RLWC 2008 Rumours

[hutch]

I cant wait anymore for announcements for the world cup, so this post is for people 'in the know', or just for rumours they have heard. So far i have heard a few rumours:
- 12 team world cup
- solely based in australia, mainly in the heartlands of nsw, act and qld
- will be played as a pre season tournament, possibly in feb/march.

at first i was dissapointed in hearing that it may be a pre season tournament because i thought it would take the gloss off the event, it may not be taken so seriously. but from a crowd point of view i think it would be a success. come feb every year, we are all dieing for our footy, and people would go to world cup games. in saying this, im sure many of us would go anyway, no matter when it is held.

has anyone got any info, such as qualifying tournaments, the location of the final, dates etc?

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Well one things for sure the following are certainties:

Australia
New Zealand
England
PNG
France
Wales

if it was a 12 team comp, the other teams would have to qualify, example

Europe:

Scotland
Holland
Spain
Germany
Italy
Malta
Greece
Lebanon
Russia
Serbia

Pacific:

Fiji
Tonga
Samoa
Cook Islands
New Calendonia
Solomon Islands
Niue

Others:

South Africa
Morocco
Japan
USA
Canada
Argentina
West Indies

Also I hope the rumor about games being in just NSW, Qld, ACT isnt true, because we are promoting the game across the country, its better that Melbourne, Adelaide and even Perth (hello, 3rd biggest RL state) should get at least one game. I'd be very disappointed if they knock it back, I mean the last world cup was played in countries that didnt have well known RL backgrounds, but hey at least tried. Crowds were ordinary but they'll obviously get more than double (or even triple) in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

 

[dimitri]

if there are not games in wa,sa, and vic they shouldnt hold it at all

it would be an absolute disgrace

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Thats right, its like they dont care about promoting the game.

 

[hutch]

when are we going to here some announcements. i know it is still 3 years away, but surely there are some plans being discussed. 90% of rugby league fans dont even know that there is going to be a world cup. it should be mentioned as much as possible by the arl at press conferences for origin, anzac tests etc. hopefully countries such as the pacific island countries start playing some meaningful competitions in the build up to the cup.
has anyone heard any rumours lately?

 

[Copa]

If the build up and hype are big, slick and professional it won't feel like a mere pre-season comp.... it will feel like a proper WORLD CUP.

Bit sad that heaps of RL fans have no idea it is even going to occur in 2008.

 

[TinghaInMotion]

I had high hopes for this world cup but it looks like being a shambles. Thats a problem with no world governing body like the IRB running the world game. The likes of Colin Love and Goeff Carr just care about their own back yard more than anything else

 

[SalfordRedsWA]

Good news, according to Geoff Baldwin who is Chairman of WARL and somebody I know, says that there will be at least two games in Perth, hence why the two NRL games where brought here this year, not just for NRL expansion but International games too.

 

[griff]

I don't really see what there is to gain from having it in the preseason. It just sends the message that the NRL is the big deal, with the World Cup just a subordinate minor competition.

On the other hand having it after the season means there is a whole year's worth of promotion leading up to it, piggy backing on the NRL and Origin.

The only reason they might give is the old cop out that Australians aren't interested in rugby league in October (based on what? we can hardly go to games if they don't put them on). But with no cricket, no AFL and no Union, October is the perfect window.

 

[bender]

I don't really see what there is to gain from having it in the preseason. It just sends the message that the NRL is the big deal, with the World Cup just a subordinate minor competition.

On the other hand having it after the season means there is a whole year's worth of promotion leading up to it, piggy backing on the NRL and Origin.

The only reason they might give is the old cop out that Australians aren't interested in rugby league in October (based on what? we can hardly go to games if they don't put them on). But with no cricket, no AFL and no Union, October is the perfect window.

I know they dont base it on the fact that the Ashes tours and every single other rugby league game ever played on Australian television after the NRL season always gets such good ratings.

 

[***MH***]

Introducing double headers to boost interest for non Aust/NZ/Eng competing games.
i.e. Lebanon v Samoa and France v PNG at Aussie Stadium 5:30 and 7:30 kick offs

 

[DIEHARD]

Introducing double headers to boost interest for non Aust/NZ/Eng competing games.
i.e. Lebanon v Samoa and France v PNG at Aussie Stadium 5:30 and 7:30 kick offs

Absolutely the way to go!

 

[***MH***]

Absolutely the way to go!

if they schedueled a double header, i'd be out there for sure!

 

[Jeffles]

No double headers. Every double header gained is a match in an emerging state or regional city lost!!!!

Hopefuly there are matches in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne. I hope the competition is held after the season ends (so that you can build it up throughout the year) and a draw comes out about 12 months in advance.

 

[TinghaInMotion]

Look its pretty simple. It has to be at the end of the year or the media will treat it like a mickey mouse comp. This means the public will not take it seriously and we will have poor crowds and it will be a great opportunity lost.

 

[In-goal]

yes after the season IMO this way we build to it rather than fall away.

At the end of the season it would just replace the Tr-nations that year were as having it at the start would give the players no time for recovery i.e. off season.

2007 might be the last time we see the Lions aswell so it would be better to keep the WC well away from that as England will be reformed again.

 

[ByRd]

I dont know about double headers but if Lebanon is in the cup(please let them be), then they should play games out of western sydney either at the showground or Parramatta stadium. Having teams play where there are alot people from that nation will boost crowds.

 

[In-goal]

Yes Lebanon playing out of Parra is a grand idea.

I would also base England out of the SFS and Wales or Ireland out of the revamped stadium in Melbourne.

 

[yankeeboy]

Things that should happen:

The United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland to have no more than 2 teams (preferrably one).

3 pools of 4, one of which should be based in New Zealand. Alternatively, they could go 4 pools of 3, with each pool playing a double round robin within the pool. This would work better for determining Quarter Finalists, and would create more games. With this plan, you could have 6 team in the knock-out stages: 2 pools to have 2 (harder pools), and 2 pools with one (easier).

Games to be played all over Australia. Until the finals, no games should be played in Brisbane or Sydney, with possibly one exception for a game including Lebanon.

Qualifiers being held in 2007 to determine nations competing.

The pool containing Australia to play all over the country, with games in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, and Launceston.

Other pools to be held in NZ and regional NSW/QLD.

The quarterfinals (or round of 6) to be played in Melbourne and Christchurch.

Semis in Brisbane and Auckland. Third place game to either be in Sydney or in Melbourne. Final at Telstra Stadium.

 

[YANTO]

I dont know about double headers but if Lebanon is in the cup(please let them be), then they should play games out of western sydney either at the showground or Parramatta stadium. Having teams play where there are alot people from that nation will boost crowds.

So if Holland qualified (ok you may laugh but we are a genuine country not based down under like a lot of new National teams aiming for the WC) would the Dutch play in Victoria where there is a big dutch community (all bloody AFL fans from what i can find out)