The real World Game

[carlnz]

19 January, 2004

Fiji’s Super League to start in April

By Teulau Masisika

With the gap between provincial rugby in Fiji and Test rugby at an unacceptable level, the Fiji Rugby Union will introduce a brand new, streamlined competition in April designed to identify and prepare local players for the international stage.

The 30-odd provincial unions have been grouped into four franchises along geographical lines that will contest a Super League to create more competitiveness in local matches.

To new competition will start 3 April and end 22 May in time for the international Test window. The teams will play a round-robin followed by semi-finals and a grand final.

Nadroga, Navosa, Namosi, Serua and Malolo

Suva, Naitasiri, Nasinu, Kadavu and the Northern Division

Tailevu, Northland, Ovalau, Rewa and Island Zone.

Lautoka, Nadi, Vatukoula, Tavua, Ba, Ra and Yasawas


The country’s best coaching staff will also experience the intensity of training and coaching at the highest possible level in Fiji. Players and staff will be paid a basic salary and would be eligible for ethic and performance bonuses.

FRU Development Officer Franck Boivert has drawn up a budget of $160,000 plus $795,000 from Colonial for the competition, more than half of which is for player salaries and bonuses.

The Telecom Fiji Cup will begin at the end of May and run through to October.

SO whats your point? Fiji will still pick NZ born players and the best Fijian players will play for the All Blacks....so no change their....

 

[carlnz]

NZ provincial rugby league comp (Bartercard cup) came 100th with an average of 2,290 :lol:
I went to three games this year and it will be lucky if there were 100 fans there .
Beside the NZ rugby league provincial comp is on there but he forgot to put the NZ rugby provincial comp(NPC) .
This year Wellington Lions had an average of 27,910 and the super 12 average for Auckland Blues is 36,000 .

What about Auckland, Otago, Northland and North harbour that suffered massive drops in attendence....even Otago in the Super 12 are failling to fill the grounds...If the Southern Orcas happen they two would easily attraced 20,000 +....Wellington people love their League...


At least Rugby League in NZ can improve as we dont have idots running the game like the NZRU who try to put a trade mark on the silver fern and cost the country to co host the World Cup.......Plus the all blacks now are just a Pacific Islands team......I remember a month ago when they interviewed that new All Black prop from Auckland on the news...they had to put Sub titles on for him because you couldnt under stand what he was saying!!! Even though he was talking in English!!

End of the day, in NZ people think Rugby is the best thing since sliced bread....like that All Black who beat up his pregnat wife last week....he got name supression...but when a legaue player drinks and drives he gets splashed all over the papers....

It wont be much longer till people give up on the All Blacks.....after they lose the NEXT world cup people wont care and the all blacks wont win a World Cup for a long long time......where as in League we have Sonny Bill Williams, Benji Marshall and hunt and other rookie stars that people will want to watch....that is if Rugby dont stop poaching them :roll: :roll:

End if the day rugby is big in NZ and league is not...how ever League is growing...and Rugby is just staying steady...

 

[taipan]

Taipan now rugby league and AFL are working together in the Pacific ? You really are getting out of hands now .
Soccer has been around in Tonga , Samoa and Fiji about the same time rugby was introduce into the Pacific .
So whats the different 100 years ago to this day ? Nothing
If you must know hockey , basketball , softball , volleyball and island cricket is also played in this nations and have been for over 50 years .

Taipan the increase in league numbers in Wales , Scotland , and Ireland is due to the fact that there is a summer comp on and most of those players are from rugby union .
Just like in USA most of those league players played for their local rugby union clubs because the season are not the same .
In Brisbane Nigel Vagana's dad runs and organise the Samoa rugby union Pacific comp which runs in the summer .
50% of the players invovle played league in the Queensland Cup and the other 50% from the rugby union premier comp .

I can bet my house that soccer will never take over rugby , cricket as national sport of NZ , Australia and the Pacific .
carlnz I dont think anyone will agree with your soccer story in Tonga because soccer in Tonga is not played in schools or at Jrs level .
Fifa also gave Tonga soccer 1 million dollars and most of the clubs are now looking for half of that money . :lol:
Superleague gave Samoa rugby league 1 million dollars , and now look where it is now carlnz .

PW.The AFL and RL have agreed to work together(which is a first) in Samoa as the AFL has already established a presence (whether you believe that or not stiff cheddar).Soccer has been around in Oz for ever,but has not had the finance and the organisation to date to really make a presence.I am fully aware that soccer has been around in the islands they are now starting to get money from the likes of FIFA.the difference to date o man of great knowledge is soccer is getting more money.New Caledonia has a league competition which it didnt have 10 years ago.
Tonga 1st division played the grand final at Teufaiva Stadium before 2,000 spectators between the Ha'ateiho crusaders and Lapaha United,and the 2nd division was won by the Spartans who defeated newcomers Lavenganalie Hurricanes.Yeah there is no rugby league in Tonga :lol:
The increase in league numbers in Scotland ,Ireland and wales is only partly due to the off season summer conference involving union players,obviously you know zilch about the number of junior teams playing league in Wales and the schools competition,just as there is junior clubs and junior schools development in Scotland. also 10 years ago there was no senior rugby league comp in Ireland,Scotland of any note and Wales always struggled,that situation has changed completely (so what if union players play league in summer and union in winter).
You obviously have not heard of the Powergen schools rugby league cup which includes Wales and many teams from London(which for many years had b...all rugby league),the biggest schools rugby league in the world,larger in size to the schoolboys cup we have in Qld/NSW.
Again in the US 10 years ago no domestic Rl comp,now up to 10 teams next year(so what if union players want to try league there are a growing number of gridiron players who want to try it).
At least now with both codes professional,union cannot discriminate like it used to(and gee they were experts in discrimination) in preventing their players from playing league.
And as for your cynical comments re Argentina -rugby league Argentina has been conducting under 18 matches in the past 4 months as per rugby league world and has been concentrating on the 14-18 age group.Up to 500 kids have been introduced to the game,with the major work coming from the National Recreation Centre in Ezeina Cerena.
The Brisbane Broncos sent over some of their players to Fiji to help with coaching clinics in November,it would appear judging by your comments that there is no one in Fiji who wants to be coached in rugby league :lol:
Yeah rugby league is sitting on its a..se and going backwards if you believe PW.
BTW I do not want soccer to take over in Oz,Pacific Islands or the US ,so at least we may have something in common.,which is a worry.

 

[zulu]

Dont bother about this rugby league site http://www.geocities.com/worldfootballrankings2004/Top125Leagues.html
bacause it is run by some paranoia one eye league fan Russ 13 .

NZ provincial rugby league comp (Bartercard cup) came 100th with an average of 2,290 :lol:
I went to three games this year and it will be lucky if there were 100 fans there .
Beside the NZ rugby league provincial comp is on there but he forgot to put the NZ rugby provincial comp(NPC) .
This year Wellington Lions had an average of 27,910 and the super 12 average for Auckland Blues is 36,000 .

The human turd pen can be found here hey. :lol: :lol:

Read the disclaimer for that list dude, it excludes comps like Origin, Super 12, champions league, Irish gaelic football. Only domestic pro and semi-pro leagues are included. regional, international or college leagues are not included.

Even with the NPC in the list, club union looks pretty ordinary. How poorly attended are some of those union comps in Europe?

 

[zulu]

League - 16th NRL AUS (14,886)
Yawnion - 22nd Currie Cup SA (11,394)
Yawnion - 33rd Premier division Eng (8,108)
League - 34th English S League (8041)
Yawnion - 50th Celtic League (5, 869)
YAwnion - 66th France Division One (4,082)
YAwnion - 67th UK (Wales) Celtic League (4, 065)
League - 68th PNG National Championship (3,919)
YAwnion- 94th Ireland (2,378)
League - 97th Russia First championship (2,331)
Yawnion - 98th UK (scottish) (2,300)
League - 100th NZ (Bartercard Cup) (2,290)
League - 104th French Elite One (2, 118)
Yawnion - 117th French Div 2 (1,451)
League - 118th English Div 1 (1, 435)
Yawnion - 120th English National league 1 (1,408)
League - 121st - Queensland Cup
YAwnion - 123rd - Canadian Super League (1,296)

Piggy Polp you are an idio*t . Do you think that any true rugby league fan can believe this rugby league site http://www.geocities.com/worldfootballrankings2004/Top125Leagues.html
This site is run by an paranoia one eye league fan like yourself Russ 13 and thats why it is so pro league even Stevie Wonder can see it . :lol:

You and carlnz must have just come across this site this year but im afraid to say mate that this site has been around more than 5 years now .
Five years ago there were more than 20 rugby league clubs from South Africa , Venezuela and Morocco that had an average better than South Africa Currie cup and French Elite one . :lol: :lol:
I told Russ 13 then that there was no rugby league in Venezuela , Morocco
and SA and then he delete it about two month later .
What a paranoia . ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,) ](*,)

The data in this listing is indeed out of date. The last completed superleague season in the UK had an average crowd of 8572 whilst the Zurich Premiership (English Union) had an average of 8564. Not much difference, but if you include playoffs, the Superleague average pulls away further.

Next year the ZP is expecting higher crowds, but then again so is Superleague (Wigan for instance have apparently sold 225% more season tickets than at the same time last year, although we really should wait until the season starts before truely counting season ticket sales).

the data is for 2003. not too long ago.

 

[screeny]

I would be wary of using that site as an accurate marker of comp attendances, I must say.

PW, you say that the league comps in the Celtic nations are stockpiled with RU players. Well, of course they are, where else would a new rugby league comp get players from?

The point is that now these players have RL as an option whereas a few years ago they didn't. Now they have we can let RL - the sport - do its work and before long these RU players will be primarily leaguies.

Also, about Samoa in the RUWC, how many of their players were from the island comp itself, apart from the skipper? I'm not going to research it but I'd guess at none of them. Am I right?

 

[russ13]

Since my name has been bandied about I thought I might might add a comment. (It's been hard working on the www.world football rankings site).

1) whatever crowd figues the RFU give for their game in England their is always doubt. Four or 5 of their grounds do not have gate counters so they include the annual season ticket sales in the crowd figures. The leading RU team their lways has a crowd of 16815. Have a look at the number of crowd figures that end in 000.

http://www.zurichrugby.co.uk/fixres/match_detail.phtml/RC/ENG?_team1=BATH&_date=2004-11-28

2)The RL season in England goes for 6 or 7 games longer than the RU equivalent. So if you look at the aggregate number RL is probably in front. Add the lower divisions & RL wins easily. RU has some HEC games which I have not taken into account but 8 thousand crowds (or so) for both codes at club level is nothing to get excited about in a country of 60 million.

3) btw the aggregate crowds in Australia for RL is about 3.5 million wheras RU crowds are about 600,000.

4) For everyone that watches a RU match on TV about 50 watch a RL match (Australia).



More later

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

In the Pacific Islands Taipan Fiji and Tonga have a few league clubs which you call pub teams in Holland with no Jrs in Tonga and only a handful in Fiji. There are no rugby league in schools at any level at those two countries. .

Wow you must know everything...but the funny thing was I was talking to one of the board members of Tonagan Rugby League at the Pacific Rim, and he confirmed Rugby League is the Same as Rugby and that they do have a secondary school comp running....hence why they wont be sending a U16 team to the World CUp next year becuase they want to work hard on the Schools area....

Carlnz I do have alot of friends who are bouncers all over Brisbane and I can tell you that you talk shi*t .

Holy sh*t you have Friends!?!? You are a fool....who thinks he knows everything....and here is off the email i got from Fat bob..

Have been wearing my Cooks jersey. I got stopped by this big security guard in Coles in Brisbane. Thought I'd done something wrong at first. Turned out he used to play league for Tonga and was wondering about my jersey. He didn't know about the Pacific comps and said where he came from soccer was splashing a bit of money around on pitches

Fifa gave Samoa soccer one million dollars and they also built a soccer stadium in Taunamanoto in Apia west for their use .
Well guess what Carlnz you will never see a Samoan soccer game on TV and you will never see a Samoan soccer team at any world cup etc .

Where was I talking about Samoan Soccer?? Stop talking sh*t I was talking about the Tongan soccer team..

Rugby in Fiji has now gone pro this year with the Fiji RFU paying players in the FIJI national provincial comp.

:blahb: :blahb: :alcho: :alcho:

Polynesian Warrior = Plastic Fool

First it was a Bouncer from a Brisbane nightclub and now its a security guard from Coles and lets not forget the board members of the Tongan rugby league .
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
carlnz if you are going to tell a lie , please can you do a better job like Iggy Pop does ?

Have you actually been to Tonga carlnz ? I dont think you have but you keep run into bouncers and security guards .
I've been to Tonga a few times over the last three years and I can tell you that you talk s*it .
There are only a handful of league clubs in Tongan mostly in the rural area
and not one team has reserve grade or Jrs .
League is not even played in schools you fool because the rugby season is now 8 months long with the 7s comp at the end of the 15s comp .
You must have fallen for that trap alot of you fools fall for . Ex rugby league nation Samoa use to tell the rugby league world body that league is played in schools and that they have a Jrs comp .
But this was all a lie so they could milk some funds (money) from the international body .
All they had was a 6 pub teams with no reserve grades or Jrs .

And once again carlnz soccer might have funds from FIFA but they will never take over rugby as the national sport of Tonga .

Here is the Tongan rugby world cup squad that played in Australia last year .


Tongan squad
Lisiate Ulufonua (Tonga), Pierre Hola(Tonga), Pili Fifita(Australia), Sione Fonua(Tonga), Sila Va'enuku(Tonga), Johnny Ngauamo(NZ), Sukanaivalu Hufanga(Tonga), John Payne(NZ), Gus Leger(NZ), Tevita Tu'ifua(Tonga), Sateki Tu'ipolotu(England), Anthony Alatini(Tonga), David Palu(Tonga), Sililo Martens(Wales), Edward Langi(Australia), Benhur Kivalu(Tonga/Japan), Sione Tu'amoheloa(Tonga), Stanley Afeaki(NZ), Ipolito Fenukitau(Japan), Inoke Afeaki(Japan), Viliami Vaki(Tonga), Milton Ngauamo(NZ), Nisifolo Naufahu(Tonga), Usaia Latu(Tonga), Kisi Pulu(Tonga), Heamani Lavaka(Tonga), Ephram TaukafaTonga), Viliami Ma'asi(Tonga), Kafolosi Tonga(Tonga), Tonga Lea'aetoa(Tonga).

Most of the players are from Tonga .

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

I would be wary of using that site as an accurate marker of comp attendances, I must say.

PW, you say that the league comps in the Celtic nations are stockpiled with RU players. Well, of course they are, where else would a new rugby league comp get players from?

The point is that now these players have RL as an option whereas a few years ago they didn't. Now they have we can let RL - the sport - do its work and before long these RU players will be primarily leaguies.

Also, about Samoa in the RUWC, how many of their players were from the island comp itself, apart from the skipper? I'm not going to research it but I'd guess at none of them. Am I right?

I wish Iggy Pop would read this post and realise that this site www.worldfootballrankings is Sh*t .
screeny those rugby players in the Celtic nations will enjoy playing league in the summer and rugby in the winter .
Just like I have in NZ and Australia .


Here is the Samoan squad in the 2003 rugby world cup and will show the local clubs where they play and the overseas clubs they sign to play for .

Manu Samoa squad for the World Cup:

Forwards: Jonathan Meredith (Vaiala/Ponsonby, NZ), Trevor Leota (Te Atatu/Wasps, England), Simon Lemalu (Apia/Otahuhu, NZ), Kas Lealamanua (Marist St Joseph/Marist St Pat's, NZ), Jeremy Tomuli (Papakura/Colomiers, France), Tamato Leupolu (Ia Ole Vai/Suburbs, NZ), Opeta Palepoi (Vaiala/Exeter, England), Michael von Dincklage (Waitemata, NZ), Leo Lafaiali'i (Te Atatu/Sanyo, Japan), Kitiona Viliamu Vaimoso/Papakura, NZ), Siaosi Vaili (Marist St Joseph/Ponsonby, NZ), Patrick Segi (Waitemata, NZ), Maurie Fa'asavalu (Marist St Joseph's, Samoa), Henry Tuilagi (Marist St Joseph/Leicester, England), Semo Sititi (capt) (Marist St Joseph/Borders, Scotland).

Backs: Peter Poulos VaialaSamoa, Steven So'oialo (Rangotai/Orrell, England), Denning Tyrell (Moata'a, Samoa), John Senio (Moata'a, Samoa), Tanner Vili (Ia Ole Vai/Borders, Scotland), Earl Va'a (Rongotai, NZ), Lome Fa'atau (Marist St Joseph, Samoa), Brian Lima (Marist St Joseph, Samoa), Dale Rasmussen (Ponsonby, NZ), Terry Fanolua (Gloucester, England), Romi Ropati (Toyota, Japan), Ron Fanutanu (Marist St Joseph's, Samoa), Dominic Feaunati (Marist St Pat's, NZ), Fa'atonu Fili (Marist St Joseph, Samoa), Sailosi Tagicakibau (Moata'a, Samoa).

 

[Nook]

You forgot:

Tu'urd Pen (f**kwit, Samoa)

 

[carlnz]

arlnz if you are going to tell a lie , please can you do a better job like Iggy Pop does ?

Have you actually been to Tonga carlnz ? I dont think you have but you keep run into bouncers and security guards .
I've been to Tonga a few times over the last three years and I can tell you that you talk s*it .
There are only a handful of league clubs in Tongan mostly in the rural area
and not one team has reserve grade or Jrs .
League is not even played in schools you fool because the rugby season is now 8 months long with the 7s comp at the end of the 15s comp .
You must have fallen for that trap alot of you fools fall for . Ex rugby league nation Samoa use to tell the rugby league world body that league is played in schools and that they have a Jrs comp .
But this was all a lie so they could milk some funds (money) from the international body .
All they had was a 6 pub teams with no reserve grades or Jrs .

And once again carlnz soccer might have funds from FIFA but they will never take over rugby as the national sport of Tonga .

Here is the Tongan rugby world cup squad that played in Australia last year .


Tongan squad
Lisiate Ulufonua (Tonga), Pierre Hola(Tonga), Pili Fifita(Australia), Sione Fonua(Tonga), Sila Va'enuku(Tonga), Johnny Ngauamo(NZ), Sukanaivalu Hufanga(Tonga), John Payne(NZ), Gus Leger(NZ), Tevita Tu'ifua(Tonga), Sateki Tu'ipolotu(England), Anthony Alatini(Tonga), David Palu(Tonga), Sililo Martens(Wales), Edward Langi(Australia), Benhur Kivalu(Tonga/Japan), Sione Tu'amoheloa(Tonga), Stanley Afeaki(NZ), Ipolito Fenukitau(Japan), Inoke Afeaki(Japan), Viliami Vaki(Tonga), Milton Ngauamo(NZ), Nisifolo Naufahu(Tonga), Usaia Latu(Tonga), Kisi Pulu(Tonga), Heamani Lavaka(Tonga), Ephram TaukafaTonga), Viliami Ma'asi(Tonga), Kafolosi Tonga(Tonga), Tonga Lea'aetoa(Tonga).

Most of the players are from Tonga .

Yeah and how well did Tonga do?? Thats right they got thrashed by a pathetic All Black team...and your Samoan team is just a joke...its the same as league as the recuirt their players from over seas...and that will all ways be the case....

you have been to Tonga about three times in the last years..Do you want a medal :thumnn

Who am I going to believe? Some dork who thinks he knows everything in the world to do with rugby and league, or a board member from Tongan Rugby League :-k Hmmmmmmmmmm Also thats funny how you say their are not many League clubs in Tonga...shows you know FA...

At the Pacific Rim tournment, they had 7 NZ based, 8 Aussie based and 8 players form Tonga in that team while they also had a few Tongan based players in the Pacific Cup team..

 

[Ari Gold]

PW = OWNED!!!!

 

[taipan]

So we are given a list of Tongan and Manu Samoa players who played rugby union in the WC of 2003.What the hell does that mean,every person who breathes knows union is played on the Pacific Islands.
I am becoming convinced that PW knows more about rugby league than the administrations of the RFL ,ARL and RLIF.
The team from over Tonga(not sydney locals)that played a trial against the Raiders this year,must have all been netballers. :idea:
Now " in Tonga a team called the Spartans captured the under 15 title when they edged out the Halaloto Green Barbarians.Then Tonga featuring local players were too strong for Tonga NZ residents at Ericsson stadium no 2 winning 30-20_courtesy of ruby league world November 2004.Of course it must have been beach volleyball :lol:

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

So we are given a list of Tongan and Manu Samoa players who played rugby union in the WC of 2003.What the hell does that mean,every person who breathes knows union is played on the Pacific Islands.
I am becoming convinced that PW knows more about rugby league than the administrations of the RFL ,ARL and RLIF.
The team from over Tonga(not sydney locals)that played a trial against the Raiders this year,must have all been netballers. :idea:
Now " in Tonga a team called the Spartans captured the under 15 title when they edged out the Halaloto Green Barbarians.Then Tonga featuring local players were too strong for Tonga NZ residents at Ericsson stadium no 2 winning 30-20_courtesy of ruby league world November 2004.Of course it must have been beach volleyball :lol:

Taipan the Spartans and Halaloto Barbarians under 15 are Auckland base Tongan Jrs clubs that played each others so they can pick a Auckland Tonga under 15 side in the local Pacific Is Jrs comp . :lol:
Maybe you can stroll down Penrose High School in Auckland if you ever been there and watch both teams compete next year again .

There are handful of pub teams in Tonga with no school comps so I guess thats where those Tonga league players were selected from.
I also know that most of the Tongan players that played for Tonga league in the Pacific Cup also represent Tongan A in rugby union .

Here is an artical from the Taimi Tonga and is a Tongan Newspaper also sold in Australia .


Sometimes it pays to see what is happening with your own eyes to really appreciate why Tongans tend to do better once they step foot on a plane departing Nuku'alofa .
Besides the obvious benefits of getting better coaching , exposure to a higher level competition and training in quality facilities, a young aspiring Tongan athlete also leaves behind the incompetence of local administrators and the fickle politics with seriously hinder sports development .
So as another year winds to an end and a new year dawns, are the signs looking bad or good for a change for a better in 2005? The Armchair Critics takes a look at the Tongan sports scene in and around the Friendly Islands and tells us what he sees.
Rugby continues to dominate the national mind frame and probably always will, until another sport can seriously shake the social fabric .
It was .............................................................................................



It didn't say anything about league or your belove new code soccer shaking the the social fabric .
So carlnz when you try and bulls*it in here make sure you have the evidence to back up your lies otherwise dont let your hate of rugby destroy your life .

 

[Polynesian Warrior]

You forgot:

Tu'urd Pen (f***wit, Samoa)

Here is a true paranoia one eye leaguie . His true colours are coming out now .

 

[bobbis]

Since my name has been bandied about I thought I might might add a comment. (It's been hard working on the www.world football rankings site).

1) whatever crowd figues the RFU give for their game in England their is always doubt. Four or 5 of their grounds do not have gate counters so they include the annual season ticket sales in the crowd figures. The leading RU team their lways has a crowd of 16815. Have a look at the number of crowd figures that end in 000.

http://www.zurichrugby.co.uk/fixres/match_detail.phtml/RC/ENG?_team1=BATH&_date=2004-11-28

2)The RL season in England goes for 6 or 7 games longer than the RU equivalent. So if you look at the aggregate number RL is probably in front. Add the lower divisions & RL wins easily. RU has some HEC games which I have not taken into account but 8 thousand crowds (or so) for both codes at club level is nothing to get excited about in a country of 60 million.

3) btw the aggregate crowds in Australia for RL is about 3.5 million wheras RU crowds are about 600,000.

4) For everyone that watches a RU match on TV about 50 watch a RL match (Australia).



More later

Ive seen this site before and have always wondered who actually compiled this peice of rugby league propaganda its good to finally know.

I was just wondering about a few of the more incredibly outlandish statistics you've created such as:
Finland rugby league averaging 237 people per game, itd be great if finland had rugby league in the first hand im wondering who do they watch.
RL Latvia 120
RL USA 820 they only got 5000 for a test v the Kangaroos, according to your site that thats about 4 times USA RU. Given USA RU has about 40000 players while USA RL has just 8 pub teams, no juniors no reserve teams nothing below that, its an incredibly stupid claim to make. I mean anyone who puts their name to such information must have no self respect. Do you actually expect anyone with half a brain to believe such tripe?
RL Serbia 257
RL Canada 302 the sport barely exists in that country what a joke
RL South Africa 386 :lol:
RL Morocco 525
RL Kazahkstan 791
RL Ukraine 762
RL Moldova 978 amazing Moldovan RL only gets 10 less spectators on average than Italian RU who have about 40000 players and a fully professional competition. Hmmm very realistic.
New Caledonia RL 1019 :roll:
Fiji RL 1061
Japan RL 1009 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I could go on but theres just so much questionable content on this site it would be exhaustive to bring it all up.

I'm just wondering is there anyone other than Russ and Iggly Pop who place any faith what so ever in this site?

 

[taipan]

So we are given a list of Tongan and Manu Samoa players who played rugby union in the WC of 2003.What the hell does that mean,every person who breathes knows union is played on the Pacific Islands.
I am becoming convinced that PW knows more about rugby league than the administrations of the RFL ,ARL and RLIF.
The team from over Tonga(not sydney locals)that played a trial against the Raiders this year,must have all been netballers. :idea:
Now " in Tonga a team called the Spartans captured the under 15 title when they edged out the Halaloto Green Barbarians.Then Tonga featuring local players were too strong for Tonga NZ residents at Ericsson stadium no 2 winning 30-20_courtesy of ruby league world November 2004.Of course it must have been beach volleyball :lol:

Taipan the Spartans and Halaloto Barbarians under 15 are Auckland base Tongan Jrs clubs that played each others so they can pick a Auckland Tonga under 15 side in the local Pacific Is Jrs comp . :lol:
Maybe you can stroll down Penrose High School in Auckland if you ever been there and watch both teams compete next year again .

There are handful of pub teams in Tonga with no school comps so I guess thats where those Tonga league players were selected from.
I also know that most of the Tongan players that played for Tonga league in the Pacific Cup also represent Tongan A in rugby union .

Here is an artical from the Taimi Tonga and is a Tongan Newspaper also sold in Australia .


Sometimes it pays to see what is happening with your own eyes to really appreciate why Tongans tend to do better once they step foot on a plane departing Nuku'alofa .
Besides the obvious benefits of getting better coaching , exposure to a higher level competition and training in quality facilities, a young aspiring Tongan athlete also leaves behind the incompetence of local administrators and the fickle politics with seriously hinder sports development .
So as another year winds to an end and a new year dawns, are the signs looking bad or good for a change for a better in 2005? The Armchair Critics takes a look at the Tongan sports scene in and around the Friendly Islands and tells us what he sees.
Rugby continues to dominate the national mind frame and probably always will, until another sport can seriously shake the social fabric .
It was .............................................................................................



It didn't say anything about league or your belove new code soccer shaking the the social fabric .
So carlnz when you try and bulls*it in here make sure you have the evidence to back up your lies otherwise dont let your hate of rugby destroy your life .

The game is played in Tonga PW whether you call them pub teams and there are more than a handful),social clubs,they also play union .The simple fact is they also play rugby league in Tonga whether you like it or not.Using your same dipstick argument the bulk of players in union sides around the world are either pub teams or social teams not pro or even semi pros.If you are going to use that stupid argument the Wallabies are 20% ex league players Sailor,Rogers and Tuqiri.If they play the game they are either union or league players. So what ?
We have had Fijians play for the all Blacks,Australians for the Japanese rugby union,Australians for the Scottish and the USA.
You have just shown that the players in the national teams of Tonga and samoa many of whom are playing in comps in UK ,Japan,NZ and France are not all from their native countries' competition.
Where was the under 15s final match played PW. ?Does it matter they were young Tongans playing rugby league.
They at least represent their home country,not like the Sth African who gave his country the flick to play for the Wallabies.
We have had in Australia for decades players playing rugby union on the saturday and rugby league on the sunday.
Professional rugby union has had one good side effect for rugby league,union players who want to try their hand at league in the off season can do so without the usual discrimination,associated with your beloved code PW.
Tonga will more than likely play in the 2008 rugby league world cup ,and I dont care whether they are former union players,union players,tennis players,league players,boxers,weightlifters as long as they are playing rugby league at this event thats all I care about.People actually play more than one sport,if you hadnt noticed.
No one is arguing that rugby union is the national code of Tonga,geez its hard to get through to you.
You did not respond on Argentina,New Caledonia development ,so silence means reluctant acceptance.

 

[russ13]

Bobbis wrote in part:

...RL USA 820 they only got 5000 for a test v the Kangaroos, according to your site that thats about 4 times USA RU. Given USA RU has about 40000 players while USA RL has just 8 pub teams, no juniors no reserve teams nothing below that, its an incredibly stupid claim to make. I mean anyone who puts their name to such information must have no self respect. Do you actually expect anyone with half a brain to believe such tripe?

The same could be said about the union world cup audience of 3 billion plus.


Imternational rugby union teams playing in the US & Canada get similar sort of crowds to those at the recent RL game. Less than 2000 attended Australia v a Canadian selections a few years ago (even with David Campese playing). Ireland RU team played in Boston the most Irish city in the world outside Ireland & didn't even get 4000.

 

[ruggabugga]

Bobbis,

Don't try and figure it out.
This site is a league propaganda site. Unfortunately those of us that would like to see league back to it's best when 'PUFF' and his mates electrified the stage have to put up with spin doctors making the game look better than it was when it was good. No wonder we love the Wallabies and the Super 12 sides. Wouldn't it be great if both games were still "the best'.

 

[Ari Gold]

Bobbis,

Don't try and figure it out.
This site is a league propaganda site. Unfortunately those of us that would like to see league back to it's best when 'PUFF' and his mates electrified the stage have to put up with spin doctors making the game look better than it was when it was good. No wonder we love the Wallabies and the Super 12 sides. Wouldn't it be great if both games were still "the best'.

what happened to those 3 billion viewers during the RWC???? :lol: :lol:

lol thats what i call propaganda......