Rugby League World Cup 2012

[roopy]

I remember reading at the last union WC, that if players had to represent the countries they were born in, you would have had three teams of Kiwis, and two teams for both Aus and South Africa.

But to get back to the point of the thread. The game is growing and spreading, so it is obvious we should expand the numbers.
If it is held in the UK i think 16 teams would attract crowds - but if it is held in Aus I think only 12 would work - bacause Aus fans have shown they will not go to completely lop sided games.

 

[bender]

I remember reading at the last union WC, that if players had to represent the countries they were born in, you would have had three teams of Kiwis, and two teams for both Aus and South Africa.

But to get back to the point of the thread. The game is growing and spreading, so it is obvious we should expand the numbers.
If it is held in the UK i think 16 teams would attract crowds - but if it is held in Aus I think only 12 would work - bacause Aus fans have shown they will not go to completely lop sided games.

Why expand, just for the sake of expanding. The real expanding should be done in the qualifying tournaments. This is what makes or breaks the long term success and growth of the tournament. It should always be an achievement to make the world cup. Assuming they find a good 10 team format 2 teams of 5 and a top 5 works for me, the next world cup could have something along the following lines

Euro B: Greece, Italy, Malta, Lebanon Scotland (2 to Euro A)
Euro A: France, Ireland, England, Wales (3 Qualify)(2 to repecharge
Pacific A: Australia, New Zealand, PNG (3 Qualify) (2 to repercharge)
Pacific B: Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Fiji (3 to Pacific A)
East Euro B: Holland, Germany, Ukraine, Other new Euro nations (2 to East Euro A)
East Euro A Russia, Georgia, Serbia (2 to Euro America)
America A: USA, West Indies, South Africa, (2 to Euro America)
America B: Argentina, Canada, Morocco, Japan (Two to America A)
Euro America: 1 to Qualify, 2 to repecharge.
Repacharge: 3 of 6 qualify
That leaves:
3 Euro Sides, 3 Pacific Sides, 1 Euro/American side, 3 repacharge

 

[Woods99]

After all those years of private school education Woods can't count past six.

Sorry to disappoint you, but I went to a government school. Admittedly, it was a selective school, so the sport was rugby. And I am a qualified accountant, so I know how to count.

I also played quite a high standard of junior league, just as a matter of interest.

There's 20-odd with national club comps. How many teams in the Australian national union club comp this year? Seems union has a hell of a lot of trouble getting "a few Aussies together" to play a national club comp in their own country.

Okay, who are the twenty league countries with "national club competitions"?

Does New Zealand, one of the three strongest league nations, have a "national club competition"? Any clubs in the South Island, for example? Or further south than Auckland?

The Povertycard Cup is about as strong as the Melbourne club rugby competition, in number of teams and spectators, and far behind either the Sydney or Brisbane club rugby comps on either criterion.

Pots and kettles, old mate.

 

[colonel_123]

Why does everyone have the five same auto-qualifiers?

I don't think those 5 nations should be considered auto-qualifiers for the 2012 world cup before the 2008 world cup has even been played...

It may be that there's no need for any auto-qualifiers for the 2012 world cup. Or performances from nations outside the top 5 may see them included in the auto-qualifiers. For example Wales performed well in 2000 and another good showing in 2008 may see them demand an auto-qualifier spot...

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Okay, who are the twenty league countries with "national club competitions"?

1. Aus
2. Eng
3. France
4. Wales
5. Scotland
6. Ireland
7. PNG
8. Serbia
9. Russia
10. West Indies
11. America
12. Japan
13. Cook Islands
14. Lebanon
15. Fiji
16. South Africa
17. NZ
18. Tonga
19. Samoa
20. Tartarstan
21. New Caledonia
22. American Samoa

 

[East Coast Tiger]

Sorry to disappoint you, but I went to a government school. Admittedly, it was a selective school, so the sport was rugby. And I am a qualified accountant, so I know how to count.

I also played quite a high standard of junior league, just as a matter of interest.

What do you want a medal? If you're so smart you should have got the hint by now that this is a rugby league forum and you are nothing but a sad union troll. Accountant:lol: . Explains it I guess.

Does New Zealand, one of the three strongest league nations, have a "national club competition"? Any clubs in the South Island, for example? Or further south than Auckland?

Canterbury Bulls. Central Falcons etc. How many teams in the NZ national union club comp btw? Again NZ like Australia doesn't have one.

The Povertycard Cup

More typical union biggotry coming out there.

is about as strong as the Melbourne club rugby competition, in number of teams and spectators, and far behind either the Sydney or Brisbane club rugby comps on either criterion.

There wouldn't be a rugby league competition on earth weaker than the Melbourne union comp. And as for the Sydney and Brisbane club comps - that's all they are and that's as close to a fair dinkum national comp union will ever have.

 

[thommo4pm]

1. Aus
2. Eng
3. France
4. Wales
5. Scotland
6. Ireland
7. PNG
8. Serbia
9. Russia
10. West Indies
11. America
12. Japan
13. Cook Islands
14. Lebanon
15. Fiji
16. South Africa
17. NZ
18. Tonga
19. Samoa
20. Tartarstan
21. New Caledonia
22. American Samoa

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: You hammered him big time there...well done. Can't wait to see the idiots reply to that. He'll probably just come out and say big deal, they are nothing competitions.
But can League really compete with the thriving Union competition in Madagascar?
Union people love to dream about how global their sport is....it's really quite annoying.
They have probably 2-3 nations more that are competitive then we do in League.

 

[taipan]

It doesn't take much effort to get a few Aussies together to play the occasional game of league, does it.

Who said that league is only played in three countries? I can think of at least six.

Such hypocrisy when one considers the expat Kiwis and Aussies who end up playing for national union teams Italy,Scotland,Japan,USA .

Your making an assumption that these are made up of Oz expats,as usual you are wrong.Forget Greece and Malta there are AP no domestic comp.


You showed your ignorance in the past,when you maintained there was no rugby league played in Ireland.(by locals BTW).Keep counting or are double figures too confronting.One takes your cynical "can think of 6",as a result of the ill informed memory bank you possess.Indoctrination can do that to you.
Also involved with accounting I accept you can't fudge figures, and must keep abreast of the tax laws.I would recommend you keep abreast of what is happening in rugby league, both here and abroad,because it appears to be out of your reach.

 

[winnyason]

put the f**kwit on ignore he f**ks his mother(woods 99).........
onto the world cup fact is the event must be a sucess must in 2008........then the planned quad series 2009 in france & britain must suceed particularly in france & that means bums on seats 15 to 20 k. Because the event needs to be held outside the strong holds of australia, nz & england.
Unless something serious happend PNG will never be financially strong enough to hold event, it would be hoped that with the welsh franchise in SL & Toulouse in SL by 2009, that the event could be held outside the traditional strong holds.
here is a plan for the event pending the welsh & 2nd franchise in sl & quad series in france in 2009.
hold pool games in france, wales, england & georgia.
hold semi finals in france & england
with final in paris. the event with the support of a strong hold in england could realistically suceed, but let's not put the cart before the horse it is essential that the 2008 must be a sucess.

 

[Mr. Fahrenheit]

this is the qualiification process that i would like to see.

Have actual Conferations like FIFA have, these should be:

Oceania - 5 1/2 spots
Europe - 5 spots
Africa - 1/2 spot
Americas - 1/2 spot
Asia - 1/2 spot

These above mentioned confedations shuold hold their own qualification processes depending on the number that attempt to qualify. (i.e. it could be round robin, or pools, or A, B and C comps etc., whatever works best and this is for the specific regions to determine)

The half spot from Oceania means the country determined 6th in the region goes into a 3 match series with the Asian Winner.

The winners of the African and Atlantic regions battle it out for the final spot.

This process ensures that everyone has to qualify for a 12 team tourney. (and the region with the host nation, loses a spot because the host nation automatically qualifies.)

Possible Countries for each Region are:

Oceania:
Australia
NZ
PNG
Tonga
Samoa
Fiji
Cook Islands
New Caledonia
American Samoa
Solomon Islands
Vanuatu

Europe
England
France
Wales
Ireland
Scotland
Russia
Georgia
Netherlands
Serbia
Germany
Italy
Malta
Greece
Austria
Czech Rep.
Estonia
Ukraine

Africa
South Africa
Ivory Coast?
Morrocco
Senagal?

Americas
USA
WI
Argentina
Canada

Asia
Lebanon
Japan
Indonesia
China?
Sri Lanka?


Yes i know some of the countries mentioned are a long way off from attempting to qualify, and i sure there are some that missed out. But my point remains that we must take the good from other sports and implement it into RL. And this example is more or less based on FIFA and IMO it would work.

 

[pcpp]

Why does everyone have the five same auto-qualifiers?

I don't think those 5 nations should be considered auto-qualifiers for the 2012 world cup before the 2008 world cup has even been played...

It may be that there's no need for any auto-qualifiers for the 2012 world cup. Or performances from nations outside the top 5 may see them included in the auto-qualifiers. For example Wales performed well in 2000 and another good showing in 2008 may see them demand an auto-qualifier spot...

Which of the 5 auto qualifers would you take out?

Australia, NZ, England - Obviously by far the strongest nations, playing qualifying matches v Samoa and Fiji is quite simply a waste of time.

France - Have been in every world cup and founded the world cup, probably 4th strongest team, have been competitive against NZ and Australia in the past two years.

PNG - Only nation with Rugby league as its national sport. There is no way they should ever be left out.

 

[bender]

Which of the 5 auto qualifers would you take out?

Australia, NZ, England - Obviously by far the strongest nations, playing qualifying matches v Samoa and Fiji is quite simply a waste of time.

France - Have been in every world cup and founded the world cup, probably 4th strongest team, have been competitive against NZ and Australia in the past two years.

PNG - Only nation with Rugby league as its national sport. There is no way they should ever be left out.

If you must take out auto qualifiers, it should be done on a who makes the semi finals bassis

 

[phonetic]

I like the auto qualify ideal. There's no competition in Oceania for Australia and NZ, so there's not much point in them playing.

I think the current 5 are fair enough. As mentioned, Wales may push for an extra auto qualifying position based on their performance.

As for 2012.. I think there's some very ambitious talk going on here. The focus needs to be on 2008. I assume there will be more nations in a better position to attempt qualification by 2010/2011, but this will work itself out. There are people in Europe doing very good things, and I'm sure their action will bear fruit in the 2012 qualifiers.

If we could have another 3 or 4 teams having a shot in 2012 and have stronger bids from the likes of Holland and Serbia, Georgia etc, I would consider it a big step forward.

 

[taipan]

OK we accept at least 12 teams for 2012

Automatic qualifiers
Australia,England,France,NZ ,Wales and PNG

European qualifiers(the top 3)
Scotland
Ireland
Holland
Germany
Austria
Estonia
Russia
Georgia
Serbia
Lebanon
Czechoslovakia(by the time)
Estonia(by the time)
Greece(by the time)
Malta(by the time)
italy (by the time)

Asia and Pacific Rim qualifiers(top 1)
Japan
Argentina
USA
Jamaica
South Africa


Oceania qualifiers(top 2)
Tonga
Samoa
Fiji
New Caledonia
Cook Islands
Nieu

A realistic position by 2012.The world cup should be held in France/England.
Lets not kis ourselves for quite some time it will only be Oz,England,France/Wales possibly NZ that will be able to stage it.
These events cannot be loss making ventures,break even should be the worst case scenario.

 

[screeny]

I like the auto qualify ideal. There's no competition in Oceania for Australia and NZ, so there's not much point in them playing.

I think the current 5 are fair enough. As mentioned, Wales may push for an extra auto qualifying position based on their performance.

As for 2012.. I think there's some very ambitious talk going on here. The focus needs to be on 2008. I assume there will be more nations in a better position to attempt qualification by 2010/2011, but this will work itself out. There are people in Europe doing very good things, and I'm sure their action will bear fruit in the 2012 qualifiers.

If we could have another 3 or 4 teams having a shot in 2012 and have stronger bids from the likes of Holland and Serbia, Georgia etc, I would consider it a big step forward.

Agree completely. Maybe I'm wrong but Holland and possibly Georiga are just one or two fellas leaving short of collapsing. If Yanto decided to up sticks and leave Holland would it still be running?

Basically, the years between now and the next WC need to be used to get domestic championships going in these nations, for roots to form.

 

[deluded pom?]

I like Luke's idea of forming confederations for qualification processes . This gives us a definite guideline to work to for following WC's . As for automatic qualification , I'd like to see the four semi finalists from the previous WC given automatic plus the host nation (obviously) . That means either five or four automatics depending on where the tournament is held .

 

[ali]

We the supporters and the ARL need to make 2008 work before we can even think about 2012. If 2008 isn't a success, then we can forget about 2012 because we know our weak minded administrators will do just that.

We need to concentrate more on positive efforts to make these nations stronger. Such as getting our NRL clubs to scout in PNG. I'm disappointed this thread, interesting as it may be, but full of dreaming has got 35 replys, whilst no one appears interested in doing anything positive to help PNG.

 

[lockyno1]

Ali, you are spot on there. More work does need to be done.