4 nations and the international game

[obsulete]

Well I love international rugby league and couldn't give two hoots about whether it's perceived to be as intese as SOO or not.

I've grown up in Australia and am as passionate, or more so, about the Maroons and the Kangaroos as the next guy but I was born in Wales. The past few years I've been able to, for the first time in my lifetime, look forward to the Welsh team play regular and competitive games on an annual basis.

For me international rugby league has been getting more exciting each year since 2000. 2000 was great as Wales gave the Kangaroos a fright in the semi but the time since then has been the most enjoyable. Watching Wales develop players, start a pro-team, and take forward strides to becoming entrenched in the top 5 nations.

Today we're back to back Euro champs but are still yet to prove ourselves as a top 5 contender as we haven't lined up against a Pacific nation for a while and last time we played Lebanon we got thumped.

As a Wales supporter I can think of many exciting match-ups over the next few years that will keep me on the edge of my seat, and while it will be great to be at the 4N games next year cheering on Wales as we, likely, get thumped by the opposition I would just as happily watch the team play PNG, Samoa, Fiji, France or Lebanon to determine who should round out the true top 5 nations in the world.

It is true, I guess, what your saying when you complain about the 4N being so predictable because really the best competition today will be played by the teams ranked 4-10. Give me more of these please!!

 

[hutch]

So it was Australia vs no-one in the Final last year?
There is not as much passion for international League as there is for Origin, in AUSTRALIA. I'm pretty sure there is great interest for England and New Zealand fans, as well as PNG and as shown in the European Cup, France.
I agree that there is not as much passion in following Australia as there is for following your state. I cannot follow Australia any more but I still follow the Blues with a passion.

spot on!

 

[hutch]

Allowing born and bred QLDers like Vidot to represent their country of heritage as well as their state doesn't cheapen anything.

yes it does, it cheapens international rugby league and just confirms that origin is the pinnacle. for starters, even vidot said himself that his main goal was to play for qld AND australia, he should be nowhere near the samoan side if he does not want to commit to them. nor should maguire who will drop them the second he becomes good enough. if you put an australian state above your so called country, you dont deserve to be playing international rugby league for a country other than australia.

 

[Eels Dude]

yes it does, it cheapens international rugby league and just confirms that origin is the pinnacle. for starters, even vidot said himself that his main goal was to play for qld AND australia, he should be nowhere near the samoan side if he does not want to commit to them. nor should maguire who will drop them the second he becomes good enough. if you put an australian state above your so called country, you dont deserve to be playing international rugby league for a country other than australia.

That's it. If you consider yourself a born and bred New South Welshman or QLDer then surely you should consider yourself a born and bred Australian at the same time. Can't have your cake and eat it too.

 

[ozenzud]

People miss the point here. Wales qualifies for next years 4 nations, by beating France, in front of a packed house in Southern France, 13-12 a couple of weeks back. Wales beat around Ireland 34-32. Theres a good competition developing at this level. What do these sides need to step up? More international games to bring up their profile, money to build grass roots, pathways to better comps like the NRL and Superleague. Players to commit to Wales/France/Samoa, not a provincial team like NSW or Qld. Origin has seriously had its day. Come on Queensland. Flog NSW again and kill the thing. I grew up on Origin, but it now feels a bit like World Series Baseball, or the Superbowl. Only really the seppos interested in it, but they carry on like the world is watching.

And by the way, there is only one country with league as its national sport. And it ain't Oz to those above who think it is. Its PNG. They have 3 million people more than NZ and only a million or two behind NSW and QLD combined.

 

[DC_fan]

One of, if not the biggest problem international rugby league has, is that very few people give a damn about it. That includes fans and officials.

Until you change peoples attitude to test football then it will always be a long way thrid to the NRL and SOO.

 

[Goddo]

Look at the facts... Australia and NZ IS international league. The steps are in process so that the lesser nations play more tests and tournaments against each other. But they'll always struggle to compete with the best. The reason half the RLIF board is made up of the ARL is because Australia is the only country where rugby league can claim to be a national sport. Maybe to some extent in NZ but it is waaaay to far behind Rugby it's not even comparable.

Origin works and is a massive money spinner because people care about it, and it fits in right in the highlight of the NRL season. International league just doesn't have that interest and there just isn't money available to help other countries develop and improve at grassroots level. That's not the ARL's job. Other countries have to fund themselves and the RLIF can help them out but in the end it comes down the the lesser nations and often the resources just aren't there.

That furthers on with your last point. Countries like Australia and NZ have the strength based on their domestic competitions to put money back into their national sides and into the game at grassroots level. Other countries simply don't have the popularity of the sport or the economy to do that.

You are right, but it is a glass half empty assessment. It doesn't mean that it has to stay this way.

The Crusaders, Catalan Dragons, NZ Warriors, second grade Tolouse, and eventually Wellington and Qld Cup PNG are all steps towards professional training for the other countries that will lead to better international performance. Guaren-f#cking-teed.

This with a 4 year international cycle that is profitable and relatively competative (England are really just missing quality outside backs), International League is fairly healthy.

 

[NRLMad]

One of, if not the biggest problem international rugby league has, is that very few people give a damn about it. That includes fans and officials.

Until you change peoples attitude to test football then it will always be a long way thrid to the NRL and SOO.

You are a jibberer. 800K people watching in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane surely means people are interested.. more so that a stanard NRL game..

 

[Indelible]

England are like NZ 4 yrs ago, potential just waiting for the right coaching and systems to be put in place. The format we have now is right, it's just going to take time for the other nations to catch up. So many positives about the international game (Wales qualification, European Cup crowds, NZ winning this yrs tournament....) Just need to get rid of the ARL, but keep the current format.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Yeah maybe if NZ can win this tournament then it will change. If they win back to back it certainly will. SOO is Australia's tournament. Other countries can develop their own if they see fit and it offers their players advantages. But the ARL shouldn't cheapen SOO for the sake of the international game.

I've always thought that it was up to NZ to come out, tear Australia a new one and then challenge them to match it. Hard to do without genuine 3 match series though as NZ winning a final can be waved off as "a one off" game.

Other countries cant develop their own Origin. NZ wanted to, but the self serving nature of our sport killed any thought of that very quickly as NZ players are becomming more important to keep teams strong when their Origin players get picked. There should be standalone weekends, as that would also open room for other countries to play tests on the same weekend.

SOO has already been cheapened. There are so many loopholes that have been exploited in player eligibility that it's no more pure than International League. It just gets massively hyped alot more.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Origin has seriously had its day. Come on Queensland. Flog NSW again and kill the thing. I grew up on Origin, but it now feels a bit like World Series Baseball, or the Superbowl. Only really the seppos interested in it, but they carry on like the world is watching.

If you honestly think that SOO has had its day and will die shortly you have a very rude shock ahead of you champ. Despite Qld winning the series over the last 5, the support for Origin has not wavered amongst the fan base nor the corporate world going off the viewing numbers and ticket sales. It is the #1 watched sporting event in the country year in year out.

NSWelshmen and Qlders couldnt give a rats if we are the only ones watching it (but we arnt though are we) because even though others on here love to death ride SOO as they see it as getting in the way of the International game, we know that without it League would be in very bad shape minus the interest and $$$ it generates for our great sport.

SOO is here to stay and its up to the Int'l game to lift

 

[babyg]

Maybe the invincibles were the worst thing to ever happen to International RL.

I reckon we're not far off some NZ dominance which will be the best thing for the game.

 

[ozenzud]

Joker, lets see what happens if Qld wins the next 3 years. See how interesting that is. The balance of power in RL is shifting to Qld and what is good is they actually support the game, unlike Sydney "supporters".

Qlds existing player base will almost guarantee them the next 2. Ingles, Smith, Slater. Next best players in the NRL all play for NZ so they can't play for NSW and can't come to the rescue. Luckily the RL commission might, (optimistic I know) have some vision, other than individuals who think that the future of RL is an ongoing series of games between two east coast australian provinces, one of which gets outclassed every year.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

If you honestly think that SOO has had its day and will die shortly you have a very rude shock ahead of you champ. Despite Qld winning the series over the last 5, the support for Origin has not wavered amongst the fan base nor the corporate world going off the viewing numbers and ticket sales. It is the #1 watched sporting event in the country year in year out.

NSWelshmen and Qlders couldnt give a rats if we are the only ones watching it (but we arnt though are we) because even though others on here love to death ride SOO as they see it as getting in the way of the International game, we know that without it League would be in very bad shape minus the interest and $$$ it generates for our great sport.

SOO is here to stay and its up to the Int'l game to lift

Right there is the problem. It's fine for passionate fans to feel that way, but there are too many people in power and in control of improving or destroying International league that feel the same way.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Joker, lets see what happens if Qld wins the next 3 years. See how interesting that is. The balance of power in RL is shifting to Qld and what is good is they actually support the game, unlike Sydney "supporters".

Pffft Australia smashed the Kiwis and Poms for decades and we still play test matches mate so no, even if Qld manage to win the next 3 series, SOO will still be alive and kicking.

Oh and "Sydney" is not "NSW". Regional centres like Newcastle, Wollongong, etc strongly support the game.

Qlds existing player base will almost guarantee them the next 2. Ingles, Smith, Slater. Next best players in the NRL all play for NZ so they can't play for NSW and can't come to the rescue. Luckily the RL commission might, (optimistic I know) have some vision, other than individuals who think that the future of RL is an ongoing series of games between two east coast australian provinces, one of which gets outclassed every year.

Next best players in the NRL are Kiwis? lol bias much mate.

In 1995 the NSW side held all the aces in regards to players yet Qld came out on top. NSW has the team to beat Qld, always has, they have just lacked the admin and coaching structure as well as having selectors who love to swing the axe after every game and make idiotic selections ala Idris.

Where have I ever said SOO is "the future of the game"? Im simply responding to the rediculous notion that SOO must be scrapped in order for the Int'l game to prosper, which is false in every way. SOO does what it does and does it well. The onus is on the Kiwis and Poms to lift to that level, not the other way around.

 

[adamkungl]

I reckon we're not far off some NZ dominance which will be the best thing for the game.

Disagree, England winning a series will be the best thing. Or even 2 in a row. Australian fans will become a whole lot more interested if we go up against the poms with an underdog tag

 

[Wilson1]

Right there is the problem. It's fine for passionate fans to feel that way, but there are too many people in power and in control of improving or destroying International league that feel the same way.

Why wouldn't people rate SoO as higher? It generates more crowds, more tv ratings and a higher match intensity. Even in New Zealand there is a similar level of interest in state of origin compared to international league. Hopefully the game will grow internationally and SoO will be overtaken but that isn't going to happen soon.

 

[ozbash]

Even in New Zealand there is a similar level of interest in state of origin compared to international league.

in your f**king dreams, mate.

SOO has become predictable and boring. International footy is where its at..

 

[Eels Dude]

in your f**king dreams, mate.

SOO has become predictable and boring. International footy is where its at..

:lol:

 

[RedVee]

The problem going forward with NZ getting an Origen or an International series during Origen time is with the I C having each of the NRL clubs having the same vote as both the NSWRL & QRL. The clubs self interest will prohibit these extra games taking players away.