big scorelines

[CanadianSteve]

I agree that more needs to be done to bridge the gap between WC's. But I question whether much can be done. The nations that have their own professional competitions have such a huge advantage now. For example, a handful of Canadians play professionally in Britain and france, but the rest of our team are amateurs. The money isn't really there for a domestic professional competition, so the prospects for improvement don't seem great to me. I think it's more likely that the stronger nations will pull farther away from the weaker ones.

 

[dubby]

I agree Steve. Union a pro sport in Canada? YEAH RIGHT :roll:

There should be more bad press about this whole event. It has decieved the Aussie public, and the only guys in here who support it, are bloody kiwis!!

Doesn't this say something????

If this was League, there would be bad press everywhere.

Oh and that show with the Mediterranean Descendant comedian and netball chick, along with Bruce Mcavaney (who really has no idea) is an embaressment. 8)

 

[CouldaBeenAnything]

I focken hate Vince "I am a Mediterranean Descendant, so therefore I'll make 1000 Mediterranean Descendant jokes cause I am an unoriginal prat" Sorrenti. Having him on that show was a bloody disgrace. At least Liz Ellis is an athlete of sorts and does sports reports every now and then. Sorrenti is a garlic munching oxygen thief.*








*No offence to any of our Mediterranean friends, not generalising, just really dislike Vince SOrrenti. The rest of you are cool....

 

[Rustay]

When are you people going to face the fact that Union is the bigger INTERNATIONAL game. League is bigger with the domestic competition here, but as far as internationals Union is far superior. Why? Because League internationals are a joke really. The league world cup is crap because no1 would go unless it were the final. f**k, France v Fiji had a bigger crowd than the Kangaroos get.

Now, before you start bitching...i like both codes but i just cant understand ppl calling the Union World cup a joke when it is FAR superior to that of league. Both codes have there strong points, live with it and stop f**king complaining!

Aus v NZ in union against Aus v NZ in league..... there is NO comparison.

 

[AuckMel]

The saddest thing for the minnows in this World Cup is, they won't play these teams again for another 4 years.

WC's are a great thing, but if you don't back it up in between, the whole exercise becomes pointless.

The IRB need to address this issue urgently.

 

[Marcus]

whenever a small nation fronts up against the big 5 they are going to get a workout.

England beat Georgia 84-6, but when you hear the Georgians talk about how a magnificent experience it was for them, and they now know what it takes to play top notch football, its an experiment thats worth it.

 

[Victor Trumper]

It seems to me that the gap is actually getting wider. Whilst I don't watch a great deal of union, I do remember years back seeing some of the lesser nations, whilst not beating the top rung, putting up much better efforts. The Romanians haven't be the same since chauchesku (sp?) got rissoled and the armed forces lost all its funding, Wales and Scotland are merely shadows of what they were (or seemed), whilst the pacific islanders also seem to be getting left behind. Its not just the gap between the lower nations and the top that is spreading, but it also seems like the likes of AUs, NZ, SAF, Eng, and france are also pulling await from some of the other once stronger nations.


Whys that, Union supporters, Proffesionalism?

 

[Auckland4ever]

Whys that, Union supporters, Proffesionalism?

Not enough professionalism. Most countries are semi-pro at best. In other cases its the same scenario that hits the Kiwi RL side, club sides put pressure on their players not to play for their country. The Pacific Islands suffer a fair bit from this, along with others.

The gap will always be wide. I dont know if its widened with every nation, (I would suggest some countries have shown improvement), but rugby isnt big enough to hold a tournament consisting of fully professional sides across the board that are similar in quality. Its still a minnow in terms of world sport.