Rugby League in Commonwealth Games?

[Smiley]

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/sport/league-in-bid-for-games/story-e6frg7mf-1226050089466

League in bid for Games

JAMAL Idris and Jharal Yow Yeh could be on their way to becoming Commonwealth Games stars if rugby league wins its bid for inclusion in the program at a meeting starting in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

The Rugby League International Federation confirmed yesterday it would make its case for inclusion before the Commonwealth Games Federation's sport committee, with the aim of being included in the 2018 competition if the Gold Coast wins its bid to host the event.

The Gold Coast and its only rival, Hambantota in Sri Lanka, will present their bid books to the CGF in Malaysia next week, with the host city decision to be taken on November 11 in St Kitts and Nevis.

The British-based Rugby Football League is taking the lead in the sport's bid and the RLF's director of participation, David Gent, will present the proposal. Gent was previously involved in a successful bid by the International Canoe Federation to be added to the list of optional sports for the Commonwealth Games.

Australia captain Darren Lockyer and New Zealand counterpart Benji Marshall have made video messages to be presented as part of rugby league's pitch.

RLIF international development manager Tas Baitieri was optimistic yesterday.

"We have been working on it for the last six months and we have 16 countries lined up to participate," Baitieri said.

"Let's hope it goes our way -- we think we have a good showing."
The proposal is for either a sevens or nines competition to be added to the 11-day Games program, but the RLIF favours the nines version.

Australian Commonwealth Games Association chief Perry Crosswhite is also enthusiastic about the proposal.

"The future of the Commonwealth Games is to make sure that you have sports that are strong in the Commonwealth," he said.

"That's what it's about, it's not a small version of the Olympics, it needs that point of difference."

 

[Evil Homer]

The British-based Rugby Football League is taking the lead in the sport's bid

What a surprise.

 

[adamkungl]

9s please. That would be excellent.

16 teams?

Aus
NZ
Eng
Scotland
Wales
PNG
Ireland
Samoa
South Africa
Jamaica
Canada
Tonga
Malta
Cook Islands
?
?

 

[Glen from the Mount]

Hopefully Fiji will be allowed to send a team.

 

[taipan]

About time someone within the game,seized the initiative.
The RFL at times,makes our admin look like they couldn't operate a school canteen.

 

[Goddo]

^ thats because we are basically operating without an admin... we have Gallop running the show, but the ARL is plagued by bitter in fighting over blazers and between QRL and NSWRL, and then we have News Ltd, looking for a dollar at every opertunity.

Its no wonder the RFL is way ahead in that respect.

 

[hutch]

I hope we aren't too late with this. It is great that we are thinking bigger, but will the commonwealth games allow for 2 rugby codes? It would help if our sport was united with a strong international body!

 

[Coleworld]

RL is suited for a round robin tournament for the commenwealth games. Though if the CGs are during the NRL season or Origintime what type of team would be competing in the games. The Clubs would be against releasing players. I do wish it goes ahead though as its another oppportunity for the minows to grow.

 

[Goldfields_Titans]

Why is this announcement such low key? I didn't hear anything about it until I saw this thread. The CGF would surely have to accept RL individually or as a combined 9's code with the ruggeroids?

 

[bowes]

No Ireland in the Commonwealth Games though there is Northern Ireland. Niue and Tokelau will probably get teams chucked together with New Zealanders of heritage like they used to do.

 

[docbrown]

Geez some big impressive ideas out there today.

There are certainly enough Commonwealth nations playing league to make it successful and will help kick start it in others if it were to become a regular feature. Would help attract more funding to Pacific Nations as well.

I suspect the Gold Coast would host in October anyhow.

 

[docbrown]

• Australia 1930–
• Canada 1930–
• Cook Islands 1974–1978, 1986–
• Cyprus 1978–1982, 1990–
• England 1930–
• Jamaica 1934, 1954–1982, 1990–

• Malta 1958–1962, 1970, 1982–
• Nauru 1990–
• New Zealand 1930–
• Niue 2002–
• Papua New Guinea 1962–1982, 1990–2010
• Samoa and Western Samoa 1974–
• Scotland 1930–
• Solomon Islands 1982, 1990–
• South Africa 1930–1958, 1994–
• Tonga 1974, 1982, 1990–
• Tuvalu 1998–
• Vanuatu 1982–
• Wales 1930-

Those would be the most likely ones to choose from.

 

[bobbis]

Why is this announcement such low key? I didn't hear anything about it until I saw this thread. The CGF would surely have to accept RL individually or as a combined 9's code with the ruggeroids?

On what planet would there be a combined 9s tournament. RL will either get in or not on its own accord as an individual sport. There's as much chance of a combined code playing in the CG as there is of the AFL, which is to say 0%.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

No Ireland in the Commonwealth Games though there is Northern Ireland. Niue and Tokelau will probably get teams chucked together with New Zealanders of heritage like they used to do.

Yeah but RL isn't played anywhere, I guess we'll just have to use all them spare union players eh?

 

[Twizzle]

I like it but would need to be a 9s or similar.

If they played the full monty I couldn't see the players playing about 6 or 8 games in less than 2 weeks.

Comm Games are only 10 days in some cases.

Would need to be planned well, couldn't interfere with finals or SOO

 

[roughyedspud]

it does say nines...

hopefully this will be the catalyst for bringing back the annual "world nines"

 

[docbrown]

it does say nines...

hopefully this will be the catalyst for bringing back the annual "world nines"

Yes. We need a short form of the game for the minnows to develop and if this commonwealth deal goes long term in could also be played on a 4 year cycle (probably 2016, 2020 etc as CG would be 2018, 2022 etc)

Play it in the Feb pre-season and it won't clash with other 13 man internationals that are played post-season. It could then also pave the way to have regional 9's comps as qualifying tournaments.

 

[Coleworld]

I like the idea of League being involved in the CG's but i cant imagine NZ for example having Benji Marshall play in a 9's tournament if for example the GC's was in August and the Tigers were out the Top 8 for example. Clubs pay the players and are protective of their assets.

What could be done though, since the CG's run for two weeks and are every four years is have a break during the CG's so everyone can participate and give the 9's more credibility and actually let the Nations shine. It would be a huge ratings winner with the excitment machines we have in the game.

If only the IC was up and running, this would bring more funding for the smaller nations and a way for them to get exposure and get better in this form of the game.

 

[roughyedspud]

Yes. We need a short form of the game for the minnows to develop and if this commonwealth deal goes long term in could also be played on a 4 year cycle (probably 2016, 2020 etc as CG would be 2018, 2022 etc)

Play it in the Feb pre-season and it won't clash with other 13 man internationals that are played post-season. It could then also pave the way to have regional 9's comps as qualifying tournaments.

spot on

 

[bowes]

Yeah but RL isn't played anywhere, I guess we'll just have to use all them spare union players eh?

What a strange thing to post