2018-2025 could be the tell all for international RL..

[nzwarriorskuz]

Thought I'd give my perspective into the direction of the RLIF and the signs of I think where the game may head. Ok first things first RL has a great product and the RLIF is failing to deliver in many aspects and provides very little if any help to rugby league at all and the help they do provide is pretty much zip the positive aspects are the fans turning up to games and nations working on developing a strong balance of domestic/international matches (including mostly domestic players) e.g. Serbia, Wales, Canada etc.. and with very little confirmed whether we will have tours, an intercontinental cup (8 Nations) or 4 Nations again!! very confusing for fans and gives little time for fans to plan ahead to attend!!

Ok now the worrying signs are the RLIF has just announced a 2025 World Cup to USA and Canada.. now think back to the 2000 World Cup!! if history repeats itself and the tournament makes little to no revenue at all then we've probably sent international rugby league back a thousand years with very little if any hope of recovery and we have to hope that is not the case. The only way is we as an RL community MUST educate as many Americans and Canadians we can to the local based clubs, national teams etc.. so the sport can become mainstream!! even if we do reach a few American/Canadian cities e.g. Jacksonville, Toronto, Boston, Hawaii and market it well, considering things like expat populations. If successful it will see huge revenue, and most importantly reaching a new fan base because most importantly thats what RL needs and the only way it will thrive as it will leave a new trail of potential investors, players and a future!

The immediate being 2017 and that is the World Cup but I'm also predicting the Toronto Wolfpack will be a huge indicator of what's to come for international rugby league if successful or not!! They'll have a lot of eyes in the RL community focused on them but in this immediate year alone from what I heard there was not much RL played in Toronto as much as I love RL I'm just pointing out the positives and negatives and we have to hope that we do not touch the negatives otherwise it could be game over for international rugby league.. I just hope people will see the reality in all this and focusing on steps that will count maybe Canada and US hosting there own games and seeing where it goes from there, I'm sure this stuff has probably been considered but if it hasn't then god knows what will happen!!

 

[titoelcolombiano]

The RLIF does the best they can with the resources they've got. They are up against much more established powers in the ARLC and the RFL both politically and financially. The world cup has grown in stature and will continue to do so which will provide more resources and strength. The RLIF is still in its infancy and only has one full time employee. As it strengthens so will the game and as its resources increase so will the respect it demands from within and from outside of the game. The international game now is unrecognisable from 10 years ago and 10 years from now we can't imagine what it will be like. The signs are very good.

 

[roughyedspud]

2017 - RLWC
2018 - TBA ( ENG V NZ most likely)
2019 - TBA (Should have been a RLIF event)
2020 - TBA
2021 - RLWC
2022 - TBA
2023 - INTERCONTINENTAL CUP
2024 - TBA
2025 - RLWC

right,to address a few things..

The TBA's are not for the RLIF to arrange,these are for the nations to sort these "tour years" out & for the regional bodies,the RLEF & APRLC,to arrange any regional comps like the euro cups.

2019 should have been a IC cup but due to other issues got pushed back,these issues,im led to believe are not the RLIFs fault..

All in all the RLIF is nearly there,from 2021 there gonna be a RLIF event every other year instead of once every 4...the next step,imo,is to secure a bi annual RLIF world 9s in the intervening years...so we'll have a RLIF EVENT every year then..

 

[adamkungl]

Should launch the 9s in America as early as possible with the goal of turning into a circuit similar to the Union version.

 

[Knownothing]

Should launch the 9s in America as early as possible with the goal of turning into a circuit similar to the Union version.

Just as a suggestion, do not expect instant results. The Sevens circuit started in 1976. It was an overnight success, only took 20 years or so.

 

[IntRLEnthusiast]

international 9's is an awesome opportunity.. It also might take of quicker then rugby 7's because they have already created a market for that type of footy. The reason i think it is such a good opportunity though is because it's an easier way for more nations to get involve therefore possibly fast tracking a few nations development. If someone can get it going the late December to Early Feb is the time to do it because Rugby League fans are bored! I reckon if promoted right it could gain a really solid following!!

 

[roughyedspud]

The canadians & yanks are very very keen on hosting a "pre season" world 9s

 

[adamkungl]

Just as a suggestion, do not expect instant results. The Sevens circuit started in 1976. It was an overnight success, only took 20 years or so.

Of course. But we need to get started to get it anywhere.

 

[Knownothing]

Of course. But we need to get started to get it anywhere.

Starting is the easy part. But the start has to be made for the right reasons, with the support of the right people and resources. I suppose a lot depends on who the "we" are that your refer to?

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

All these nines and sevens tournaments, pity we never played in any anywhere before to gain some experience huh, guess we'll have to look at that other code for inspiration then?

If only we could of held something 20 years ago, we might've had a clue as to what we were in for. If I could go back in time, I'd let Sydney or some other city host a sevens or nines to gage where we at and to see how it all oporates.

Meh this is RL, we've never done anything like this before, better start following that other lot again.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

The RLIF could follow the Auckland 9's event model on a smaller scale to start with.

 

[johnny plath]

All these nines and sevens tournaments, pity we never played in any anywhere before to gain some experience huh, guess we'll have to look at that other code for inspiration then?

If only we could of held something 20 years ago, we might've had a clue as to what we were in for. If I could go back in time, I'd let Sydney or some other city host a sevens or nines to gage where we at and to see how it all oporates.

Meh this is RL, we've never done anything like this before, better start following that other lot again.

not sure if serious, but we had the coca cola 7s in 95, 96, with a few international teams plus the arl comp, and super league held an international 10s in 1997... think it was held in Townsville from memory. Can't recall if the 7s kept going for a season or two after this.

 

[taipan]

not sure if serious, but we had the coca cola 7s in 95, 96, with a few international teams plus the arl comp, and super league held an international 10s in 1997... think it was held in Townsville from memory. Can't recall if the 7s kept going for a season or two after this.

And it was the appearance of Fiji in the Sydney World rl 7s ,that got rl moving in Fiji.Thanks to Col Rabuka their PM.
Going to Fiji resorts and watching the NRL on Tv in the bars ,staff discussing it, and the code being played there ,was the end result.

 

[nzwarriorskuz]

just by taking a look at the RLIF's strategic plan from 2018-2025 they aim to have a 16 team World Cup for 2025 "For World Cup fans the RLIF is looking to expand the World Cup from 14 teams to 16 team by 2025. So that means we could see 16 team in the Rugby League World Cup as early as 2021." http://www.leagueunlimited.com/2486...le-worldwide-tv-audience-by-2025-full-version
What can be done to reach most of those goals!?!?!? which 8 Nations realistically have a chance of winning the 2025WC!?!?!? Australia, England, New Zealand, Scotland, Samoa, Fiji, Wales, France?? from this years 4 Nations Australia still looks light years ahead of everybody.

To be honest if we have 16 teams in the 2025WC how many yanks do you think would be interested in seeing PNG vs Tonga or Lebanon vs Wales I'd be surprised if it draws any more then 1k and do you think thats profitable or a good look for a WC!?!? maybe teams like Nigeria, India, China, the Philippines or even a South American nation has better hopes of luring a crowd in the States maybe 14 teams could have a chance but I'm not sure many yanks would turn up to see Australia in the final!!?? If this even manages to go ahead better yet if it makes a profit and proves a success then RL will have hit leaps and bounds and hats off to all involved if not like I said it will all go DOWNHILL from there!!

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I think the scheduling at the WC has to be smart. I think the Polynesian sides should play in Hawaii. New Zealand shouldn't be a hard sell. They are world famous for Rugby, even if it's the other code we also have 9 years to ensure that the Kangaroos brand become the All Blacks of RL as it really should already be and games involving Canada the USA, England and France should do ok. All of this of course, assumes that the promotion is top notch. Moore sports are in charge of promotion and I hope they'll do a great job

 

[Whatwhere]

I think the scheduling at the WC has to be smart. I think the Polynesian sides should play in Hawaii. New Zealand shouldn't be a hard sell. They are world famous for Rugby, even if it's the other code we also have 9 years to ensure that the Kangaroos brand become the All Blacks of RL as it really should already be and games involving Canada the USA, England and France should do ok. All of this of course, assumes that the promotion is top notch. Moore sports are in charge of promotion and I hope they'll do a great job

You are aware that Rugby people in the States do know the difference between the two. Right?

 

[roughyedspud]

I think the scheduling at the WC has to be smart. I think the Polynesian sides should play in Hawaii. New Zealand shouldn't be a hard sell. They are world famous for Rugby, even if it's the other code we also have 9 years to ensure that the Kangaroos brand become the All Blacks of RL as it really should already be and games involving Canada the USA, England and France should do ok. All of this of course, assumes that the promotion is top notch. Moore sports are in charge of promotion and I hope they'll do a great job

Nah not hawaii..we need to concentrate games in 4 or 5 cities..

Toronto & vancouver in canada
LA,jacksonville & new york in the states

Have each city host one of the groups,nyc& jacksonville could share a group..

And divide the finals around the 4 big cities..

Plus the final has to be in LA,florida or indoors in vancouver cos come the end of november it could well be snowing in nyc & toronto

 

[titoelcolombiano]

If the Wolfpack have taken off by then a Canadian final would be great! I only mentioned Hawaii because of the Polynesian links

 

[roughyedspud]

Could play a world 9s in hawaii....who wouldn't wanna be on that trip? lol

 

[deluded pom?]

Nah not hawaii..we need to concentrate games in 4 or 5 cities..

Toronto & vancouver in canada
LA,jacksonville & new york in the states

Have each city host one of the groups,nyc& jacksonville could share a group..

And divide the finals around the 4 big cities..

Plus the final has to be in LA,florida or indoors in vancouver cos come the end of november it could well be snowing in nyc & toronto

Depends what you mean by New York 'spud? The AF teams carrying the NY name play in New Jersey.