Australia and New Zealand withdraw from RLWC

[Perth Red]

The British government has put money into this event and will no doubt sue the NZRL for compensation. With the NZRL almost penniless will the NRL pay $1 million compensation the British government will want?

At a time the British game is struggling they’ve done an outstanding job to get $50mill out of the govt plus host cities putting in, and then They get shat on by their antipodean cousins. No sport can repeatedly shoot itself in the foot like RL!!

 

[FearTheVee!]

It is hard to overestimate the negative impact of this on the international and UK domestic game.

The NRL may literally have killed the sport in the NH, and for what? Some players having to quarantine on their return? A slight bump for NRL pre-season?

The fact that the ARLC and NZRL are now talking about arranging test matches at the same time of the world cup after complaining about the length of time players have spent in bubbles exposes the sheer insularity and arrogance of this approach and the associated Covid smokescreen conveniently leveraged. I have even heard that these matches may include Tonga - could they try to undermine the WC any more if they tried?

Those NRL players that come out and play for their nations should be treated with enormous respect - as they will have done so despite inevitable pressure from their clubs to pick up a "knock" or blame Covid concerns for not travelling.

Those who would have played for Oz/NZ and opt to play for other countries to participate in a WC should be given a hero's reception - as it will be they who best encapsulate the hollow "player protection" excuse that is being pushed by the ARLC and NZRL. They may well be looked upon in years to come as a group of men who put the good of the sport over the interests of their paymasters / a longer holiday, and in doing so saved international RL.

My concern is that the arrangement of alternative Australia / NZ internationals at the time of the WC is designed specifically to combat this risk and will ensure that we don't see the players representing other nations. I could even see the Australians picking an unusually large squad and naming three different teams in such a series just to spite the IRL - it's their style.

You only need to read some of Phil Gould's tweets to know exactly what is going on here.

Shame on the ARLC and shame on their NZRL lap-dog. Here's hoping they don't infect the rest of the PI nations with their self interest and bribe them into alternative fixtures.

RIP International RL. I look forward to the RU boys stealing the UK limelight in the Autumn, by which time the UK will have largely dealt with the reality that Covid is here to stay in a global sense, whilst Oz/NZ play a game of closed-border hide and seek, pretending that if they lock down every two weeks it will all just go away.

 

[Welsh RL & RU watcher]

It is hard to overestimate the negative impact of this on the international and UK domestic game.

The NRL may literally have killed the sport in the NH, and for what? Some players having to quarantine on their return? A slight bump for NRL pre-season?

The fact that the ARLC and NZRL are now talking about arranging test matches at the same time of the world cup after complaining about the length of time players have spent in bubbles exposes the sheer insularity and arrogance of this approach and the associated Covid smokescreen conveniently leveraged. I have even heard that these matches may include Tonga - could they try to undermine the WC any more if they tried?

Those NRL players that come out and play for their nations should be treated with enormous respect - as they will have done so despite inevitable pressure from their clubs to pick up a "knock" or blame Covid concerns for not travelling.

Those who would have played for Oz/NZ and opt to play for other countries to participate in a WC should be given a hero's reception - as it will be they who best encapsulate the hollow "player protection" excuse that is being pushed by the ARLC and NZRL. They may well be looked upon in years to come as a group of men who put the good of the sport over the interests of their paymasters / a longer holiday, and in doing so saved international RL.

My concern is that the arrangement of alternative Australia / NZ internationals at the time of the WC is designed specifically to combat this risk and will ensure that we don't see the players representing other nations. I could even see the Australians picking an unusually large squad and naming three different teams in such a series just to spite the IRL - it's their style.

Rubbish, it's the staff more than the players, and it's long covid that they are probably more concerned about. In any case as I said yesterday, I think that an Oz and NZ will be at the WC.

 

[geordie_saint]

Cases in the UK dropped again today to 36k. 5th day in a row. Evidence looking like the UK has broken the back of the infections vs hospitalisations ratios as well through vaccination.

 

[Matterhorn]

This is my email to the NRL titled

Thanks for the memories.

To whom it may concern,

After following rugby league after 40 years - the decision last Thursday about not sending an Australian / New Zealand side to the rugby league world cup was the final straw for me.

You talk about player welfare as the reason - but a survey released showed 75% of those asked were willing to go. I guess you must of randomly rung the 25% of players who said no.

From all reports we hear the game in the far north of England is currently struggling. With the World Cup coming up - pardon the pun in the current climate - you supporting the tournament & sending any side possible would be the shot in the arm it needs.

We talk of the ANZAC spirit here & willing to do anything to help our mates in need. Well after the decision to pull out I couldn't think of a more selfish & arrogant attitude.

I always thought the international game need Australia / New Zealand but over the past few years. I'm not quite so sure. Some of the best internationals I have watched that I can remember has involved England v Tonga semi final in the last world cup, tonga v somoa, png v great britian. I'm sure there are many more I could list. I really hope it still goes on & is the best World Cup ever.

I followed you through Super League in the darkest days. I even kept following you during the reunification after some of the best clubs got culled forever. I kept watching this year on tv even though there have been more rule changes in the last 2 years than the last hundred combined.

But as i said above last Thursday was the last straw for me.

A mate of mine who followed South Sydney vowed never to watch a single game again after they were kicked out until his club was reinstated - at the time i thought he was bonkers but i can see where he is coming from now. I am not going to say i will never watch a game of NRL again because that would he hypocritical but for the foreseeable future while this garbage is being dished up I'm over taking an interest.

I guess the only real winner out of this is my wife who will get Thursday / Friday nights back in front of the television instead of me watching rugby league.

Thanks

 

[Jim from Oz]

Fantastic letter

 

[siv]

Time for a SLII. This is a opportunity for the International Rugby League to stand up. For me, IRL has been f***ed for a further 10 years thanks to this POS heading the ARLC...Nothing to lose IMHO..

Actually

I think it may have the reverse effect

IRL may finally step out of the NRL shadow if it still goes ahead

 

[Maximus]

The British government has put money into this event and will no doubt sue the NZRL for compensation. With the NZRL almost penniless will the NRL pay $1 million compensation the British government will want?

Maybe the British government should have made better decisions, rather than allow/encourage their country to become a COVID-infested shithole. Any money wasted is their own fault

 

[LordLeague]

Nrl has no say on national sides, in theory. There is nothing stopping players who are eligible and want to represent countries that are going from doing so. I wonder who out of the two origin teams and kiwi side is eligible for other countries? Could be some pretty formidable islander nations going!

..Or what is stopping the RLPA sending a rebel Australian team? They might not be able to use the word "Kangaroos" but if the IRL sanctioned the team then who could legally stop it? I believe that once a couple of high profile players put their hand up to play then most players would follow. I'm sure the organisers could throw together a suitable kit to play in!

 

[siv]

..Or what is stopping the RLPA sending a rebel Australian team? They might not be able to use the word "Kangaroos" but if the IRL sanctioned the team then who could legally stop it? I believe that once a couple of high profile players put their hand up to play then most players would follow. I'm sure the organisers could throw together a suitable kit to play in!

IRL would need to endorse it

But an invitational team might get through

Who pays for travel, accomodation and medical costs and then quarantine costs coming home

I suspect NRL asked for additional RLWC costs to be paid due to covid

 

[RL The greatest game]

 

[LordLeague]

IRL would need to endorse it

But an invitational team might get through

Who pays for travel, accomodation and medical costs and then quarantine costs coming home

I suspect NRL asked for additional RLWC costs to be paid due to covid

Yep, there'd be a bit to work through but i hope the IRL and RLWC organising committee are working overtime exploring ALL options.

 

[Azz]

This is the ARLC simply kowtowing to the wishes of the clubs. Self centred approach to running a sport.

Can we put together a list of public positions from the various clubs/coaches to see who actually cares about the sport and who is governed by self-interest?

On my count:
A. Willing to let players go: Wayne Bennett (fox sports article) and Ricky Stuart (triple M radio Sydney this afternoon)

B. Not willing to let players go: Ivan Cleary (same fox sports article)

 

[Matterhorn]

If we are led to believe the NRL are really worried about COVID in the UK - then why did they open up the NRL competition in the middle of last year when at the time it hadn't been contained and we were still seeing daily cases.
It wouldn't be because of broadcasting agreements & they were losing millions of dollars in revenue.
At the time we supported them for restarting when they were getting attacked from all angles - whether it was from media / doctors or so called experts.
Now how much money will the NRL lose by not sending players to the World Cup - zilch.

 

[stryker]

O

The biggest honour in team sport is to play for your country not a city suburb

Or a state

 

[Jim from Oz]

Precisely,

And last year there was no vaccine either!

 

[Welsh RL & RU watcher]

If we are led to believe the NRL are really worried about COVID in the UK - then why did they open up the NRL competition in the middle of last year when at the time it hadn't been contained and we were still seeing daily cases.
It wouldn't be because of broadcasting agreements & they were losing millions of dollars in revenue.
At the time we supported them for restarting when they were getting attacked from all angles - whether it was from media / doctors or so called experts.
Now how much money will the NRL lose by not sending players to the World Cup - zilch.

Different psyche, NRL is a local league, people wanted some live sport to watch on TV, on a weekly basis, we're talking about sending ppl to the other side of the planet, that's going to increase anxiety. Totally different Matter.

 

[Matterhorn]

Different psyche, NRL is a local league, people wanted some live sport to watch on TV, on a weekly basis, we're talking about sending ppl to the other side of the planet, that's going to increase anxiety. Totally different Matter.

So you don't think the British public deserve live sport to watch on TV after going through 18 months of severe hardship.
If we wanted to keep everyone in cotton wool then maybe we should of told Ash Barty to not participate at Wimbledon if front of a live crowd.

 

[Englandthebrave]

Maybe the British government should have made better decisions, rather than allow/encourage their country to become a COVID-infested shithole. Any money wasted is their own fault

So the NRL are too scared to travel. I suppose it’s right what people over here say we only transported criminals and cowards. No wonder there is yellow in your shirts.

 

[The Great Dane]

No it isn't going to change it but don't think we aren't going to declare that it is wrong. A single league shouldn't hold power over the sport worldwide, but it does. That's patently unfair to the other leagues that participate in the sport.

Yet they do, and in the case of the English the only people they have to blame for the current state of affairs are themselves.

I mean whether we like it or not RL exists in a competitive business environment, 'Fair' doesn't come into it FFS, never has never will. Just like it isn't fair that a bunch of people expect, no, demand, that the NRL sacrifice potentially millions of dollars by delaying their season so they can participate in a competition that will undoubtedly not even come close to making up the difference.