Youth World Cup

[langpark]

Not sure if it's been mentioned here before as an idea, but what about if we were to run a Youth World Cup simultaneously to the regular WC? The reason I use the word 'youth' is because I believe the ages should vary according to strength of the nation. So, based on the teams at the last WC, for example it could looks something like this:

Australia - U16
England - U16
NZ - U16
PNG - U18
France - U18
Wales - U18
Ireland - U18
Scotland - U18
Tonga - U18
Samoa - U18
Fiji - U18
Cook Islands - U18
USA - U20
Italy - U20

So the nations are basically split into 3 tiers to hopefully ensure more competitive matches.

There would be no qualifying. If your senior team qualifies, then so do you.

Each match would simply be a curtain-raiser to the senior match...

Thoughts?

 

[Evil Homer]

I hardly think this is necessary, France U18s regularly beat England U18s for example. Just have a concurrent U19s World Cup. Something that is long, long overdue. Contrived bullshit not necessary.

 

[langpark]

For top tier nations, yes, you are right. But if the likes of Serbia or Russia start qualifying, they would get slaughtered by the top nations. Even an U23 side would be no match for the Aussie U16. Some concessions would surely need to be made there.

 

[Evil Homer]

I don't see why. Playing 16 year olds against 20+ year olds doesn't do anything for anyone, in fact it defeats the entire point of playing youth internationals. Who cares if the games are not competitive? Why would it be necessary to try and artificially engineer competitive matches at junior level?

 

[siv]

U18s RLWC worked very succesfully in 9s format recently

With Canada making the semis and PNG wining the final

So I agree that we need biuld upon this as U18s is just before they snapped up and body shape gets altered by senior competitions

I also beleive a U20s RLWC should be setup

Soccer has proved you need these early competitions to make thr senior WC a success

 

[deal.with.it]

Bad idea.
Stick to U18s. Gives Serbia and Jamaica etc a chance to build the game and attract more gov $$

 

[paulmac]

Just seed the sides so the big guns are kept away from the minnows ie
Pool A - Aus,NZ,Eng
Pool B - France,PNG,Fiji
Pool C - Wales,Samoa,Tonga
Pool D - Serbia,Sth Africa,Canada
1/4 #1 - A1 v C2
1/4 #2 - B1 v C1
1/4 #3 - A2 v B2
1/4 #4 - A3 v D1
SF #1 - win qf1 v win qf2
SF #2 - win qf3 v win qf4
FINAL

 

[Evil Homer]

Just seed the sides so the big guns are kept away from the minnows ie
Pool A - Aus,NZ,Eng
Pool B - France,PNG,Fiji
Pool C - Wales,Samoa,Tonga
Pool D - Serbia,Sth Africa,Canada
1/4 #1 - A1 v C2
1/4 #2 - B1 v C1
1/4 #3 - A2 v B2
1/4 #4 - A3 v D1
SF #1 - win qf1 v win qf2
SF #2 - win qf3 v win qf4
FINAL

No, play the minnows against the big guns. Why people in RL are so desperate to segregate international teams, I'll never understand.

 

[langpark]

Probably because, watching a match finish 180-0, where one of the teams never actually touches the ball, is a little bit boring? (and does nothing for improvement of either side)

 

[Evil Homer]

Probably because, watching a match finish 180-0, where one of the teams never actually touches the ball, is a little bit boring? (and does nothing for improvement of either side)

Apart from the fact that junior rep matches are in no way designed to be a spectator product, if that ever happens then let me know.

This isn't full-time players against hapless amateurs, it's kids against kids. They may get a bit of a tubbing which they would learn a great deal from, they would not lose "180-0", that's ridiculous.

 

[Storm13]

You could have it run like the cricket where the affiliates get players that can be one year older (correct?). I would only have that for players who haven't come through say the professional junior setup.

 

[siv]

We should have been playing a U20s RLWC in 2015

 

[Burns]

Womens RLWC would also work?

 

[hutch]

There should be a youth World Cup every year. Under 19's or 20's!

 

[CC_Roosters]

Agree with the sentiment, along with more structured competition at youth level there should definitely be a youth world cup. U19 would be a good balance I think

It is a real necessity to have this to further legitimise the international game. if we can get players in their teens regularly performing for various nations before they mature into professionals then the inter national game imo would be more valued by the players in general.

Competitions I would like to see-
U19 world cup- hosted in the same year as the senior edition. Two groups of 4 teams- Aus, Eng, Fra, NZ automatic qualification. 4 spots up for grabs in qual. tournaments in each hemisphere.

Pacific youth cup- hosted annually except middle year of world cup cycle, hosting rights rotate between participants and tournament proceeding WC doubles up as WC qualifiers. Aus, NZ, Fiji, PNG, Tonga, Samoa.

Euro youth cup- again annually except middle year of world cup cycle, hosting rights rotate between participants and tournament proceeding WC doubles up as WC qualifiers. Tiered divisions as per the senior euro cup
Tier A- Eng, Fra, Wales, Ire
Tier B- ........

Americas Youth cup- hosting same as above with USA, Canada and Jamaica the principle nations in the short term.

Youth tours- reserved for the middle year of world cup cycle only. Thinking Eng, Aus, NZ and Fra schoolboy sides but no reason why PNG, Wales and Fiji cannot be involved down the track with sufficient funding.