled..
Automatic qualified
1.Australia
2.England
3.Tonga
4.Fiji
5.Samoa
6.Lebanon
7.PNG
8.New Zealand
-------------------------
9. Euro 1 (France)
10. Euro 2 (Wales)
11. Euro 3 (Ireland)
12. Euro 4 (Italy)
13. Euro 5 (Scotland)
14. Euro 6 (Serbia)
15. Americas 1 (USA)
16. Play-off Winner (Cook Islands/Canada/South Africa)

Which regions get what? So fill in the gaps with Euro 1,2,3 and so on...

Predicted teams in brackets.

 

[langpark]

Ireland - 13 clubs? - 4 in the republic, 2 in Northern Ireland I believe.
Italy - 10 clubs or so? - I think it's only 5-6, but only Saluzzo are exclusively League.
Serbia - 24 clubs - Do you mean teams? Cos there are only 8 clubs in Serbia, but they do have U18 and U16 teams active as well.
Czech Republic - 4 clubs - 8 senior teams, 4 youth teams I believe
Greece -3 clubs - 5 clubs
Latvia - 4 clubs - ZERO
Malta - 'sporadic'= ZERO
Belgium - 4 clubs - only 1 is (semi) active, North Brussels Gorillas
Denmark - 2 clubs? - 1 barely active, Copenhagen RLFC
Hungary - 4+ clubs + women's league - No teams, just a scattering of players that play the occasional EuroTag and play as the national team occassionally.

^ Just a few corrections on ones that I know to be wrong.

Also, the countries you listed as 'dead' have never played RL, not sure where you got that from?? There was once a flicker in Estonia but that's about it.

PS: when you say + Balkan Super League clubs, these are not additional clubs. They are the same ones that compete both in their local league and in the BSL.

 

[roughyedspud]

Predicted teams in brackets.

Cheers...

I'll add though that if Jamaica turn up with their British heritage players they'll qualify either via the americas route or the play offs

 

[adamkungl]

I dunno, I thought Canada deserves direct qualification as much as Russia or Serbia.

Don't see why America should be handed 2 spots when they only have 3 nations, and their best one could barely land a point at the last WC.
At least whoever makes it for that last Europe spot will have to fight hard for it.

In 2025 Americas will have USA as automatic qualifiers and then at least 1 more.

 

[jim_57]

Don't see why America should be handed 2 spots when they only have 3 nations, and their best one could barely land a point at the last WC.
At least whoever makes it for that last Europe spot will have to fight hard for it.

In 2025 Americas will have USA as automatic qualifiers and then at least 1 more.

Don't see why Euro should be handed 7 spots when only one of their teams made the finals of the last World Cup and a couple barely scored any points. Once you get to that 7th team there is a huge drop in quality. A 2nd North American team would do no worse than a 7th European team, probably better.

Sensible way to do it would have been making two spots available in a playoff and having AP7, Euro 7, NA2 & MEA2 in a 3 round pool with top 2 teams qualifying.

IF it's a case of giving the host continent an extra team I don't mind so much, but that should mean next time USA and Canada auto-qualify and Jamaica enter a play off for another spot.

 

[Springs09]

^ Just a few corrections on ones that I know to be wrong.

Also, the countries you listed as 'dead' have never played RL, not sure where you got that from?? There was once a flicker in Estonia but that's about it.

PS: when you say + Balkan Super League clubs, these are not additional clubs. They are the same ones that compete both in their local league and in the BSL.

The ones I listed as dead have had some life in their national team before, but not necessarily a domestic competition.

Serbia has a map of their clubs on their website - http://ragbiliga.rs/чланови/ - right I have no idea how to type that weird writing up on here, but anyway that's where I got it from.

I didn't list clubs that were active right now but those that have been at least active recently. Places like Belgium have clubs that have regularly updated facebook pages promoting junior days and trials etc. for example. Ireland also seem to have clubs that withdraw one year and compete the next. Copenhagen RLFC have trials on their site and have two other clubs 'open' for interest in Jylland and one other.

There were at least 6 teams in ROI and 4 in NI last year so if 4 have fallen over within a year that's very disappointing.

Czech Republic on their website had 4 teams in their A-league. I read they had a B-League but couldn't find it on their site.

 

[Springs09]

Don't see why America should be handed 2 spots when they only have 3 nations, and their best one could barely land a point at the last WC.
At least whoever makes it for that last Europe spot will have to fight hard for it.

In 2025 Americas will have USA as automatic qualifiers and then at least 1 more.

Well because Canada has been consistent with internationals and domestic activity for decades and now have a semi-professional side that could be in Super League next year, as well as the fact they are co-hosting the next one. They should at least have the opportunity to play-off against the last Euro qualifier.

In 2025 Americas will need to have 2 auto qualifiers as hosts at the very least.

And Spud I disagree about Jamaica and their heritage players. They always use teams of heritage players but are far from dominant.

 

[roughyedspud]

Don't see why America should be handed 2 spots when they only have 3 nations, and their best one could barely land a point at the last WC.
At least whoever makes it for that last Europe spot will have to fight hard for it.

In 2025 Americas will have USA as automatic qualifiers and then at least 1 more.

They should have two spots purely because we'll be exposing our sport to nigh on 400 million people...plus they are already at a standard the lower ranked Euro teams like Russia,serbia..

Infact I'd probably do away with a majority of the qualifiers,I'd auto qualify 14 or 15 teams and host a emerging nations world cup with the winner of that becoming the 16th team..

Like me have a think and I'll come up with something of how it would look.

 

[Springs09]

They should have two spots purely because we'll be exposing our sport to nigh on 400 million people...plus they are already at a standard the lower ranked Euro teams like Russia,serbia..

Infact I'd probably do away with a majority of the qualifiers,I'd auto qualify 14 or 15 teams and host a emerging nations world cup with the winner of that becoming the 16th team..

Like me have a think and I'll come up with something of how it would look.

Don't do that.

We need more qualifiers not less.

 

[jim_57]

They should have two spots purely because we'll be exposing our sport to nigh on 400 million people...plus they are already at a standard the lower ranked Euro teams like Russia,serbia..

Infact I'd probably do away with a majority of the qualifiers,I'd auto qualify 14 or 15 teams and host a emerging nations world cup with the winner of that becoming the 16th team..

Like me have a think and I'll come up with something of how it would look.

No reason a system can't be tailored to get what we want, but I'd still have at least half qualify.

The main problem I see with giving the 7th spot direct to Europe is that they have probably done it to reward Serbia and Russia who have long running domestic comps but always get tanked at the qaulifiers.. Problem I see now is that Malta will probably pack their team full of heritage players and walk in to the 7th spot, Serbia and Russia (and Canada and Jamaica) lose out to another small nation with very little domestic activity packed with heritage players.

 

[Springs09]

No reason a system can't be tailored to get what we want, but I'd still have at least half qualify.

The main problem I see with giving the 7th spot direct to Europe is that they have probably done it to reward Serbia and Russia who have long running domestic comps but always get tanked at the qaulifiers.. Problem I see now is that Malta will probably pack their team full of heritage players and walk in to the 7th spot, Serbia and Russia (and Canada and Jamaica) lose out to another small nation with very little domestic activity packed with heritage players.

I agree. Serbia and Russia deserve a chance to qualify but so does Canada. I am yet to see an argument against having Euro 7, Americas 2, ME/Africa and Pacific 7 playing off for the last 2 spots.

I'll actually be surprised if Malta beats Ukraine & Greece in Euro C. If they somehow get to the next stage then maybe they'll get some stronger heritage players but I'll be surprised if they play this year.

 

[roughyedspud]

Don't do that.

We need more qualifiers not less.

None of the lesser European teams are going to beat Wales,Scotland,ireland,France or Italy..it's a waste of everyone's time..

The likes of Serbia Russia,south Africa,cooks etc would be far better served going into a single comp with a legitimate chance of qualify..

I'd do..

Automatic qualifiers..

1. Australia
2. England
3. Nz
4. Tonga
5. Samoa
6. Fiji
7. Png
8. France
9. Wales
10.Scotland
11.Ireland
12.Italy
-----------------------------
Americas qualifiers, USA,Canada & Jamaica...2 from 3

13.
14.
-----------------------------
Either one single emerging nations cup with the 2 finalists qualifying or 2 smaller qualifying comps with the 2 winners qualifying..

15.
16.

 

[adamkungl]

Well because Canada has been consistent with internationals and domestic activity for decades and now have a semi-professional side that could be in Super League next year, as well as the fact they are co-hosting the next one. They should at least have the opportunity to play-off against the last Euro qualifier.

In 2025 Americas will need to have 2 auto qualifiers as hosts at the very least.

And Spud I disagree about Jamaica and their heritage players. They always use teams of heritage players but are far from dominant.

Settle down, Canada RL was founded in 2010.
The 2nd place American side does have a play-off chance, just not against Europe (I would have been fine with 2 playoffs, fwiw, I've been suggesting that idea for months).
But co-hosting the NEXT one shouldn't give them a free pass to the current one, anyway. And there's every chance Jamaica will beat them for that 2nd American spot.

1 direct and 1 playoff is pretty much on par with where American RL is right now. As much as the WC needs to be a promotional vehicle, it also needs to be fair and reflect where the game is actually played and to what standard. You can't go rigging draws to suit 1 nation.
Eastern and Southern Europe isn't as fashionable as North America perhaps, but there will be 9 nations fighting for the last European spot, most of which are probably on a similar level to Canada if not better.

 

[adamkungl]

Look at it this way.
There are going to be 9 nations fighting for that last Europe spot.
For that last playoff qualifier spot, there are likely going to be at most 8 nations gunning for it.
It seems pretty even to me.

Playoff
Asia-Pacific: 1 of Cook Islands, Philippines, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands.
MEA: 1 of... South Africa?
America: 1 of Canada, USA, Jamaica (with 1 already qualified)

In terms of numbers, Americas have one of the easiest runs in. Cook Islands are a big hurdle to overcome but.. if you can't beat them, you aren't gonna hack it in the Cup.

 

[Springs09]

None of the lesser European teams are going to beat Wales,Scotland,ireland,France or Italy..it's a waste of everyone's time..

The likes of Serbia Russia,south Africa,cooks etc would be far better served going into a single comp with a legitimate chance of qualify..

I'd do..

Automatic qualifiers..

1. Australia
2. England
3. Nz
4. Tonga
5. Samoa
6. Fiji
7. Png
8. France
9. Wales
10.Scotland
11.Ireland
12.Italy
-----------------------------
Americas qualifiers, USA,Canada & Jamaica...2 from 3

13.
14.
-----------------------------
Either one single emerging nations cup with the 2 finalists qualifying or 2 smaller qualifying comps with the 2 winners qualifying..

15.
16.

No game of rugby league is a waste of time. The point of the qualifiers isn't just to qualify for the World Cup, but to have more games between more nations. It's the same as the Soccer World Cup, the majority of nations are never going to qualify, but they have them in anyway.

The qualifiers are likely the only chance Serbia, Russia, Germany and so on will get a chance to play countries like France. We may have countries like Norway and Czech Republic playing Italy and Ireland for the first time. That's good! Who cares if they get beat by 100 points. Otherwise what do we have? France, Wales, Ireland and Italy playing the 'European Cup' every year and nothing else, since England are too good to play them between World Cups apparently.

Not to mention most of them don't deserve to auto-qualify. For some reason you left out Lebanon. France lost 3/3, Wales were complete rubbish, Scotland doesn't have a domestic comp and without their heritage players Italy are on the level of Russia and Serbia and even with their heritage players they were rubbish anyway. And in the last round of Euro qualifiers Italy did get beat by Russia and Serbia, they were lucky the top 3/4 teams went through to the next round where their heritage players decided to show up.

 

[adamkungl]

Yep.. it's entirely possible that teams like Italy might not be lucky enough to have their heritage players come over for qualifiers in 2019.
Or Serbia etc might start digging some up.

If I was running Serbia i'd be putting out feelers in the Aus and England semi-pro ranks to find anyone eligible.

 

[Pommy]

Yep.. it's entirely possible that teams like Italy might not be lucky enough to have their heritage players come over for qualifiers in 2019.
Or Serbia etc might start digging some up.

If I was running Serbia i'd be putting out feelers in the Aus and England semi-pro ranks to find anyone eligible.

This where it gets a little murky in my eyes. There’s nothing to stop the Trbojevic brothers from getting Serbia to the World Cup and then jumping back to the Kangaroos for the actual tournament is there?
I’m not saying that’s a likely situation, but is that a possibility?

 

[adamkungl]

This where it gets a little murky in my eyes. There’s nothing to stop the Trbojevic brothers from getting Serbia to the World Cup and then jumping back to the Kangaroos for the actual tournament is there?
I’m not saying that’s a likely situation, but is that a possibility?

It is possible. I wouldn't think likely for a number of reasons, but possible.

 

[Springs09]

Serbia got unlucky with their best heritage players going straight into the Australian side where they'll stay for the next ten years. But yeah, get Opacic and scout out some others and give it a shot.

 

[The Partisan]

Serbia will have 6 - 8 heritage based players in their u/19 squad playing in the European tournament this year. If they stick around they will be handy for 2021 / 2025 qualification.