RLIF announcement: 20 teams to vie for World Cup Glory in 2013

[wain]

http://www.superleague.co.uk/article.php?id=16683

20 teams to vie for World Cup glory in 2013

Tuesday 23rd February 10
Teams from over 20 nations will be given the opportunity to play in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup, the RLIF announced today.
The World Cup will be staged in the UK and will feature 14 nations, two of whom will come from qualifying tournaments in the northern and southern hemispheres.
The identity of the 12 teams which will have automatic eligibility for 2013 and those who will be involved in the qualifying process will be revealed later this year.
The proposal for a 14-nation Rugby League World Cup was ratified in Singapore today at a meeting of the RLIF and welcomed by Chairman Colin Love, who expressed his belief that the tournament would elevate international Rugby League to new levels.
“We are delighted to have ratified this proposal for a 14-nation Rugby League World Cup which was unanimously supported by RLIF delegates,” said Love.
“This year will see the Four Nations in Australia and New Zealand build on the success of the 2008 Rugby World Cup and 2009 Four Nations and going forward I am confident that in 2013 we will see a tournament that will successfully showcase international Rugby League to a worldwide audience.
“The format reflects Rugby League’s increased participation around the world and provides a wonderful opportunity for the finest athletes in any sport to prove themselves on the greatest stage of all.”
The 2013 Rugby League World Cup was awarded to the UK in July 2009.


Wow, cant believe such a big decision was made so far out...thats not normal for RL!
I dont understand the concept behind 14...would have prefered 2 more to make it 16, but hey.
Also, Im not sure how the 12 direct qualifiers will work. I wonder if the placing at 4nations, European Cup and Pacific Cup will come into it?

Exciting times though!

 

[Bluebags1908]

Wow I wasn't expecting 14.

On the downside, I think 20 overall with only 6 qualifiers is a little bit thin on the ground. Thought there would have been more.

It's pretty obvious to me the automatic 12 will be the existing 10 that participated last time + Wales + Lebanbon.

I really hope they leave a place open for a non-Europe/non-Pacific qualifying group to spread the geographic base around.

 

[Western_Eel]

If the USA pro comp kicks off you would think they would get in

 

[pcpp]

Jesus christ, I almost had a heart attack when I read the title and thought there were 20 teams in the actual World Cup finals.

I think 14 is too many, twelve automatic teams and only two qualifiers is a huge step back. 12 teams seemed like the logical move.

It will be interesting to see how they divide up the 14 teams, especially if they are to continue with the super group concept.

 

[Western_Eel]

It doesn't matter if there are qualifiers or not, you can name the 14 that would get in anyway, i think 14 is good, every country that participated in the 2000 and 2008 cup has grown rapidly with rugby league

 

[bartman]

14 teams? That's a weird number, and will result in some weird pools...

So 12 are in automatically (presumably the 10 that played the 2008 finals plus... Wales and Lebanon?) and another 8 countries compete for the remaining 2 spots.

So the 4 additional finalists for 2013 will come from a list of 10 teams (that didn't make the 2008 finals):
Lebanon
Wales
USA
Russia
? Georgia
? Netherlands
Serbia
Cook Islands
? Malta
? Japan

 

[pcpp]

It doesn't matter if there are qualifiers or not, you can name the 14 that would get in anyway, i think 14 is good, every country that participated in the 2000 and 2008 cup has grown rapidly with rugby league

I disagree.

The qualifiers were great and forced the nations to step up to qualify for the cup. Wales and Lebanon were the favourites to qualify for 2008 and they didn't get in.

With 14 teams in the mix for 2013 and only two qualifiers I think there could be the perception of "every country that has ever heard of RL" being given a place, like there was in 2000.

 

[wain]

agreed on the splitting of pools...confused as to how it will work:
2 pools of 7 wont work (would take 6 weeks)?
5 + 5 + 4 - super pool plus 2 pools of 5?
4 + 4 + 4 + 2?

i just dont get not having equal amounts of teams in pools

unless somehow 4 pools with the 'home' teams each in a different pool. meaning England, France, Wales, Scot/Irel to host a group each and finals to be in England...who knows

I hope they can justify all teams qualifying, not just letting Australia or England in 'because they're good'.

really hope there is a chance for USA, Jamaica and those out of Euro/Pacific to qualify...essential for a 'world cup'.

 

[bobbis]

12 of 14 automatic qualifiers in't too great. Better that the majority of those teams are playing in the qualifiers getting games under their belts as well as providing hard games for the next level of teams.

 

[adamkungl]

I don't mind the amount, although maybe it's too hopeful of my to assume someone has come up with a sensible pool system to work with 14.

Only 2 qualifying spots is pretty rubbish though.

 

[pcpp]

2 pools of 7 wont work (would take 6 weeks)?
5 + 5 + 4 - super pool plus 2 pools of 5?
4 + 4 + 4 + 2?

I think it will either be 4+4+3+3
or 5+5+4

4 teams in each pool is the ideal number, that way there are no "byes". Who knows what the RLIF were thinking.

 

[wain]

Who knows what the RLIF were thinking.

...or if they were thinking.

 

[bartman]

I reckon they might be thinking:
4 (superpool for advertising $, attendance and ratings)
3
3
4 (lowest two automatics plus 2 qualifiers)

Then maybe all 4 in the superpool progress, and play knockout from then on against the top 4 ranking sides from the other three pools.

That is 14 become 8, who play four quarterfinals, two semis, and a final.

 

[adamkungl]

Can't wait for the day when we can have a competitive wc that doesn't require a superpool...

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

14 teams? That's a weird number, and will result in some weird pools...

So 12 are in automatically (presumably the 10 that played the 2008 finals plus... Wales and Lebanon?) and another 8 countries compete for the remaining 2 spots.

So the 4 additional finalists for 2013 will come from a list of 10 teams (that didn't make the 2008 finals):
Lebanon
Wales
USA
Russia
? Georgia
? Netherlands
Serbia
Cook Islands
? Malta
? Japan

Ukraine and West Indies have small comps too, better than Japan and a few others there.

 

[adamkungl]

I suspect we'll see USA and Cook Isl.

 

[East Coast Tiger]

The other 8 would probably include:

USA - were part of last qualifiers, has a domestic comp and is getting better.
Cook Is - Pacific Cup finalists 2009, WC 2000
Russia - WC 2000 and still alive and kicking
Serbia - Euro Nations Cup qualifiers and domestic comp
South Africa - 1995 and 2000 WC, plenty of domestic teams
Jamaica - domestic comp and could be competitive
Italy - bit dodgy but if they're allowed to play in the Euro Cup they should be allowed to be in the WC qualifiers
and ????? I don't know. Maybe Japan because it has been there before. Maybe Morocco but it has no domestic comp at all. Maybe Malta or Greece. Maybe Ukraine, Germany or Czech Rep. It's hard to see them allowing one of these and not the others.

 

[hutch]

Remember the rlif said that once you play a qualifier for a nation you have to stick with them at the next world cup! 12 teams are no longer playing qualifiers! Watch for more nation hopping.
Happy that we have the confidence in having so many test teams though!

 

[Bluebags1908]

Having Lebanon as an automatic quaifier seems to be a smart move - there was already significant interest from Middle East TV at the 2008 World Cup and Lebanon weren't in it. We would expect a reasonabe amount of income coming from Middle East TV on the back of Lebanon's participation, thus contributing to the tournament's viability.

Of the last 2 spots, one group I feel should definitely be a non-Europe/non-Pacific group in order to spread the geography of the tournament. An 'Atlantic' group consisting of USA, Japan, South Africa, Jamaica, and possibly UAE is a must.

The World Cup can't be seen as strictly a European/Pacific competition.

 

[Springs]

The 12 automatics are a ridiculous decision. There should only be 3 automatics, even though we know about 8 or 9 of those that will make the World Cup, it means there will be more international games for the lesser countries. All european and Pacific countries would have to play in Qualifying tournaments. Now they will have no games for the entirety of 2012! And only eight teams competing in qualifying tournaments? Down from fifteen last time, I thought there would be at least twenty. Maybe the automatic entries should play qualifying games to see who gets in the higher pools or something. European and Pacific Cups might decide that.

The 14 teams might work, I'm thinking they might have 2 'super pools' instead of 1, with the lesser teams in the other two.
Say:
Pool 1:
Australia
England
Wales
PNG

Pool 2:
New Zealand
Tonga
France
Ireland

Pool 3:
Samoa
Cook Islands
USA

Pool 4:
Scotland
Lebanon
Fiji

Or whatever... with the top 6 of Pools 1 and 2 going through, and the winners of Pools 3 and 4 going through. Who knows? What will the crowds be like for the lesser games? I hope they're thinking, God I hope they're thinking.