10 teams for World Cup

[griff]

just a whole lot of WC qualifing that year to find the best 12 nations on Earth.

If there is, that would be a mistake. The World Cup would be much better served, not by necessarily having the best nations, but by being globally representative.

For example, there should be a team from the Americas (in all likelihood the USA) even though the best team from the Americas would not be in the top 12 teams in the world. ditto for a team from Eastern Europe.

This would benefit international RL much more than having just the 12 best teams, when fully half of them would be from Australasia.

 

[Ari Gold]

have a look at the soccer World cup, saudi Arabia made it, but not Holland.......which just goes to show that not always the best teams make the World Cup, its more about equal representation around the globe. But then again thats soccer....and they have a much greater international scene.

 

[In-goal]

if only we had there numbers

 

[carlnz]

no way best teams HAVE to be there...we dont want cricket scores again!! Lets worry about having a stronger International teams before expanding to all faces of the earth!

 

[Paul Condon]

I agree with robyalvaro, geographic spread.
More internationals can be played between WC's to strengthen the higher ranked teams. The incentive in different areas would be great to continue with International League with the possibility of the WC to play in.
If you look at all the WC's in rugby league, union and football there are one sided results, and always have been.

I think we are getting unreasonably disturbed by big results.

What about France v NZ in union, Saudi Arabia at the football WC's, GB v Aus in league. If the sport is to advance globally quickly, let's give the likes of Russia and the USA a chance.
Sorry carlnz, gotta disagree with you.

 

[carlnz]

International League is a joke around the World at the moment....after the last World CUp were it took to the second to last game before Wales enlighted the Cup against Australia.....

I know the RLIF will go for the 10 strongest teams which may mean Russia missing out...The difference between Soccer, Rugby World Cups between League world cups is simply the amount of teams that can win it!

Rugby you would have to say 5 or 6
Soccer about 10 (judging by the latest results)
League are 3 if we are lucky!!

We need to strengthen our game before expending like the last World Cup......There is no way I would like to see Russia or USA against Australia.... IMO the 10 strongest teams would be:

1. Aus
2. NZ
3. England
4. France
5. PNG
6. Wales
7. Ireland
8. Tonga
9. Lebanon
10. Fiji

I can put my hand on my heart and say that no scores would go over 90....these teams have the most players play in professionl League set ups....

So Cook Islands, Samoa, Russia, USA and Scotland would miss out....

So what you guys are trying to say is, sorry to Wales, Fiji or Ireland but we want teams from all around the World and you guys already have a nation from your area??

If USA or Russia is good enough they will win their matches and Qualify for the Cup....

 

[The Whippet]

Well I have an idea but it's a little different, just thought of it.

1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. Great Britain
4. Papua New Guinea
5. United States of America
6. Pacific Islands (comprising of all the teams in the Pacific)
7. Lebanon
8. France
9. Russia
10. South Africa

What do think of this system? Just an idea.

 

[Ari Gold]

International League is a joke around the World at the moment....after the last World CUp were it took to the second to last game before Wales enlighted the Cup against Australia.....

i cant believe you just said that carlnz.... :shock: how the hell can you call International League a joke atm??? its not great but it aint a joke either. yes at the time of the last Wc it was....but now things have certainly changed....France come close to beating Oz + Nz, Irish put a gr8 fight against England, Russia continues to get more and more players, USA showed that with the right development they will become a powerhouse in the future and at one stage leading against the Aussies. the League internationals upstaged the Yawnion here in Australia, interest wise and media wise, which is very UNUSUAL. and plus france is set to have a team in the ESL which will boost the game enormously

we're still in 2004, WC is in 2008, believe me carlnz by the time 2008 comes by things will be different, and im sure you'll have 4 teams that can win the WC, cause i see France really improving over the next few years with Aldous, Waite and the ESL pushing them along.

 

[griff]

no way best teams HAVE to be there...we dont want cricket scores again!! Lets worry about having a stronger International teams before expanding to all faces of the earth!

It is not as if having the 12 best teams in the world will mean it will be any more competitive than having 12 of the top 15 or 16 teams in the world.

What is the difference between the 12 best nation in the world getting beaten by 80 and the 15 best nation in the world getting beated by 90? Not much.

Compared to how much the World Cup will benefit from greater geographical spread and increased attention in Russia and the US I am prepared to wear a couple of extra tries in a pool match.

 

[Razor]

Rugby you would have to say 5 or 6
Soccer about 10 (judging by the latest results)
League are 3 if we are lucky!!

Union 5 or 6 teams? Don't think so. Maybe 4.

 

[carlnz]

i cant believe you just said that carlnz.... :shock: how the hell can you call International League a joke atm???

I just think the NRL will ruin the International game....I mean look at next year...all we know is that their will be an ANZAC test and thats about it...and Euro Cup and thats about it......Only 600 people turned up to an Ireland match in the Euro Cup this year!!!

I just wish they form a proper International Body who works full time and hows more power than NRL and Super League.

The Pacific Rim had no promotion, and the Pacific teams fail to play any of the big nations......I cant believe NZ has only played Tonga twice, and the Cook Islands once and have never played Samoa or Fiji....

Us fans in here have all the ideas and I just cant believe knowone has made them happen...

I'm trying to do up a proposal to the NZRL about an anual Kiwi's vs Tonga match....the only problem in this would be getting the NRL to release their Tongan and Kiwi players....as for funds....i know loads of people online would help....Just watching Tonga, Cook Islands and Fiji play this year without their professional players...they have loads of talent and are stronger than what many people think!

 

[In-goal]

well someone come up with a decent proposal that wouldn't send the RLIF broke that involves all nations having a chance at qualifing.

 

[carlnz]

well someone come up with a decent proposal that wouldn't send the RLIF broke that involves all nations having a chance at qualifing.

Simple...keep doing what they are playing now!

Med Cup - Winner Qualifies
Victory Cup - Winner Plays runner up of European Cup
European Cup - Winner Qualifies, Runner up plays winner of Victory Cup to Qualify for the WWC
Pacific Cup - Winner and Runner up Qualifies for WWC

1. Aus
2. NZ
3. England
4. France
5. PNG
6. Med Cup Qualifier
7. European Cup Winner
8. Winner of European Cup runner up vs Winner of Victory Cup
9. Pacific Cup Winner
10. Pacific Cup runner up

So these are the tounments that they play currently around the world...and if you add in teams then everyone will get a chance to qualifiy..

Victory Cup: USA, Russia, Ireland, Canada
Med Cup: Lebanon, Serbia, Morocco, Italy, Greece, West Indies
European Cup: Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Gerogia, South Africa,
Pacific Cup: Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, Nuie, New Calediona, Japan


22 teams to Qualifiy..

 

[In-goal]

maybe South Africa into the med cup as they are a bit far from Russia or Georgia.

I would still preffer to see New Zealand and England play qualifiers the same with France as i think only the champions and hosts should be garunteed a berth.

 

[carlnz]

maybe South Africa into the med cup as they are a bit far from Russia or Georgia.

I would still preffer to see New Zealand and England play qualifiers the same with France as i think only the champions and hosts should be garunteed a berth.

I think the Semi finalest should be given a berth

 

[yakstorm]

I just think the NRL will ruin the International game....I mean look at next year...all we know is that their will be an ANZAC test and thats about it...and Euro Cup and thats about it......Only 600 people turned up to an Ireland match in the Euro Cup this year!!!

Pacific Rim Cup will be on, the Med Cup will be on, there is another two confirmed tournaments. Either a Tri-Nations will be on or GB will tour Australia and NZ, same with France.

There will also be the Victory Cup, so there is a fair bit of international RL planned...

As for only 600 turing up for the Ireland Euro Cup match? So what? The match is there to build up the on field team and give some more creditabilty to the side. This year Ireland recieved results and reports from all their Euro Cup matches in the Irish press both on TV and in newspapers....that is something previously unheard of, same with Wales and Scotland the results made the press.

The whole concept adds to much creditability to the sides as well. If you can say so and so has 10 caps for Ireland, people wont question if he is Irish or not, verses if he has never played for Ireland before and pops out from no where.

 

[carlnz]

Its all great you knowing, but the public like us dont know jack squat about anything....I remember at the opening of the Pacific Rim tournment they said they will try and stage next years tournment in Tonga....I hope they come back to New Zealand....

I only siad my concerns about the Ireland game....they did play well and deserve better support then what they get...

Great Britian will never be good enough to beat Australia in a full series untill they take their home nations seriously....Just Imange if they stop Super League for a couple of weeks and have a series tournment like the six nations...but to have full strength Wales vs England would be a great match up!! That way GB would have 4 teams to choose from not just the Super League.....Untill this happens I can never see GB beating Australia or a full strength Kiwi side.....

 

[yakstorm]

Its all great you knowing, but the public like us dont know jack squat about anything....I remember at the opening of the Pacific Rim tournment they said they will try and stage next years tournment in Tonga....I hope they come back to New Zealand....

Well considering the information about the tournaments has been on the net, and in the press and in RL publications, its not like the information has been hidden away into a little 'elite' group where the public don't know anything about it.

Greece has been pretty vocal about going to Med Cup this year, and Malta have also announced thats in their plans. Georgia have confirmed they are going to the Victory Cup, and Yanto even mentioned it as Holland will be trying to give the Georgians a run before the tournament.

I wont argue that the news about it could be better, but give the RLEF a bit more time to get everything in order, then they can promote their events for 05 a bit more.

Great Britian will never be good enough to beat Australia in a full series untill they take their home nations seriously....Just Imange if they stop Super League for a couple of weeks and have a series tournment like the six nations...but to have full strength Wales vs England would be a great match up!! That way GB would have 4 teams to choose from not just the Super League.....Untill this happens I can never see GB beating Australia or a full strength Kiwi side.....

The Kiwis were full strength in 2002 if I remember correctly, so GB can beat a full strength Kiwis, and they are on the rise in the other regards. One swallow doesn't make a summer, same as one bad result in the Tri-Nations doesn't mean GB isn't within a chance of knocking off Australia next year.

From what I could tell the RFL were taking their home nations seriously. They are building them up, tieing in a link between the current grassroot development to the next step. They have learnt from 2000 you can just work from top down.

The plans are there to make the European nations cup a full time tournament, something to rival Union's 6 Nations, but you can't run before you walk, by simply stopping SL next year for the tournament would do more harm than good, as I don't believe the crowds would be much better, a lot of the sides don't have the depth yet they want, and the tournament hasn't built up the background needed.

The tournament would make a loss, and it would make it even harder to implement the event, as the clubs would lose money from less matches, but then have no avenue to make it back cause the tournament wouldn't turn a profit.

 

[carlnz]

I thought Georgia were replacing Engaland in the European Cup...I guess NZDF will not be sending a team to the Victory Cup as nothing has come out about it...

What do you mean European Cup as a full time tournment?

NZ were hardly full strength in 2002 when they had to pull Sean Hoppe out of retirement to play :roll: But what I mean is sure they can play at home but away from GB?!?! NZ hasn't lost at home in more then 2 years now!! :lol:

 

[carlnz]

The plans are there to make the European nations cup a full time tournament, something to rival Union's 6 Nations, but you can't run before you walk, by simply stopping SL next year for the tournament would do more harm than good, as I don't believe the crowds would be much better, a lot of the sides don't have the depth yet they want, and the tournament hasn't built up the background needed.

What do you mean full time??