I know that whatever I write parra will accuse me of trolling but here go's anyway.
I call a spade a spade, what do you call it?
I dont see the point in rugby league just trying to feed off rugby union in countries like russia, france, canada, america, italy etc.
Who says they are?
Russia has played RL for over 20 years and have players in every age group.
France has played RL since 1934, they started the first RLWC in 1954, they have made 2 RLWC finals. They also have around 70 teams that can be promoted or relegated in their League. They have a SL side that finished in the top 4 with a rebuilt stadium and there are cities and towns in France that a pure RL places where the sport dominates. Nothing to do with your Rah rah so get a clue.
Canada have played RL since the second world war on and off and at times have had their own heartland only for the other countries to never play them, invite them to WCs, tour or even give them recognition that they even play the game. Thus it has never moved forward, but now the game is moving forward.
The USA has played RL on and off for 50 years, again, what this has to do with union is beyond me.
Italy, your code had it banned 50 years ago, nuff said.
I mean really what at all does that achieve, sure you get some people playing the game and you might even be able to put out a half decent international team when you throw in the Australian mercenaries, but to me at least it just seems like a pointless exercise. When do these teams ever kick on?
Mercenaries and pointless huh, and you have the hyde to say you aren't trolling.
Well the fact that RL is a brutal sport and you need full time players to play at a high standard sort of goes against new nations coming along and joining the big boys straight away, it's not soccer where skill is all you need, there's a lot more too it.
Look at your code, who out of the countries that have played the game for at least 60 years have come along and done what you say RL hasn't or can't?
Name one.
You also need money.
And what does it acheive you ask, well so far, you have shown you have nfi where RL is played and at what level, but here's something, just the other day, a QLD cup side signed 2 guys from Hawaii, why? well because the team must think they see some value in them.
There's players from Serbia playing in France and English comps, why? because those comps see value, but you seem to think RL should give up.
I think you have ulterior motives to be perfectly honest.
I think the way forward for rl is to target countries where rugby isnt played like lebanon and serbia.
They are, but RL has the right to play the f**king game where ever it and the people want it, it's not the 1800/1900s anymore where your code can come in an influence people to ban the game or make it more or less impossible to play.
RL is played in plenty of countries Unionite, get used to it because it's growing every year, and while you're at it, get an education of where exactly it is played and how strong it is in those places before commenting on something you obviously know nothing about.
That way they can develop the game from the ground up rather than the top down.
What, like France and Russia that you posted above? :roll:
I think proper international eligibility rules are also imperative; as is a proper international season.
You don't say.
I was running it I would have a euro and pacific cup, the winner of each moves onto the a smaller more elite 6 country world cup, held every 3 years. So the international schedule would go,
A 6 team WC? :crazy:
Btw, we do have a Pac Island Cup, PNG last won it and we have a Euro cup and France just won it last month.
The winners of these tournaments when being played a year before the 4 nations qualify for the next 4 nations to be held in their hemisphere.
What you are saying would be a backwards step and take the chance these countries have of playing against the big guys away until a small WC where they would get battered.
Year 1: Aus 3 test tour of GB, NZ 3 test tour of France.
How, we can't have tours anymore since the SL changed to summer.
You want the best players to miss a 3rd of the season for their club games to tour all over the joint while the places they are touring have their club sides interrupted as well?
And if you say have it at the end of the year, how is that going to help being away for 7 weeks at least, when do players actually get to have a rest and recover or have an operation if needed?
Year 2: Euro and Pacific Cups, Aus 3 test tour france, NZ 3 test tour GB.
Again the same as above.
Plus we already have a Pac cup held out here when it's our turn for the 4 nations, the Euro cup is every year already.
6 teams?
Who are the 6 and why should all the others not get a crack? I know why, but you will not admit it.
If other sports can have smaller cannon fodder teams learning and playing in WC's, why can't we?
Lets see, Aus, NZ, England, France, Wales and PNG, is that it?
.
In addition to this every year, aus would play 3 tests against nz, likewise GB would play 3 tests against france.
Australia plays NZ usually twice as it is outside 4 nations, the same with England and France.
So thats 6 tests a year for the big 4, as well as a euro and pacific cup for the minnows. You could also throw in some minnow tours in the first year of the cycle but its all dependent on funding.
And where does this funding come from?
Who pays and who compensates the clubs for injuries to star players and the loss of players travelling the world, or 6 f**king nations?
I think the basis of a credible international competition is there, but the ego's of those in charge will mean leagues potential will never be reached and instead league will try and copy soccer and union, in a less effective and less popular manner.
The 4 Nations is the step in the right direction, the next step is putting in another full time member when one of either France, Wales or PNG steps up to make a 5 nations with the same format as now where the next best in whatever hemisphere it is played can have a crack at the top 4.
Embrace change and a different way forward and I'm sure their will be credible growth.
Among 6 nations only and not to be played where RU is and someone somewhere will pay for it? :lol::crazy:
