Will the International Game ever grow??

[Ari Gold]

I think we will see another professional league within 10 years.

The PNG comp could go pro.

The USA comp could go pro.

The France comp could go pro.

The Qld cup could go pro.

The Bartercard cup could go pro.

Or we could see a ESL second division go pro with sides from England, Wales, Ireland, France and even Russia or other countries (Lebanon?).

Russia, Lebanon is ESL 2nd Div? Not even soccer could sustain that amount of travel week in, week out.

2 of International RL's biggest sleeping giants, USA and Italy have been the slowest in developing the sport, which has been very disappointing.

I can see something big coming out of PNG in 5-10 years... they'll be the next to join the top 3.

 

[Woods99]

For "re-invent itself" read "throw out 100+ years of the amateur tradition."

It's arguable rugby union doesn't even exist now. Just some bastardised thing called "Professional rugby union".

What a joke of a sport...

Calixte,

Most of our sports have an amateur tradition. Even tennis was amateur until relatively recently, as were athletics, swimming, and all other Olympic sports. Cricket in Australia was effectively amateur until the Packer revolution, players got a tiny daily allowance when they played state or Test cricket.

It is impossible to understand the point you are making. Rugby union exists all right, just check out the IRB site, Planet Rugby, all the major newspapers, etc etc..

One of the great things about rugby union is that a lot of people do play the game as amateurs. Is there anything wrong with that? Professionalism will grow, but the amateur game will also grow.

 

[bobbis]

Anyone who thinks the USA is anywhere near a professional rugby league competition needs to take their hand off it. If RU hasnt gone professional in the USA with a long tradition in the game, about 500 times as many players and about that many times as popular you have to conclude that for rugby league to go professional it would have to at least grow 100000% and even then its unlikely.

Unfortunately for RL PNG isnt well off economically so just like RU in the pacific a pro comp is unlikely. If there was significant improvement possibly a Port Moresby team but thats in the very long run.

For RL to be more competitive is doesnt necessarily need more professional nations although that would obviously help. PNG has 5 million people and RL is the national sport, theres no reason given proper develoment efforts that in a couple of decades they couldnt be compeitive. If promising young PNG juniors were brought over to Australian clubs to play and learn thered be a substantial improvement in standard. Also I can't see why PNG plays so few internationals its discraceful, they should be playing a few tests at the end of the year against the trinations teams on their bye weeks as well as against the French, to ensure its doesnt lose to much money play the matches in Australia and NZ in cities that don't see an abundance of top quality RL. However with the myopic outlook of Australian rugby league I don't expect this to happen. But if the IRLF cant organise a website you can't expect much.

 

[hgfds]

The rlif have to put the effort in somewhere to grow the game and some countries have to have regular internationals after the wc qualifers,countries that should have regular touring teams are south africa,japan,italy,usa,png,russia

 

[griff]

The whole issue needs to put into the context that rugby union has had only 10 years to re-invent itself as an openly professional game. That's rugby union's fault, but it takes time to build a genuinely strong professional game, especially in a place like Australia, where there are three other strong winter codes.

Exactly, it is their fault. But looking round the world today the number of professionals is much the same. I doubt the number of RU professionals is going to increase in Australia much from the 100-200 it currently is.

 

[Paley]

Calixte,

Most of our sports have an amateur tradition. Even tennis was amateur until relatively recently, as were athletics, swimming, and all other Olympic sports. Cricket in Australia was effectively amateur until the Packer revolution, players got a tiny daily allowance when they played state or Test cricket.

It is impossible to understand the point you are making. Rugby union exists all right, just check out the IRB site, Planet Rugby, all the major newspapers, etc etc..

One of the great things about rugby union is that a lot of people do play the game as amateurs. Is there anything wrong with that? Professionalism will grow, but the amateur game will also grow.

Cricket, in England at least, used to be split between gentlemen (amateurs) and players (professionals) - they could play on the same team but only a "gentleman" could be captain. Curiously the best paid cricketers were often "gentlemen" - WG Grace and Andrew Stoddart were "amateurs" but were paid far more to play than any of their contemporary professionals. Stoddart also captained the first rugby tour to Australia - for which he was paid an up front fee of £200.

When rugby split to give us the 2 sports of rugby and union players were paid in both sports although rugby was much stricter than union of payments - some of the clubs which split saw their payments to players actually reduced.

Both rugby and union are played by professionals and amateurs - the vast majority of rugby players are amateur.

 

[rugby13france-livrade+sav]

the ru's big advantages it is: . their regular international competitions, . their very numerous international fans, . their sponsors: numerous and big international companies, . their very performant international governing body, . + to be since several years a member of the GAISF.

Due to a performant international governing body, to integrate the professional sport they haven't had numerous big problems.