What a World Cup!

[The Clan]

What a great tournament this has been for our sport, we've reawoken the World to what Rugby League is all about and re entered the consciousness of the wider world of sports events.

Australia have been superb on and off the field
The England v New Zealand semi will become a historical clasic
Fiji, USA and Scotland have been great

Sell out crowds throughout and amazing atmospheres at every game
Smashed the ticket target
Set a new crowd record in the final
Countries who normally don't know RL exists running pages of newspaper reports and TV stories
The respect shown by players for the various Hakas
The sharing of Fijian prayers by both sets of payers after each Fiji game

Roll on the next one!

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Yes, agreed. It's exceeded expectations.

The fear is that now everyone sits on their hands for four years until the next one, but hopefully this makes a few people in power realise there is potential growth for RL even if the big 3 remain dominant for the foreseeable future.

 

[some11]

Beetroot cheeks can drink himself to sleep now that it's over.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Sadly the final scoreline tonight opens the door for him to take another shot, but it shouldn't be used to dismiss what has hopefully been a big positive step forward for the code on an international level.

 

[Usain Bolt]

Australia didnt concede a try for 6+ hours lol

 

[Meth]

Shame the Kiwis didn't turn up today. Their performance today made a mockery of international League

 

[Misanthrope]

What a shit end to the tournament. 34-2 basically gives the neutral/anti-RL media fodder to shit on the cup.

 

[afinalsin666]

They always had fodder, they always will have fodder. If it was close they'd run a smear campaign against the advertising boards. merkins are merkins, always will be the case.

 

[DC_fan]

The fear is that now everyone sits on their hands for four years until the next one, but hopefully this makes a few people in power realise there is potential growth for RL even if the big 3 remain dominant for the foreseeable future.

Which is the usual case. It's like if no one knows what to do next.

We have had a successful WC, but we need to work towards making the next one even more so.

 

[deluded pom?]

For all you Aussies who couldn't make it this time, get saving your pennies for 2021. You'll have a ball. Poms aren't as bad as they are made out to be ;-)

 

[deluded pom?]

Australia didnt concede a try for 6+ hours lol

If they played today's game without an end it would be at least another six hours before the Kiwis crossed the Aussie line.

 

[WireMan]

If they played today's game without an end it would be at least another six hours before the Kiwis crossed the Aussie line.

Yeah, they really need to send their players to the Super League so they can learn how to score against Australia. ;-)

 

[maccattack]

This World Cup has been sensational. It seemed to come out of nowhere but turned out to be an amazing tournament for many reasons.
There are so many positives to build on and that's where the focus needs to be. Sure there's critics, but they are mostly agenda driven and that agenda does not include the growth of rugby league.

Rugby league is the winner here. Haters gonna have to eat it.

 

[deluded pom?]

This World Cup has been sensational. It seemed to come out of nowhere but turned out to be an amazing tournament for many reasons.
There are so many positives to build on and that's where the focus needs to be. Sure there's critics, but they are mostly agenda driven and that agenda does not include the growth of rugby league.

Rugby league is the winner here. Haters gonna have to eat it.

Agree with that. I wasn't expecting anywhere near the attention and the interest that this WC has had. Very pleasantly surprised. The baton is now in the hands of the SH. Best of luck.

 

[maccattack]

10 years ago the only people who used Apple products were graphic designers and the like. The general public were barely aware of the brand.
Steve Jobs had vision and determination and showed what can be achieved with both.

The organizers of this World Cup have shown what rugby league can achieve when you put the effort in. The potential is there for all to see.

 

[attila_the_gorilla]

Australia being so far ahead of the rest of the world is obviously not helping, but I think there's a shift coming in the next couple of years and England will take over the Kiwis by a good margin. The Kiwis' future doesn't look good, a very average team with little talent, no speed and rubbish halves who are here to stay.

 

[timka4]

Australia being so far ahead of the rest of the world is obviously not helping, but I think there's a shift coming in the next couple of years and England will take over the Kiwis by a good margin. The Kiwis' future doesn't look good, a very average team with little talent, no speed and rubbish halves who are here to stay.

Bit harsh. I think Johnson, Foran are a great halves pairing, it's just the nz forwards got belted tonight and the australians dominated the play the ball.
Everytime Foran/johnson kicked there was heavy pressure

 

[Perth Red]

What people like Bellamy, Rothfield, kemp etc fail to understand is the RLWC is far far more than the score lines. Players love it as it once in a lifetime opportunities and creates many memories never forgotten, fans love it as it is different, you get to see teams and players live you may never ever get the chance again, community loves it as the teams can interact and bring learning and joy, there's romance, drama, inevitably all thrown in. RLWC is by far the best representative competition in the world of RL. SOO might be tougher, more even (lol) and make more money but it can't hold a candle to a well run RLWC IMO.

 

[Perth Red]

Bit harsh. I think Johnson, Foran are a great halves pairing, it's just the nz forwards got belted tonight and the australians dominated the play the ball.
Everytime Foran/johnson kicked there was heavy pressure

It was somewhat sad to see a game going back to the NRL wrestleathon after the great open fast games the RLWC has produced. This three man tackling and wrestling/laying on is effective at winning games but geez it slows the attack down.

 

[Perth Red]

10 years ago the only people who used Apple products were graphic designers and the like. The general public were barely aware of the brand.
Steve Jobs had vision and determination and showed what can be achieved with both.

The organizers of this World Cup have shown what rugby league can achieve when you put the effort in. The potential is there for all to see.

Good analogy. RL is the iPod of the sports world. It is far superior to watch, we just need an image make over, some serious expansion and a few visionaries.