RLWC 2017 may only feature full RLIF members

[CQ Italia]

Steve Mascord

re: 2017 RLWC in AUS/NZ "concerns only full members of the RLIF will only be allowed compete in the next WC will effectively rule them out (USA) and also also effectively Italy (FIRL)" RLIF/ARL Andrew Hill said it was under consideration. If your not a full member of the RLIF you can not compete in the 2017 WC, even though it is not intended as such this is a big stick to people in the United States and in Italy to clean up their acts and to mend bridges and have one governing body, the RLIF will not deal with you if you have two governing bodies. (18 full members competing for 14/16 spots). Italy/USA can kick off the qualifying series, compete to the end of the qualifiers and use as many NRL players and they can get through to the world cup...... But If they at that stage are not full members they are not full members they can be replaced by someone they beat in the qualifiers"

http://www.spreaker.com/user/www.leagueunlimited5/white-line-fever-podcast-episode-59

 

[deal.with.it]

Good motivator

 

[hutch]

They need to get their sh*t together to become full members. I thought the USA would be eligible. They have enough senior teams and have a few high schools involved as well.

 

[Springs]

Well at least it sounds like they are having qualifiers.
Hopefully they have full qualifiers and not 12 automatics this time.

 

[Evil Homer]

Like I posted in the Russia thread, great news and long overdue. The only thing now is for the RLIF to get their membership criteria in order and be more active in encouraging and accepting membership.

 

[gyallop]

Isnt this catch 22? you cant play in our World Cup until you are a member but surely one of the attractions for players and sponsors and governments is a sport where have the chance of winning through qualifiers and playing in a world cup? So power houses like RSA Serbia and Lebanon get to play ahead of a top ranked nation ..RLIF's problem has long been its own internal politics and being run by Australia NZ and England who have long forgotten how the game started and have a limited view on how to grow it!

 

[Springs]

I'd rather have Lebanon play than Italy honestly.

 

[Evil Homer]

Isnt this catch 22? you cant play in our World Cup until you are a member but surely one of the attractions for players and sponsors and governments is a sport where have the chance of winning through qualifiers and playing in a world cup? So power houses like RSA Serbia and Lebanon get to play ahead of a top ranked nation ..RLIF's problem has long been its own internal politics and being run by Australia NZ and England who have long forgotten how the game started and have a limited view on how to grow it!

Do things the right way and become a member and you can play in the WC qualifying. Not f**king difficult, apparently unless you are the AMNRL or Italian bodies.

Literally every other major international sport requires membership of the global governing body to even play international matches.

 

[deal.with.it]

I like this idea.

To be fair, the RLIF membership criteria is pretty explicit.

They admitted three new nations as full members last year, and have added new affiliate/observer members quite regularly.

Some nations that are full members have gone backwards a bit over the years, but with personnel changes these things happen. Some nations are obviously given a time frame to get up to scratch or they'll lose their full member status.

I think Ireland is the obvious one.

With the RLEF creating the Middle-East/Africa (MEA) confederation, I think we'll see only full members from the Middle East Africa in their own qualification pool. Perhaps Lebanon vs South Africa. I don't think Ghana, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, UAE will be up to full member status by 2017. But it does give them a goal to look to. It demonstrates the development they need to perform to enter the qualification process.

 

[CQ Italia]

Do things the right way and become a member and you can play in the WC qualifying. Not f**king difficult, apparently unless you are the AMNRL or Italian bodies.

Literally every other major international sport requires membership of the global governing body to even play international matches.

Bit hard for the second Italian body (FIRFL) and they did send a letter to the RLIF/RLEF when first breaking away to discuss applying for affiliate membership (FIRL didn't meet affiliate membership and were granted it by RLEF to allow them to participate in the RLWCQ's).

but yeah the general point of your statement is correct. AMNRL and FIRL have been going for over 20 years!

Neither Italian body would meet the full membership, even combined. Need a minimum 10 week competition (I foresee some difficulties with this) and 6 team junior comp. Also need 4 reserve/u21/student teams (FIRFL have this)

A couple of months ago I emailed RLIF, AMNRL aren't even recognised / have membership with anyone, apparently just a letter pre-RLWC allowing them to be in the RLWC, that they are a rugby league body in USA to grow the game and as long as they follow their rules

 

[deal.with.it]

The FIRFL could merge with FIRL if they wanted to.

 

[CQ Italia]

The FIRFL could merge with FIRL if they wanted to.

yeah once all their differences are resolved in regard to growth/national selections / board make up etc same for AMNRL/USARL

 

[joshreading]

I don't really see the problem, if RL is to go forward we need to start to raise the level.

The USARL must be within close distance to filling the requirements.

I actually think they should lift the required levels for World Cups including representation from actual born & bred players - even if it is only something nominal like 6 - 8 players in a full squad.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

I agree with deal.with.it. Put it out there, early, hopefully it motivates some bodies to reunify. That's probably the idea anyway.

 

[RedVee]

Hope this gets the Italians and USA closer to getting their respective acts together.

 

[spinnerhowland]

Steve Mascord

re: 2017 RLWC in AUS/NZ "concerns only full members of the RLIF will only be allowed compete in the next WC will effectively rule them out (USA) and also also effectively Italy (FIRL)" RLIF/ARL Andrew Hill said it was under consideration. If your not a full member of the RLIF you can not compete in the 2017 WC, even though it is not intended as such this is a big stick to people in the United States and in Italy to clean up their acts and to mend bridges and have one governing body, the RLIF will not deal with you if you have two governing bodies. (18 full members competing for 14/16 spots). Italy/USA can kick off the qualifying series, compete to the end of the qualifiers and use as many NRL players and they can get through to the world cup...... But If they at that stage are not full members they are not full members they can be replaced by someone they beat in the qualifiers"

http://www.spreaker.com/user/www.leagueunlimited5/white-line-fever-podcast-episode-59

I applaud the stance of being a member before you get to go to a world cup. That is a great motivator for nations to actually focus on growing the game domestically.

I DO NOT agree with using as many NRL players as you like in the WC. This very clearly spells out exactly the same issue that has seen players walk away from the game since the last world cup, in the USA. This clearly says to the domestic players "You will be good to play in the lead up games, and the stuff we can't get NRL (Heritage) players for, but once the big games come around we are just going to replace you.

It is up to the National Governing Body in each nation to self-police selections into the world cup, and in a national like the USA, in a team of 24 - HALF should be registered, and playing in the USA. IF YOU WANT TO PLAY FOR THE USA, COME AND PLAY IN THE USA! (and that means at least a season)
Having 12 guys from overseas is MORE than enough for any nation.

I hope the RLIF Application that the USARL submitted is soon approved and we can get on with developing the game in the USA, continue to grow at the grassroots level, and policing our own National team selection, without the influence of people from overseas who are not living, nor helping develop the game, in the USA!

 

[deluded pom?]

There's nothing to stop the USARL, if they are us given the governing body status for the USA, taking the stance Australia used to take i.e. You only play for the national team if you play in the USA.

 

[Evil Homer]

^ That would be so stupid and unnecessary. I don't even know why you would post that.

 

[deal.with.it]

I've been calling for years that NGBs should have their own policy for selection - and not just do what they can "get away with."

They should apply whatever policy they feel is best for developing RL in their respective nations.

If you're Fiji and you are trying to overtake RU domestically, then it is wise to include a handful of domestic players in EVERY international match.

If you are the USA, you need to reward the guys that are doing the hard yards by selecting an amount of players that play domestically. The national team needs to represent RL in the USA - and NOT simply players who can qualify for the USA. There's a big difference.

 

[CQ Italia]

Confirmation this week in Rugby League Week that they will make a decision on it

maybe hard to read but the main parts for USA/Italy "There was some discussion around the qualification process and about a requirement that countries will have to be full members. We have 18 member countries now and that is more than we can have at a world cup anyway. A decision will likely be made at an upcoming meeting." RLIF The stipulation could force the US and Italy to clean up their domestic situations. Each has a 'rebel' comp. In effect, peace will have to break out before they can go to the next World Cup. The countries will have to apply for membership. In order for it to be granted, they must meet certain criteria, including an assessment of the amount of domestic activity.
Across the USARL and AMNRL, the US has plenty of activity. In Italy, they key issue will be whether the comps are rugby league specific or whether teams and player simply switch from RU for a few weeks"



If the last line is true and not just an assumption, what about RLIF Full Member nations such as Ireland, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Jamaica, and to a small extent Russia that have clubs that play both rugby league and rugby union, with some just rugby league?
A majority of RLEF nations would have players that play both codes also... especially Full member South Africa


For the record FIRFL last year just for the championship had 6 or 7 from 9 total revolution league clubs as pure rugby league clubs.


Just looking at RLEF FULL and Affiliate member nations there's approx 9 federations that have club's that play both rugby union and rugby league (3 of them are RLIF full member nations)