Is English Rugby League dying or is it already dead?

[elbusto]

Its quite clear from this tournament that English Rugby League is in serious decline.

But is it already too late to saveit?

They lacked true athletes in their squad.

They appeared to be unfit.

Their defence was terrible.

And they lacked the attacking flair they once had.

Their local competition is propped up by dozens of Kiwis and Aussies many past their prime but they are still stars over there.

Is it too late to save England?

Does anybody care?

 

[JW]

Their continuing habbit of talking the talk but not walking the walk is a blight on the international game. Always hyping themselves up as heavywieghts yet in the end doing nothing but providing the game's detractors with more ammunition.

As always though, they will do nothing to change their ways. And when Manly get done in their first trial game of the year in a couple of months, all their problems will be forgotten. It's a never ending cycle.

It's time for one of the Islands to step up and challenge the Big Two and let the Poms rightly take their place as a genuine minnow.

 

[screeny]

Look, there in the sky, it's....Predictable Man!

Ha ha nice response!

Yes, we need to drop imports (we're doing so); but more to the point the code needs to play to the same set of rule interpretations before it is driven further and further apart.

Of course, a true RL fan would care about the state of England RL, naturally.

 

[The Partisan]

Of course, a true RL fan would care about the state of England RL, naturally.

With that in mind I would like the see the RFL challenge the ARL to a 3 test series next year.

Purely so it can give England / Great Britain a chance to win a series before the 50th anniversary of the last home series (i.e 1959) rolls around come December 2009. Otherwise this will become a statistical fact.

Of course due to the four nations it won't happen - but it would be good.

 

[screeny]

With that in mind I would like the see the RFL challenge the ARL to a 3 test series next year.

Purely so it can give England / Great Britain a chance to win a series before the 50th anniversary of the last home series (i.e 1959) rolls around come December 2009. Otherwise this will become a statistical fact.

Of course due to the four nations it won't happen - but it would be good.

Yeah I agree, but pre-planned celebrations that coincide with key milestones in the game's history don't seem to work very well.

The Kiwi victory will give England a big boost ahead of the 2009 QNs. Here's hoping for neutral refs.

 

[KalgoorlieRed]

Its quite clear from this tournament that English Rugby League is in serious decline.

But is it already too late to saveit?

They lacked true athletes in their squad.

They appeared to be unfit.

Their defence was terrible.

And they lacked the attacking flair they once had.

Their local competition is propped up by dozens of Kiwis and Aussies many past their prime but they are still stars over there.

Is it too late to save England?

Does anybody care?

Its because they have an Aussie coach! :lol:

 

[deluded pom?]

Their continuing habbit of talking the talk but not walking the walk is a blight on the international game. Always hyping themselves up as heavywieghts yet in the end doing nothing but providing the game's detractors with more ammunition.

As always though, they will do nothing to change their ways. And when Manly get done in their first trial game of the year in a couple of months, all their problems will be forgotten. It's a never ending cycle.

That's probably on the ball JW. However I don't see how Partisan can criticise the English fitness. These are full time professionals. Maybe the way they played (dumbly) made them have to work harder than they really should have but there's not a ? about their fitness levels.

 

[griff]

Yeah I agree, but pre-planned celebrations that coincide with key milestones in the game's history don't seem to work very well.

My sarcasm detector is playing up a bit, but surely the 1995 World Cup, 2008 World Cup were successful?

 

[deluded pom?]

Can someone please explain what the 50th milestone actually is as I seem to be missing something?

 

[screeny]

My sarcasm detector is playing up a bit, but surely the 1995 World Cup, 2008 World Cup were successful?

Touche!

 

[Nz]

Its not dying, one loss doesn't mean the English will simply throw in the towel.

Infact, the state of the game in England is more popular than its ever been.

Lets get some facts straight.

 

[VonVolks]

The sad lack of pressure on position selection just adds to the inertia that England international players feel.

I say get Ellery Hanley in charge of England! (and get some new players too)

 

[roopy]

sadly i think we have taken another leap forward in the toyota cup concept, and even if the poms catch up with where we are now, by 2005 we will have moved to a new level. their best hope would be to send out 20 talented kids out to play toyota cup next year.

 

[rlo]

I hardly think English rugby league is dying. The RFL must be commended for consolidating the heartlands e.g. inclusion of Salford City, but also for their ventures outside, into southern France, Wales and London.

There seems to be a problem with transferring competition success with international success though. I guess the ABs failures in union don't necessarily equate to failures of the rugby union system there.

 

[The Partisan]

Can someone please explain what the 50th milestone actually is as I seem to be missing something?

December 12 1959, GB win 3RD Test to wrap up series on home soil. An achievement not seen since.

Hard to think that generations of English RL supporters have not seen a home victory against an arch enemy. Then again in took till 1963 for an Australian team to win the Ashes in England (NB 1911-12 winning team had 4 NZ'ers and I think was referred to as Australasia)

Took Kiwis 54 yrs to crack it for a World Cup, so everyone has a history of long waits.

 

[vikingstorm]

I hardly think English rugby league is dying. The RFL must be commended for consolidating the heartlands e.g. inclusion of Salford City, but also for their ventures outside, into southern France, Wales and London.

There seems to be a problem with transferring competition success with international success though. I guess the ABs failures in union don't necessarily equate to failures of the rugby union system there.

rugby league in england is alive and well. last season our super league crowds were a record and 2009 will see a record number of young english players in every super league squad.
there is some outstanding young talent out there- we just need to be able to play them.
aussie and kiwi imports were at one time fantastic- but now is the time to end that and develop young players through our own clubs acadamy structures. i could name you 20 exceptional young english players who could be in our international team by 2009.
this world cup saw too many players past their sell by date. in paricularly wellens was exposed at full back and gardner on the wing. the wings were so very poor that in hindsight i would have selected a young player like michael lawrence from huddersfield, who is a very very fine athlete

we will be back, make no mistake about that. you saw our supporters out there. they are simply the best

 

[LeagueXIII]

Why is it league is always dieing? Sport goes in cycles, England are in a down period. Remember the 1982 Kangaroos? Everyone thought the Brits would never compete with us again, yet by 1990 we had one of the greatest series of all time which they came within a whisker of winning. As they also did in 92 and 94.

They will be back, this will make them re-evaluate which is healthy.

 

[screeny]

Why is it league is always dieing? Sport goes in cycles, England are in a down period. Remember the 1982 Kangaroos? Everyone thought the Brits would never compete with us again, yet by 1990 we had one of the greatest series of all time which they came within a whisker of winning. As they also did in 92 and 94.

They will be back, this will make them re-evaluate which is healthy.

Mate, the dude started the thread as he was getting annoyed with me. He doesn't really think English RL is dying, it was just a knee-jerk reaction to some other comments.

 

[deluded pom?]

sadly i think we have taken another leap forward in the toyota cup concept, and even if the poms catch up with where we are now, by 2005 we will have moved to a new level. their best hope would be to send out 20 talented kids out to play toyota cup next year.

Have the Aussies perfected time travel now roopy? ;-)

 

[deluded pom?]

December 12 1959, GB win 3RD Test to wrap up series on home soil. An achievement not seen since.

Hard to think that generations of English RL supporters have not seen a home victory against an arch enemy. Then again in took till 1963 for an Australian team to win the Ashes in England (NB 1911-12 winning team had 4 NZ'ers and I think was referred to as Australasia)

Took Kiwis 54 yrs to crack it for a World Cup, so everyone has a history of long waits.

Thanks TP