16 teams for the 2021 RLWC?

[bowes]

Thanks. I guess the question becomes with the right level of investment from the world governing body could that situation be improved over a few years. Or does no one in those countries really give a f**k?

I don't think it could to be honest. With proper investment you could probably have one Championship and two League 1 clubs in Wales and one League 1 club in Ireland, but no amount of money could sort Scotland out

 

[bowes]

Incidentally there are only two professional RU clubs in the whole of Scotland

 

[DC_fan]

Slight exaggeration, maybe our 3rd best 17 could match png at home or Ireland but it will take all the class of our big 3 to get it done if we get tonga in a sf

Come on, you know I don’t exaggerate

 

[Coastbloke]

Weren't there fairly recent announcements in regards to kickstarting Scottish RL again?

 

[bowes]

Weren't there fairly recent announcements in regards to kickstarting Scottish RL again?

No

 

[siv]

The simple way to understand our promplem at international level

Its money

RLIF v RU v FIFA

A international if handball has more money than RLIF

 

[Pommy]

If the petition for sports recognition and status works then things will improve everywhere for rugby league. However this needs to happen. The reason for no government funding is the Achilles heel of rugby league growth in most countries. And I suggest we know which rival code has been using this fact for their own purposes for many decades.

This is going to make no difference in Scotland which is what your quoted post was referencing.

 

[thorson1987]

Everyone going on about Scotland, but aren't Samoa in the same boat domestically?

 

[johnny plath]

Everyone going on about Scotland, but aren't Samoa in the same boat domestically?

Don't know if these numbers are improving or not, but its not quite as bad Scotland if the RL Samoa website is genuine and up to date:

https://www.rugbyleaguesamoa.com/rls-our-history/

Domestic Scene
Regular domestic Rugby League has been held in Samoa since the 1988 Pacific Cup, with local competitions held primarily around the national capital of Apia.

Despite almost 30 years of Rugby League in the country, the majority of the participation were focused around the open age years groups. In that time, considerable efforts have been put into introducing Rugby League at junior and school levels throughout the country.

In the 2016 National competition six teams took place, including the Vaitele Wests Tigers, Matniuel Laulii Lions, Letava Bulldogs, PSL Scopa, Marist Saints and Apia Barracudas.

The Marist Saints would defeat the Apia Barracudas 32-28 in the Rugby League Samoa Grand Final to win the Presidents Cup.

 

[kiwileaguefan]

Everyone going on about Scotland, but aren't Samoa in the same boat domestically?

Just played a four team nines tournament last week:

http://www.samoaobserver.ws/en/31_1...ampions-say-thank-you-to-their-supporters.htm

http://www.samoaobserver.ws/en/26_10_2017/sport/25894/Marist-rules-Rugby-League-nines.htm

 

[Springs09]

16 teams is good for the next tournament. People are looking forward to seeing who will be the other 2 teams, assuming all the current 14 teams qualify. And there's plenty of countries chasing those spots for the first time. Serbia will be going for another shot once again, Canada could be good leading into the 2025 world cup, Jamaica, Malta, Greece, Belgium, Holland, Spain etc. Then there's Russia and South Africa trying to make a return to the World Cup.

We had 16 teams in 2000 but 15 were already named without any qualifying matches and very little internationals leading into the tournament.

This will be way different.

There's no reason why it can't work. We already put the lowest ranked team into Pool A with Australia. The super pools have worked okay in the last two tournaments but that should be the end of it. Like I said before teams 4-13 can go from challenging the big 3 to beating each other by 50 depending on a few players. Scotland were ranked 4th after last year but now they are weaker than most of the teams in C & D.

More importantly it gets rid of the win-one-game-and-qualify nature of the super pools. PNG and Ireland both look great but one of them will miss out on the finals (and auto qualification for 2021) to Lebanon who only had to beat one team to get in. Similarly in 2013 all three teams in Pool C were better than any team in Pool D, yet USA got through thanks to the organisers stacking the pools in favour of Wales.

I see no reason why pools along the lines of
A - Australia, Samoa, Scotland, Italy
B - New Zealand, Fiji, Ireland, Cook Islands
C - England, Papua New Guinea, Wales, USA
D - Tonga, Lebanon, France, Canada
couldn't work. 11 of those teams have been in 'super pools' before, and all but Canada have faced the big 3 before.

 

[Perth Red]

Thanks. I guess the question becomes with the right level of investment from the world governing body could that situation be improved over a few years. Or does no one in those countries really give a f**k?

Our sport has such a low profile in most countries, and in some parts of Australia, that getting people and especially kids interested in playing is a uphill battle. Throw in the insane popularity of soccer and to a lessor degree Union in those countries and RL is on a hiding to nothing in all honesty. It would take investment of SL proportions to see sustainable leagues with a top tier rep club in ESL. Whilst giving exclusive rights to Sky helped the English game FT and finally get some decent money into it, it has come at the expense of a broader interest and appeal for the sport.

 

[Perth Red]

There's no reason why it can't work. We already put the lowest ranked team into Pool A with Australia. The super pools have worked okay in the last two tournaments but that should be the end of it. Like I said before teams 4-13 can go from challenging the big 3 to beating each other by 50 depending on a few players. Scotland were ranked 4th after last year but now they are weaker than most of the teams in C & D.

More importantly it gets rid of the win-one-game-and-qualify nature of the super pools. PNG and Ireland both look great but one of them will miss out on the finals (and auto qualification for 2021) to Lebanon who only had to beat one team to get in. Similarly in 2013 all three teams in Pool C were better than any team in Pool D, yet USA got through thanks to the organisers stacking the pools in favour of Wales.

I see no reason why pools along the lines of
A - Australia, Samoa, Scotland, Italy
B - New Zealand, Fiji, Ireland, Cook Islands
C - England, Papua New Guinea, Wales, USA
D - Tonga, Lebanon, France, Canada
couldn't work. 11 of those teams have been in 'super pools' before, and all but Canada have faced the big 3 before.

The issue, and why super pools exist, is that doesn't give the big games to kick start the tournament. England and Australia are in the same pool to create interest in the opening game. Maybe if we went to 4 pool games (ie play everyone one in your pool plus 1 from a different pool) then straight into semis it would work? Would the tournament be the lessor for an extra pool game instead of QF's?

 

[Irish-bulldog]

The issue, and why super pools exist, is that doesn't give the big games to kick start the tournament. England and Australia are in the same pool to create interest in the opening game. Maybe if we went to 4 pool games (ie play everyone one in your pool plus 1 from a different pool) then straight into semis it would work? Would the tournament be the lessor for an extra pool game instead of QF's?

We might need to take a hit next World Cup, give teams time to develop, I believe the rewards will come with sticking to a 16 team format

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Out of the 14 nations playing, how many nations actually have kids playing domestically?

There in itself is the problem....once nations lose the ability to use heritage players, they will crash and burn.

Australia
England
New Zealand
France
PNG
Fiji
Wales

Not too far off:
Tonga
Samoa
Lebanon
USA (& Canada for that matter)

Little to no domestic activity at junior level:
Italy
Scotland
Ireland

Not too bad - Serbia, Jamaica and Canada are doing some good work and could easily replace our three 'heritage nations' in coming world cups.

 

[adamkungl]

I know you said Junior level but I think it's important to note that Ireland and Italy have RL competitions and aren't in the same boat as Scotland.

 

[Springs09]

The issue, and why super pools exist, is that doesn't give the big games to kick start the tournament. England and Australia are in the same pool to create interest in the opening game. Maybe if we went to 4 pool games (ie play everyone one in your pool plus 1 from a different pool) then straight into semis it would work? Would the tournament be the lessor for an extra pool game instead of QF's?

If we absolutely need Australia v England to be the opening game then they can be in the same pool. They did it in 2000.

In my opinion there was enough interest in the England v minnow games in 2013 for the opener to not have to be Australia v England. If we got 45,000 in Cardiff I don't see why England playing Samoa or Tonga as part of a double-header plus opening ceremony couldn't draw a larger crowd in Manchester. If the marketing and promotion is at least as good as 2013 that is.

 

[deluded pom?]

If we absolutely need Australia v England to be the opening game then they can be in the same pool. They did it in 2000.

In my opinion there was enough interest in the England v minnow games in 2013 for the opener to not have to be Australia v England. If we got 45,000 in Cardiff I don't see why England playing Samoa or Tonga as part of a double-header plus opening ceremony couldn't draw a larger crowd in Manchester. If the marketing and promotion is at least as good as 2013 that is.

We have to get away from the manufactured format that allows Australia and England to be in the same group just so we can open the tournament with them playing each other. Have some faith in the players and the sport to produce, they usually do.

 

[kiwileaguefan]

We have to get away from the manufactured format that allows Australia and England to be in the same group just so we can open the tournament with them playing each other. Have some faith in the players and the sport to produce, they usually do.

How about Tonga vs Samoa as the opening game....

 

[Rory]

Australia
England
New Zealand
France
PNG
Fiji
Wales

Not too far off:
Tonga
Samoa
Lebanon
USA (& Canada for that matter)

Little to no domestic activity at junior level:
Italy
Scotland
Ireland

Not too bad - Serbia, Jamaica and Canada are doing some good work and could easily replace our three 'heritage nations' in coming world cups.

Ireland are getting there and making progress. In 2016 they started competing in U16 and U18 games against England, Wales and France. Check out youtube,