World Cup

[Dimitri]

the last world cup was held in the UK and FRANCE in 2000
with 16 teams

what do you think should happen for the next world cup

which of the 16 teams from last time should play
AUS
ENG
FIJI
RUSSIA
NZ
COOK ISLANDS
WALES
LEBANON
SOUTH AFRICA
TONGA
PNG
FRANCE
NZ MAORI
IRELAND
SCOTLAND
SAMOA???


WHERE SHOULD IT BE PLAYED

 

[Kurt Angle ©]

Ideal would be 16 teams

Teams

Australia
New Zealand
England
Wales

France
PNG
Lebanon (Still has lingering doubts in regards to their legitimacy, but coming along nicely)
Russia (The review of the york 9's came out yesterday, an open age event. Apparently as a curtain raiser the Russian U15 team travelled there, and was virtually equal in playing ability to the GB u15 side, this looks promising)

Samoa
Fiji

These are the 10 sides than can easily make squads with players born there.

Then would come:

Ireland (Strong side, virtually all English though, with Irish parentage)
Tonga
Cook Islands


Last 3 can be assembled from nations who play it as amateurs, or teams linked to parentage, consisting of:

Scotland
Morocco *
Japan
USA


or fledgling RU nations recently taking up RL

New Caledonia
Argentina (this year) *
South Africa *

* (comprises of my choices)

Argentina and SA because they have most potential, even SA has asked to host the emerging nations world cup. Morocco because they have the strongest domestic competition, very close call to USA, see how they come along and maybe this can change.

The obvious place should be to host it in NZ and Australia.

Then to determine where you play it would involve what you want it to achieve. I don't think a RL world cup in Aus/NZ can acheive both a profit and raising its profile.

To raise its profile I think would involve playing Australia's pool games in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth because quite simply they are they only team that could draw a crowd.

But with the roos playing there, NSW and Qld would have small crowds, leaving venues such as Parramatta Stadium as where they would be played. With the 'roos to play 1/4's, semis & finals in Newcastle/Canberra, Brisbane and Sydney, this would pretty much cover the losses made by the other venues. Good in raising its profile, but break even really.

Along with other things, 1 pool which NZ in in play games in NZ, and 3 pool games by PNG played in Port Moresby.

If you wanted to make money, and still it wouldn't be a lot, $0.5-2 million for the whole tournament would be realistic, you'd confine games to NSW and Qld, maybe one kangaroo game in Melbourne.

And this might be bad because the other states might take this as a snub and lower RL's already tarnished reputation there.

Again... you could use it as a break even tournament to try and raise its profile. I think in countries such as Russia, France and Lebanon, just a WC tournament regardless would suffice with the profile in their respective countries.

The attempt at a profit making venture could be used to fund other programs.

All in all, its not an easy thing to choose, and in all likely hood not going to happen anyway, shame really.

 

[Mint Condition]

You can't put NZ Maori in a World Cup.

It's was a joke last time and it'd be a joke this time aswell. It should be nations only, not races.

I think it should start small, you don't want too many blow outs.

I reckon 12 teams:

Australia, England, NZ, Wales, Scotland, Ireland (do they play RL?), Russia, PNG, Lebanon, France, Fiji, Tonga

and have that developing nations cup thing like they did last time with the rest of them.

2 pools of 6, then semis then final is how I'd go.

 

[Aucklander]

IIRC, Parramatta won the "World 7's" so I can't see anything wrong with a Maori team competing.

I personally think it's a bit rich, that players who may live in Australia, the UK, New Zealand etc can have two bites at selection in a National team due to the Grand-Parent rule or whatever, while denying that same right to Maori.

I'd have 6 teams gaining direct entry, with the rest in a qualifying tournament making the final number 12 teams also.

 

[dr nick]

the world sevens was a mickey mouse tournament if ever i saw one. if the world cup wants to hold any credibility, it must be fought out by countries

 

[dr nick]

In the RL world cup, i would be eligible for Australia, England and NZ

 

[Aucklander]

I can play for New Zealand, Scotland and England.

 

[dr nick]

Originally posted by AuckMel
I can play for New Zealand, Scotland and England.

Not Australia???

my last name is Welsh in origin. i wonder if that qualifies me.

 

[Aucklander]

Originally posted by nicko18
Not Australia???

my last name is Welsh in origin. i wonder if that qualifies me.

I'm a Kiwi. GP's are from Eng and Scot.

And on your last name, more than likely.

 

[Richoagain]

I'm an American citizen as my father never bothered with naturalisation - so that gives me two to choose from.

But hey, the last rugby league world cup was a bit dodge like that all the way, was there a single country bar the NZ and England squads that didn't have an Aussie connection (not a troll, that's a serious question)? Having Lebanon represented by Sydney Lebanese is great as far as giving yourself another team, but in a world cup it's a bit dodge.

It's like if the AFL put together a team with the Jakoviches, Grgics, Didak, Dragicevic et al and said 'hey look, let's call it Croatia and play them against Australia'.

The AmNRL website a little while back had an article about an Aussie from the level below the NRL in Sydney who'd become an American cit for international matches.

Bite the bullet, have a tri nations between Australia, GB and NZ for the elite internationals and have a true developing nations world cup for the rest.

 

[robbieando]

I can play for, Australia, England, Scotland and Wales

 

[Richoagain]

Actually, I might be able to play for Germany as well.

 

[Ms.Storm]

Originally posted by Richoagain
Actually, I might be able to play for Germany as well.

Me too...seeing I was born there!

Might fit me in the RLWC for females though