RLWC 08 a Joke.

Diamondmaker

From the evidence of the last 2 meetings in the cetenery match and the 1st gropu match there is no doubt Australia will win the final.

It was comical to see a semi final score of 52 nil in a world cup semi final and latest info is the Australia are unbackable favourites to beat the kiwis.

Despite the obvious Australian supremacy it was ridiculous to see England in a world cup semi final after only winning one game !

The last group game between NZ and Eng haing no bearing on the competiton was farcical..

The group set ups were odd and the easy route given to Eng, Oz and NZ to the semis was laugahble. I understand why it was done but the amount of dead rubber fixtures that transpired as above ( and should have been forseen ) was crazy.

Even the Aussies I work with are taking no interest in the comp as they understand they are he only nation with a strong League set up and are not taking any real passion out of this competition.

I guess there is no real solution to the problem as it always has been this way and probably always will be that Australia will be so much more powerfiul than everypne else.

toomevara

Depends on the mood you get me in, whether the glass is half empty or half full in relation to international RL. But I really can't argue with most of the points you make. I'd desperately hoped that the English and the Kiwis would have put up some decent resistance to the all-conquering Aussie juggernaut...but it wasn't to be and I can't see the final, barring an absolute miracle, being anything other than a one sided coronation for the 'Roos.

The really good plus points for me have been the fantastic showing of the minnows..ourselves in particular, I reckon that had we been in the so called group of death, we'd have run both the English and the Kiwis close....

The French were a major disappointment, but the islanders were magnificent and PNG stole everyone's heart...

I've long advocated the creation of a four nations competition on these islands to give more regular meaningful international competition for the national teams (I mean when will Ireland get to play together again as a unit, how do we maintain the momentum generated by our good showing in the comp?).

I would take issue with your comment that Australia is the only country with a strong league set-up, the Super League is a brilliant high quality competition watched by thousands week in-week out (I never tire of telling anyone who'll listen that the best supported club rugby team in England is not any of the union sides but Leeds RL). The problem is there are too many foreigners in the various teams and not enough home grown talent...I only hope their woeful WC showing will lead to a change on that score...

Only hope the Kiwis can pull it out next weekend, and upset the apple cart..

Diamondmaker

toomevara wrote: »

. The problem is there are too many foreigners in the various teams and not enough home grown talent...I only hope their woeful WC showing will lead to a change on that score...

Only hope the Kiwis can pull it out next weekend, and upset the apple cart..

Ha I agree this is the problem with the English Soccer and UNion teams alos.

Seems to be an English thing for the clubs to hold the power that is the eventual demise of the national team.

The IRFU have it spot on and I really expect that in a few generations we should be a stronger rugby nation as others suffer due to poor set ups.

toomevara

Yeah, think the upcoming clash between Leeds and Manly in the world club championship will be more indicative of the strength of the respective leagues.

Diamondmaker

toomevara wrote: »

Yeah, think the upcoming clash between Leeds and Manly in the world club championship will be more indicative of the strength of the respective leagues.

I agree and disagree...Leeds did a number over The Storm and then but a few months later Australia destroyed England.

Even the predominantly NRL based Kiwi team proved too strong twice for England.

toomevara

Diamondmaker wrote: »

I agree and disagree...Leeds did a number over The Storm and then but a few months later Australia destroyed England.

Even the predominantly NRL based Kiwi team proved too strong twice for England.

Oh aye, I'm with you, my point is that a game between the two best teams in the respective comps (composed,as they are, of a mixed bag of players drawn from a wide range of nationalities) will give an insight into the strengths of the two leagues, if not the respective national teams...if you know what I mean...

Trampas

I couldn't believe that 3rd in Group A got into the semi finals while only 1st in the other 2 groups go through and then they had to face each other to get a place in the semi finals.

Who came up with the idea of the set up and what was idea behind it?

toomevara

Trampas wrote: »

I couldn't believe that 3rd in Group A got into the semi finals while only 1st in the other 2 groups go through and then they had to face each other to get a place in the semi finals.

Who came up with the idea of the set up and what was idea behind it?

The tournament organisers came up with the format of the comp to mitigate against 100+ point thrashings for the smaller nations, but they must be kicking themselves as its clear they underestimated the quality of the smaller squads while overestimating the quality of England and the Kiwis...

The best games involved teams like Ireland,Scotland, Samoa and Tonga...huge pride and commitment and some beautiful rugby to boot. A missed opportunity. I only hope it leads the powers that be to create a more regular tournament for smaller nations...I'm always bleating on about an RL 4 or five nations every year. From the performances of all involved in the WC (with the paradoxical exception of Wales) it would be a cracking event.

mountain

Personally i enjoyed the comp so far, agreed the best matches have been the ones between the smaller countries, because they have been the most evenly matched teams.

Not sure about the benefits of a RL 4, England would be head and shoulders above rest of us, based on the fact that we would have no aussie based players available, and that the world cup was a once off, 3 matches that we were really up for.

With regard to the standard in NRL v Super League, english teams have won the Club Championship the past 6-7 times, yet i dont think a super league team would do well in a season long NRL season.

Maccattack

How do you feel now?:cool:

Serenity Now!

toomevara wrote: »

Yeah, think the upcoming clash between Leeds and Manly in the world club championship will be more indicative of the strength of the respective leagues.

No, it won't.
Its a pre-season romp in the park to launch the seasons (have you seen the defences in these 'World' Club Franchises??). Unless it was played in a two-match 'series', advantage will always be to the home side.

toomevara

Serenity Now! wrote: »

No, it won't.
Its a pre-season romp in the park to launch the seasons (have you seen the defences in these 'World' Club Franchises??). Unless it was played in a two-match 'series', advantage will always be to the home side.

yeah, probably....I guess I just meant in terms of relative playing styles and approach to the game. If there's one thing I gleaned from this years WC its that there are two very distinct brands of RL emerging in the S and N hemisphere.

Anyway, I'm off to Elland road again this year, so I'll let you know how it goes....

drzhivago

toomevara wrote: »

yeah, probably....I guess I just meant in terms of relative playing styles and approach to the game. If there's one thing I gleaned from this years WC its that there are two very distinct brands of RL emerging in the S and N hemisphere.
Anyway, I'm off to Elland road again this year, so I'll let you know how it goes....

Agree re the different games/brands

They are going to have two refs, cant wait o see that confusion

Ireland will be playing a home match Oct 31st or Nov 1st in the Euro Nations this year, think its against Serbia. No venue yet

Winners of that comp next year willplay in following years quad nations (Eng/Aus/NZ) which is a big incentive for players to declare their hand for Ireland now

They woudl then automatically qualify for the World Cup 2013, hope its held in Aus, will be due a holiday at that stage