World Cup embarrassment

[Joel-22]

Something needs to be done about the ridiculous mismatches. It's not a good look for the game and does nothing to promote it. 74-6, 52-6, 50-6, 58-12 etc.
They need to do something like change the eligibility criteria and encourage players to play for other countries. They could also enter an Indigenous Australian side - that would be another side capable of keeping within 18 points of Australia.
It's gotten to the point that I don't even support the kangaroos, I just support whoever is playing against them.
Anyone agree or feel similarly?

 

[Perth Red]

Something needs to be done about the ridiculous mismatches. It's not a good look for the game and does nothing to promote it. 74-6, 52-6, 50-6, 58-12 etc.
They need to do something like change the eligibility criteria and encourage players to play for other countries. They could also enter an Indigenous Australian side - that would be another side capable of keeping within 18 points of Australia.
It's gotten to the point that I don't even support the kangaroos, I just support whoever is playing against them.
Anyone agree or feel similarly?

No I don't agree, there isn't a sporting World Cup contest that doesn't have blow outs. Why do you think RL can or should somehow be different?

Do you think nz'ers don't follow the all blacks because they are so good or Americans don't support USA in basketball? RL,fans are a weird bunch!

 

[beave]

See the rah rah tonight?

Wallaclowns hosed the Japs 63-30. Now that’s a real scoreline....

 

[Joel-22]

I dunno, I just wish it was actually competitive. There's nothing exciting about watching Australia trot out their c grade side to flog other countries.
I mean, that's what makes the NRL exciting - virtually anyone can win

 

[Perth Red]

Pool games with blow out. Scores in the ruwc15. And remember it's harder to score tries in union and poorer teams can keep scores close through negative play and kicking penalties

Wales 54-Uruguay 9
Australia 65- Uruguay 3
Fiji 47- Uruguay 15
England 60- Uruguay 3
Scotland 45- Japan 10
Sth Africa 64 - USA 0
Nz 58 - Namibia 14
Agentina 54 - Georgia 9
Nz 43 - Georgia 10
Argentina 45- Tonga 16
Nz 48- Tonga 9
Argentina 64 - Namibia 19
Ireland 50 - Canada 7
Ireland 44- Romania 10
France 41- Canada 18

QF's
Nz 62-France 13
Argentina 43-Ireland 20

 

[Perth Red]

I dunno, I just wish it was actually competitive. There's nothing exciting about watching Australia trot out their c grade side to flog other countries.
I mean, that's what makes the NRL exciting - virtually anyone can win

In the ideal world yes, but in the real world it doesn't happen that way in a World Cup where you have minnows drawn against world superpowers

Despite the score and the sht crowd still enjoyed watching the game and seeing France put in and score a great try, moral victory not to get nilled lol

 

[jim_57]

The difference between the top team and bottom team is much the same as 2013 and 2008, I think the main difference this world cup is that Tonga, Samoa, Fiji & PNG have stepped it up a level so you will get more floggings even amongst the "tier 2s". That and France, Wales & Scotland all came missing a good handful of first teamers which is a write off with such shit depth.

IMO the real test of competitiveness will come in the quarters, I imagine we will see a closer final series than ever before even if it is Australia, NZ, England + 1 in the semis and Australia V NZ/England final.

 

[langpark]

Nothing embarrassing about it at all. It's the group stage, this inevitably happens in almost every sport in the early stages, get over it people!

I think it's the whole salary cap in NRL has blurred people's vision into thinking every match MUST go down to the wire or else something is wrong.

 

[the beavers]

Pool games with blow out. Scores in the ruwc15. And remember it's harder to score tries in union and poorer teams can keep scores close through negative play and kicking penalties

Wales 54-Uruguay 9
Australia 65- Uruguay 3
Fiji 47- Uruguay 15
England 60- Uruguay 3
Scotland 45- Japan 10
Sth Africa 64 - USA 0
Nz 58 - Namibia 14
Agentina 54 - Georgia 9
Nz 43 - Georgia 10
Argentina 45- Tonga 16
Nz 48- Tonga 9
Argentina 64 - Namibia 19
Ireland 50 - Canada 7
Ireland 44- Romania 10
France 41- Canada 18

QF's
Nz 62-France 13
Argentina 43-Ireland 20

In 2013 ruwc Argentina won a quarter final.... in the 2 world cups prior they were on the end of some floggings.
Who's to say a country like Lebanon won't do similar. These world cups are part of their development .

 

[kiwileaguefan]

How about after two in half games the scoreline for the big three first the second tier is 148-18

 

[kiwileaguefan]

Pool games with blow out. Scores in the ruwc15. And remember it's harder to score tries in union and poorer teams can keep scores close through negative play and kicking penalties

Yet in League we stop the clock every chance they can...i.e. when lining up conversations etc.

If the referee hadn't stop the clock for every conversion for last nights France vs Aussie game i honestly believe the game would have finished 42-6

 

[Springs09]

In 2013 the first three games of the big three versus the second tier it was 124-2. So what?

 

[Springs09]

Yet in League we stop the clock every chance they can...i.e. when lining up conversations etc.

If the referee hadn't stop the clock for every conversion for last nights France vs Aussie game i honestly believe the game would have finished 42-6

The refereeing has been strange. I don't understand the clock being stopped so often, but also why the 50/50 calls are going to the big teams. Negative wrestling crap including grapple tackles have not been penalised either.

 

[beave]

Yet in League we stop the clock every chance they can...i.e. when lining up conversations etc.

If the referee hadn't stop the clock for every conversion for last nights France vs Aussie game i honestly believe the game would have finished 42-6

Do we?

I must follow a different Rugby League to you......

 

[kiwileaguefan]

Do we?

I must follow a different Rugby League to you......

Watch the next conversion...after about 30-45 seconds after the try the referee stops the clock.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Something needs to be done about the ridiculous mismatches. It's not a good look for the game and does nothing to promote it. 74-6, 52-6, 50-6, 58-12 etc.
They need to do something like change the eligibility criteria and encourage players to play for other countries. They could also enter an Indigenous Australian side - that would be another side capable of keeping within 18 points of Australia.
It's gotten to the point that I don't even support the kangaroos, I just support whoever is playing against them.
Anyone agree or feel similarly?

Nah, its good for the minnow nations to compete with the Big 3 is good and needed...

If you isolate the big 3, it stops being a World Cup and becomes a Tri-Series with a side-show. And when do you stop the isolation?? Lebonon did great tonight keeping up with England and the likes of PNG/Tonga/Fiji could even give the Aussies a scare.

The problem with international RL isnt the blowouts, its the top teams. The Aussies can smash anyone. What we NEED is a group of 3/4 who are hard to separate. Knowing the Aussies already have it won is what makes the comps boring...

 

[madunit]

Something needs to be done about the ridiculous mismatches. It's not a good look for the game and does nothing to promote it. 74-6, 52-6, 50-6, 58-12 etc.
They need to do something like change the eligibility criteria and encourage players to play for other countries. They could also enter an Indigenous Australian side - that would be another side capable of keeping within 18 points of Australia.
It's gotten to the point that I don't even support the kangaroos, I just support whoever is playing against them.
Anyone agree or feel similarly?

The solution is to stop having elite teams only playing other elite teams all the time and only having minnows playing only against minnows.

 

[Pommy]

They need to do something like change the eligibility criteria and encourage players to play for other countries.

How much broader do you want them to be? You can play for your grandparents nation and you can play for a country you have held residence in for a substantial amount of time.
Any loser and you’re playing club footy.

 

[StadiumXIII]

Something needs to be done about the ridiculous mismatches. It's not a good look for the game and does nothing to promote it. 74-6, 52-6, 50-6, 58-12 etc.
They need to do something like change the eligibility criteria and encourage players to play for other countries. They could also enter an Indigenous Australian side - that would be another side capable of keeping within 18 points of Australia.
It's gotten to the point that I don't even support the kangaroos, I just support whoever is playing against them.
Anyone agree or feel similarly?

Only nations should feature in a World Cup. I think the draw had a lot to do with it, but either way it wouldn't have made much difference outside of Aus, NZ, Eng except of course the odd Pacific side mightn't be too far off shocking the Kiwis or England, long way to catch up to Australia though. I always barrack the other way as well. I doubt even making the WC final would leave much of an impact in that particular country, with none if any local based players included in the starting 17. Our best bet at getting more competitive nations is in the Pacific. Looks like the 2000 World Cup tbh and that was a disaster. I don't know if we're in a position to recover another setback like that. The world's changed a lot since then.

 

[Brutus]

World Cup is just fine.

I am loving it and take it as the celebration of rugby league that it is.