here are the official world cup press releases

[yosh64]

I think every 4 years there should be a Pacific Cup after the NRL season. All the Pacific countries(Australia, NZ, Fiji, PNG, Tonga, Somoa, etc) competing, in 2 even sized pools. Winner of each pool plays the final(Which will always be Australia v NZ).

2008 World Cup
2009 Tri(Quad)-Series
2010 Pacific Cup
2011 Tri(Quad)-Series
2012 World Cup

Like the idea. But you gotta think about player burnout. Ive been reading some of the comments made about union by NZ fans and alot are complaining about the amount of matches (although i dont think this is the main prob, but it makes me think that maybe too many games results in less interest - ie, cricket WC). Also unsure of how much money it would generate, but if it can turn a profit then im all for it.

Id like to see a series (can call it the pacific cup) where its Aus - NZ - combined pacific islands - PNG. I say combined cause id want to see closer matches and individually these teams cant beat us, i dont even think they do all right in union matches. Any negative reason on a combined team?

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

yes, look at GB people are trying to go away from the combined format for the spefcific reason that it hinders development in the indv nations

 

[The Electric Horseman]

Bugger. I didn't think of that. I can't see Wales making it.

:crazy: I definitely wouldnt be writing Wales off this far out from the tournament! Im not putting any team down as certainties.

 

[shaggy]

for the pacific cup they should have aus a & nz a, it will be a mor even comp that way the players have no burnout and they can be played alongside quat series/ normal tours

check local guides does that means that perth, melbourne and adelaide will see matches at the usal 2am, why not make it live all across australia, aussie rules will be over, their is no direct competition

for the 2003 rugby world cup their were 20 teams (4 pools of 5) and from memory 7 broacast every single match live or as near live as possible

i remember for the 2002 world cup, 9 had the rights to the quaters on and sbs picked up the rest, hopefully some one, anyone can pick up the remaining games 9 wont show and preferbaly live across the nation

 

[yosh64]

for the pacific cup they should have aus a & nz a, it will be a mor even comp that way the players have no burnout and they can be played alongside quat series/ normal tours

check local guides does that means that perth, melbourne and adelaide will see matches at the usal 2am, why not make it live all across australia, aussie rules will be over, their is no direct competition

Think that just means they havent made up their minds. Guessing that they are waiting to see the level of interest in the cup/matches in those cities. Or could just be some standard thing that they always state.

As for the auz a and nz a teams in the pacific cup. Major prob with that idea is that it wont get any tv rights. No tv station would pay to broadcast a comp that didnt have any big stars in it (like your train of thought even if it cant work). It would then struggle to turn a profit and would lose ARL and NZRL support. The prime ministers 13 v PNG is normally funded by the Australian government (through ausaid i think) as they also promote the hiv programs and violence against women issues in PNG.

 

[yosh64]

for the pacific cup they should have aus a & nz a, it will be a mor even comp that way the players have no burnout and they can be played alongside quat series/ normal tours

Thought about this and didnt mind it but i figured it wouldnt get any tv contracts/revenue. The tournament doesnt have the best players so i cant see people getting into it and the media wanting to broadcast it. Can see them criticising it instead as being unimportant.

My idea was this

8 Nations Knockout Cup
NZ v Tonga
PNG v Samoa
Fiji v South Africa
Aus v USA

Semi's
winner NZ game v winner fiji game

winner PNG game v winner Aus game

Final
winner game 1 semi's v winner game 2 semi's

Max games played by any nation is 3 (so not much burnout). Could get some broadcast revenue for aus matches. Cheap to run as games played in suva and fiji could use local officials. Would be good for developing the game in the minnow countries. Would still get NZ v Aus for the final to maximise crowds and tv revenue. Would only be played 2 years after each world cup, ie, 2010, 2014, etc. Have left eng and france out so that they could do something similar in europe

My biggest problem is that its almost a world cup as the world cup has 10 teams. So worried that it might devalue the world cup in some way. [/COLOR][/FONT]

 

[Lockyer4President!]

Thought about this and didnt mind it but i figured it wouldnt get any tv contracts/revenue. The tournament doesnt have the best players so i cant see people getting into it and the media wanting to broadcast it. Can see them criticising it instead as being unimportant.

My idea was this

8 Nations Cup

Max games played by any nation is 3 (so not much burnout). Could get some broadcast revenue for aus matches. Cheap to run as games played in suva and fiji could use local officials. Would be good for developing the game in the minnow countries. Would still get NZ v Aus for the final to maximise crowds and tv revenue. Would only be played 2 years after each world cup, ie, 2010, 2014, etc. Have left eng and france out so that they could do something similar in europe.

My biggest problem is that its almost a world cup as the world cup has 10 teams. So worried that it might devalue the world cup in some way.

You wrote that in word and then copy/pasted it here didn't you. You need to upload your pic to an imagehost, not link it from your hdd.

 

[Poul]

I hope we get a PNG game up in Townsville though I don't think it will happen.

I'm generally positive about these developments but I still feel the ARL could be doing more to help out our northern neighbours. A PM's 13 game every year, development tours of PNG by the Australian Schoolboys v the Kumuls and so on. I was also disappointed to see the Cowboys drop their Young Guns pre-season trials against the junior Kumuls (can't remember what they're called) this year.

From my reading of the draw, and information posted on other threads here, it is apparent that the Kumuls will play the Kangaroos in Townsville in game 12 of the World Cup on Sunday 9th November 2008.Papua New Guinea's other games will be game 7 against New Zealand at Robina (Gold Coast) on Saturday 1st November, and game 2 against England at a non-Queensland venue, my bet being Members Equity Stadium in Perth, on Sunday 26th October, as well as a likely appearance in game 16, the 5th & 6th Ranking match between the Pool 1 4th place getter (most likely PNG) and the semifinal qualifier loser (maybe Tonga or France) at a non-Queensland venue on Friday 14th November.

 

[yosh64]

Here's a graphical representation of what i wrote above. Thanks lockyer4president.

Max games played by any nation is 3 (so not much burnout). Could get some broadcast revenue for aus matches. Cheap to run as games played in suva and fiji could use local officials. Would be good for developing the game in the minnow countries. Would still get NZ v Aus for the final to maximise crowds and tv revenue. Would only be played 2 years after each world cup, ie, 2010, 2014, etc. Have left eng and france out so that they could do something similar in europe

My biggest problem is that its almost a world cup as the world cup has 10 teams. So worried that it might devalue the world cup in some way. Thoughts???