Go easy....

[deluded pom?]

He wanted to score, nothing to lose, glory to gain.

He was on his own try line. :?

 

[expansionist]

My thought on this - is its not the teams that need to take it easy... maybe if anyone does - its the Refs...

Now, I'm not suggesting for a moment that the Refs not follow the rules, BUT in a number of games so far, Refs have favoured Australia or NZ.

Ive made this comment many times before, but it never ceases to piss me off how Australia seem to get away with murder and the lesser teams get pulled up for trivial things.

If anyone has the power to make these games more competitive its the Refs.

 

[Joely01]

That's just typical league refs though, always refs towards the favorite team.

 

[adamkungl]

lol woeful thread.

 

[Misanthrope]

It'd be a good start if the big three made an effort to help the other nations in some kind of developmental function. Australia seem intent on doing as much as possible to hinder international rugby league.

 

[Paullyboy]

People keep referencing how good it was to have a big crowd for the French game, and it was, but the real test is whether any of those people will come back after watching such a flat contest.

I know people on here think I only want to rubbish the World Cup, but I honestly don't. I'm taking a group of 6 people who have never seen league live before to headingley on Friday for the PNG/kiwis match - but I fear that another 42-0 scoreline will ensure they won't see the sport at its best and our one shot at these sorts of neutrals will be lost.

Teams going easy on minnows would help. We all know it's an Aus v kiwi or England final - so why not make all the games between now and then as exhibition style matches that will be entertaining to neutrals and potentially win them over? It's not like the majority of players from most of the minnow teams have even seen the country they are representing.

 

[Springs]

Yeah well that's because you're a f**king idiot Paullyboy.

If you wanted those people to watch a close contest because you believe they wouldn't keep watching the sport if they see a blowout, why take them to NZ v PNG?

Of course the fans will come back, they weren't expecting France to get close. They got almost that much to a game against Ireland a few years back.

 

[Paullyboy]

Haha you're quality springs.

Which other game would you suggest I take them to in Leeds?

Sometimes blue sky thinkers are harmful, though they would never be able to understand why...

 

[Burwood]

In an event like the RLWC, where teams at times rely on for and against to advance past the group stage, having teams 'go easy' on others compromises the integrity of the whole tournament.

Having groups C and D set up for the developing nations goes a long way towards reducing the number of blowouts seen in the tournament. That's doing enough to address the issue.

It isn't like we are seeing 142-0 score lines like has happened in the Rugby Union World Cup.

 

[Kiwimation]

Going easy on the small teams isnt the answer. But for the good of the game there needs to be a way to make them more competitive. We all know that Austraila will be in the final, and we all know the other team will either be NZ or England. Nobody can take away the talant that Austraila has, but having one team dominate a game is never good.

Maybe the smaller teams could play some type of lead up compitition to the world cup and the top three go into pools against the big 3 teams.

I really dont know what the answer is, but it would be great going into a world cup not 100% sure who is going to win. And wouldnt it be great if PNG won a four nations.

 

[Pierced Soul]

But I will acknowledge that there are some sporting cultures(namely the americans) that frown upon running the score up on a well beaten opposition.

and league should be pandering to the americans.....

And wouldnt it be great if PNG won a four nations.

it would be, but they need a goalkicker to do that....

plus the OP should be thankful jennings played against Fiji - he obviously decided not to let the score blow out