The 4 Nations 2014 is a Mess

[deal.with.it]

Why is everyone glossing over RoosTahs claim that "the French publicdon't seem interested in RL. And barely anyone attended their home WC games."

 

[strong_latte]

Why is everyone glossing over RoosTahs claim that "the French publicdon't seem interested in RL. And barely anyone attended their home WC games."

Not really that big a deal mate... sure they went to the games, but those were stadiums with around 10-20k capacities, and I gotta admit I didn't realise they were sell-outs either because the grounds looked more like local club grounds. Kinda like playing at Leichhardt. I reckon if the tournament were played back in the 50s when the French had more power they'd have played those games at a 50k seater (if they could) - that they didn't tells you a bit about where the game is at there right now.

 

[CC_Roosters]

It seriously has potential doesn't it? If they were seriously competitive it might also help to stop players picking Aus and NZ for rep duties.

The problem would be the economics - the islands just don't have the economies of scale to make something like that very (if at all) profitable and even as an outbound touring side they'd have to take big scalps early for the concept to live long.

On sponsorship, the fijian RL seem capable of pulling sponsors like vodafone and the PNG government have shown willingness to fund RL directly. Should not be that big an obstacle especially if games are broadcast on FTA in Australia and the UK so sponsors would be pretty keen to be involved in my mind.

I would think large crowds in Australia and New zealand would be guaranteed v a combined islands side especially if it is a 4 yearly event like the British & irish lions. Sydney and Auckland especially are full of people of islander descent

Whatsmore it would spice up the Pacific cup and give it good platform as a means for players to commit and play at their peak for selection. The cup an be played in the years before and after the world cup only

 

[RedVee]

But would the Pacific nations themselves prefer to compete as themselves, with the rivalry of a Tonga-Samoa match being quite high I think ( as an outsider).

 

[strong_latte]

But would the Pacific nations themselves prefer to compete as themselves, with the rivalry of a Tonga-Samoa match being quite high I think ( as an outsider).

I know, and they still would compete as separate entities, but I reckon those games should be treated a little like Origin, but with the ultimate goal of making a combined team that is as strong as possible. Heck, the poms do it with the Lions in League and Union - Irish, Scottish and Welsh guys generally would rather play against the poms, but they seem to pull together for the Lions pretty well - although it's admittedly a concept in need of revival in League (get the f**k on board Australia!)

 

[RedVee]

The Lions don't play WC though.

I'm loathe to try to impose this kind of arrangement on nations.

Are Maoris not picked for NZ eligble? Does it help the smaller RL nations like Cooks & Vanuatu, or just feed off the PNG, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa groups? Or just those already living in Australia, NZ and Europe?

Would Melansian, Polynesian, Micronesian Cups be better? The winning nations then play off in the Pacific Cup to get to the 4N spot? But still as individual countries.

They need to own it, whatever the solution is.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

This has kinda been covered now mate. Either way, the games involving France were played at small stadia and so that's why it didn't look like much even full. Anyway, this is all beside the point. France clearly need help, but more at the club level than anything. If they were like NZ and had a lot of their players in the Super League and NRL beyond their one team it would be a good start and actually more akin to what the argies have in union

BS again.

Stop with the trolling.

The games were sold out, Avignon holds 18k, Perpignan holds 14k, both games were sold out months before the event.

For you to even suggest anything like you have here shows me you never watched a single bloody game.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

It's also quite simple to work out what is wrong with the French National side.

They have a cor group of 1st grade players, enough for a full team. If one or two of these players gets injured, they have to be replaced with semi pro players which in turn hurts their National teams performance. Since les Catalans have been in the ESL, I have yet to see the French National side have a full roster of pro players, there has always been a halfback or a couple of front rowers out because of injury.

It will not get any better until their are more French players across the board in the ESL or another team based out of Toulouse or Avignon. Happily lately though, other teams like Salford, Bradford, London and Wakefield have all taken Frenchies on board in the last 12 months. It will happen and when it does, there are going to be a lot of trolls out there with egg on their faces, I for one can't wait to rub it in!

 

[RoosTah]

BS again.

Stop with the trolling.

The games were sold out, Avignon holds 18k, Perpignan holds 14k, both games were sold out months before the event.

For you to even suggest anything like you have here shows me you never watched a single bloody game.

Trolling? What the heck qualifies that as trolling? Look, you can scream till you're blue in the face that France are a top line League nation, but you can't provide me with any evidence to back it up. So they sold out a couple games in sub 20k stadiums? That's great, but if the game was in as great a position as you're carrying on about don't you think they'd have played it somewhere bigger to maximize the revenue?

Seriously mate, pull your head in. I'm not bloody trolling by telling you France are clearly tier 2. It's a bald faced f**king fact! Sure, the government and that may have screwed the game and I get your angry at rugby (even if they're not the ones killing people like soccer... Thank you SL), but stop trying to BS me that the game is doing better than it is.

This is the problem we've got with the international game - people are just too content to talk shit up instead of looking at it as it really is. France need to beat England or NZ at least to back up your claims.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Trolling? What the heck qualifies that as trolling? Look, you can scream till you're blue in the face that France are a top line League nation, but you can't provide me with any evidence to back it up. So they sold out a couple games in sub 20k stadiums? That's great, but if the game was in as great a position as you're carrying on about don't you think they'd have played it somewhere bigger to maximize the revenue?

Seriously mate, pull your head in. I'm not bloody trolling by telling you France are clearly tier 2. It's a bald faced f**king fact! Sure, the government and that may have screwed the game and I get your angry at rugby (even if they're not the ones killing people like soccer... Thank you SL), but stop trying to BS me that the game is doing better than it is.

This is the problem we've got with the international game - people are just too content to talk shit up instead of looking at it as it really is. France need to beat England or NZ at least to back up your claims.

it is trolling when people have told you what actually happened yet you still go on with your own f**king opinions.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

Some going on about where France played their games, well, they played the games in their heartland, didn't they.

Why should places that don't follow the game, never heard of it get the big games? Stuff em, give them to the people who actually care, and that's what they done.

 

[RoosTah]

BS again.

Stop with the trolling.

The games were sold out, Avignon holds 18k, Perpignan holds 14k, both games were sold out months before the event.

For you to even suggest anything like you have here shows me you never watched a single bloody game.

It's also quite simple to work out what is wrong with the French National side.

They have a cor group of 1st grade players, enough for a full team. If one or two of these players gets injured, they have to be replaced with semi pro players which in turn hurts their National teams performance. Since les Catalans have been in the ESL, I have yet to see the French National side have a full roster of pro players, there has always been a halfback or a couple of front rowers out because of injury.

It will not get any better until their are more French players across the board in the ESL or another team based out of Toulouse or Avignon. Happily lately though, other teams like Salford, Bradford, London and Wakefield have all taken Frenchies on board in the last 12 months. It will happen and when it does, there are going to be a lot of trolls out there with egg on their faces, I for one can't wait to rub it in!

And mate, it'll be bloody great when that does happen! But it hasn't yet has it? The French have the potential to be like NZ - but more needs to be done to help develop the game.

After that I'd also love to see the Irish get more into the game - Union is given free reign over there and League in many ways should appeal more to the South.

 

[RoosTah]

it is trolling when people have told you what actually happened yet you still go on with your own f**king opinions.

What are you on about? I accepted what you said - I just responded that the game needs more and the national team just isn't there yet! How is that trolling exactly? It's not like I called you a dickhead like that dumb soccer wanker, is it?

What is it with some of you blokes here who can't handle a bit of disagreement. I mean FFS don't be so bloody precious.

 

[strong_latte]

Some going on about where France played their games, well, they played the games in their heartland, didn't they.

Why should places that don't follow the game, never heard of it get the big games? Stuff em, give them to the people who actually care, and that's what they done.

But isn't the World Cup about developing the game?

It's true that Perpignan isn't home to any major stadiums, but Marseilles isn't all that far really - in fact it's just a little over the distance as Canberra to Sydney - and given that it was a world cup I reckon they should have chanced their arm and put at least one game at Stade Vélodrome.

That place has a capacity over 60k capacity, and a lot of fans from the comparatively tiny town of Perpignan (120k pop) would have travelled for it and you'd to think they'd get more than the odd curious observer from the local population of over 1.5 million people in Marseilles. In fact the more I think about it, it seems like a lost opportunity. Sure play one in Perpignan, but put one in a larger possible development market! That should have been a no brainer.

 

[CC_Roosters]

But isn't the World Cup about developing the game?

It's true that Perpignan isn't home to any major stadiums, but Marseilles isn't all that far really - in fact it's just a little over the distance as Canberra to Sydney - and given that it was a world cup I reckon they should have chanced their arm and put at least one game at Stade Vélodrome.

That place has a capacity over 60k capacity, and a lot of fans from the comparatively tiny town of Perpignan (120k pop) would have travelled for it and you'd to think they'd get more than the odd curious observer from the local population of over 1.5 million people in Marseilles. In fact the more I think about it, it seems like a lost opportunity. Sure play one in Perpignan, but put one in a larger possible development market! That should have been a no brainer.

I would have said toulouse (the bigger stadium there) and avignon. Playing say the kiwis at toulouse may have drawn in the curious and casual union fans, plus include the league towns nearby. Wasn't the avignon game the largest crowd in decades?

I would like to see more games played in France the next time the WC is held in the northern hemisphere.

 

[CC_Roosters]

And mate, it'll be bloody great when that does happen! But it hasn't yet has it? The French have the potential to be like NZ - but more needs to be done to help develop the game.

After that I'd also love to see the Irish get more into the game - Union is given free reign over there and League in many ways should appeal more to the South.

The working class of the Republic and NI are accepting and indeed I have many friends who watch on TV and some who moved to the north of England have picked up on the game. The Belfast giants ice hockey side have shown how to build a pro team in NI, with at least notional cross community support. If the rfl put a concerted effort in at grassroots then feeding into a side in the English pyramid I feel it could be done. Money and effort being key. I'm not sure when the garlic is played so league may get swamped by it in the Republic for coverage and players

 

[roughyedspud]

Oh so you don't have a choice? Oh right, I forgot you had your brain and balls removed. Must make it tough to not just be a sheep.

Now run along with the other soccer sheep sweetheart ;-)

lol i could do this all day cupcake............or we could just talk RL...upto you darling

 

[roughyedspud]

But isn't the World Cup about developing the game?

.

id say...no its not..



european,bowl,shield,cup,pacific cup & 4 nations is about developing the game...the world cup is about SHOWCASING it...


if that makes sense?

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

http://www.rugbyforumxiii.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=71&t=56887

RLWC 2013 France vs Samoa from Perpignan.

 

[ParraEelsNRL]

France vs New Zealand record crowd in Avignon.