Have the US played themselves into the next WC?

[roopy]

The next WC might only be 8 or 12 teams - but I feel the US will now have to be considered as a top 8 side.
Young guys like Brazier, Smith and Blake should all get NRL or ESL experience before the next WC, and the Americans can still beef up their side with Newton, Carmont, O'Niel and others.
They will improve heaps because of today's outing - and so many things should happen in the next few years, like many young guys going to the US to play etc.
IMO they have jumped at least 10 places in the world rankings with just one game - from 18 to 8.

 

[Misanthrope]

I'm not sure I'd have them in the top eight just yet, but if they continue to develop as they have been since the 2000 WC, I think they're a very good chance of appearing in a twelve or sixteen team competition.

I'd love to see sixteen sides again, to make sure everyone gets a go, but in a twelve team- I'd still find room for the US.

 

[pcpp]

I'd love to see them play, but they have to play with proper rules first... (40 minute halves... 4 interchanges and a proper field)

 

[Misanthrope]

proper rules

Hehe, I find it funny that the NRL rules are the ones that everyone else has to operate under at international level.

 

[Razor]

I'd love to see them play, but they have to play with proper rules first... (40 minute halves... 4 interchanges and a proper field)

And what's a proper field?

The tri-series had smaller fields than what is played under at NRL level.

And why 40 minute halves? Pre-season NRL matches has quarters. A lot of countries play 20 minute quarters in their local competitions.

 

[griff]

I think the US have probably played themself into a spot at the next RLWC, which is something I have been calling for for years.

Rather than being given a spot straight up I would hope they would have to go through an Americas regional qualifying tournament first - USA, Argentina, Canada, Jamaica - but that shouldn't present them with any problems.

 

[Hurriflatch]

It depends on the number of teams

Australia
GB
NZ
PNG
France

would all be ahead of the US for sure

so thats 5
if you have an 8 team World Cup then I think that at least one should be a wildcard spot that goes to the winner of an Emerging Nations qualifier that has the likes of Russia, Malta, Serbia etc in it.

It depends on how many wildcards you give out, if GB is 1 team or if they are England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland as separate sides

If they do a 12 team world cup then yeah I'd say the US should go straight in

 

[Front-Rower]

I'd love to see them play, but they have to play with proper rules first... (40 minute halves... 4 interchanges and a proper field)

And what's a proper field?

The tri-series had smaller fields than what is played under at NRL level.

And why 40 minute halves? Pre-season NRL matches has quarters. A lot of countries play 20 minute quarters in their local competitions.

40 minutes a half are the proper rules of the game. Plus they only play quarters in trials because they are Trials and the heat has something to do with it aswell.

 

[Tidus_Raider]

I would have a 16 team World cup involving:

Australia
England
New Zealand
France
Wales
Ireland
Russia
Lebanon
Papua New Guinea
Malta
Serbia
United States
Fiji
Cook Islands
Samoa
Morocco

Have I missed anyone?

 

[Big Bunny]

I would have a 16 team World cup involving:

Australia
England
New Zealand
France
Wales
Ireland
Russia
Lebanon
Papua New Guinea
Malta
Serbia
United States
Fiji
Cook Islands
Samoa
Morocco

Have I missed anyone?

Only about 20 nations.

 

[Tidus_Raider]

Only about 20 nations.

Really now? Can you name them for me?

 

[Fatbob]

Tonga

 

[Tidus_Raider]

That's 1 team. 19 to go....

 

[Hurriflatch]

West Indies

 

[Fatbob]

Greece and Italy.

 

[Fatbob]

Niue, New Caledonia and Amerika Samoa who all played in the Pacific Rim/Cup competition.

 

[Fatbob]

Holland & Georgia?

 

[roopy]

Japan
Tartastan
New Caledonia
South Africa
Kenya
Greece
Italy
Argentina
Singapore
Holland
Germany
American Samoa
Canada
Scotland

 

[Hurriflatch]

Germany

 

[Tidus_Raider]

Japan
Tartastan
New Caledonia
South Africa
Kenya
Greece
Italy
Argentina
Singapore
Holland
Germany
American Samoa
Canada
Scotland

All of these teams will get trounced. Do all these nations play RL.?Do they have a home competition? Are there players chosen from domestic leagues?