RLWC 2013

toomevara

Well here goes...it's drawing ever closer and I sincerely hope it works out, but I do have some serious reservations about the way this competition is being marketed, planned and organised. An Australian win is probably as inevitable as Christmas, but England may be competitive given the number of players in key positions playing in the NRL. I suppose my big question is will there be any interest in the Ireland/Australia game in Thomond on 9th Nov? I'm worried that a massive, and possibly inevitable, shellacking won't do much for the game's already non-existent profile in Ireland...

Dozen Wicked Words

Any word on how many tickets they've sold? A close game against a more closely matched team would have been better but good few expat Aussies will probably go (hopefully?).

Its such a good game compared to union and such a shame the game won't even be a blip on the news reports, particularly if Ireland get tonked.

toomevara

Haven't heard anything about ticket sales as yet. We've got Fiji in our group, think that would have been a better game to showcase league. I'll probably head to the Ireland/England game in Huddersfield.

.ak

toomevara wrote: »

Well here goes...it's drawing ever closer and I sincerely hope it works out, but I do have some serious reservations about the way this competition is being marketed, planned and organised. An Australian win is probably as inevitable as Christmas, but England may be competitive given the number of players in key positions playing in the NRL. I suppose my big question is will there be any interest in the Ireland/Australia game in Thomond on 9th Nov? I'm worried that a massive, and possibly inevitable, shellacking won't do much for the game's already non-existent profile in Ireland...

Thinking of wetting my league whistle and popping down for the match in Thomond.

toomevara

.ak wrote: »

Thinking of wetting my league whistle and popping down for the match in Thomond.

If nothing else you'll see some of the finest rugby players (either code) in the world on the 'roos team...

toomevara

.ak wrote: »

Thinking of wetting my league whistle and popping down for the match in Thomond.

May make the trip myself, rug-rat and the missus permitting....

mountain

I'm heading to thomond with my boys, great chance to see the Aussies up close, and as said earlier, some of them are great players in either code.

Maybe something could be posted in the union section, as some of the posters over there may be unaware of the match coming up?

toomevara

mountain wrote: »

Maybe something could be posted in the union section, as some of the posters over there may be unaware of the match coming up?

perhaps .ak might consider it as the game gets closer? Would be good to drum up as much interest as possible....

.ak

Yeah sure - we obviously have separate forums for a reason but I have no problem posting something over there closer to date to direct some traffic here and gather some interest. Obviously a lot of the Limerick based posters will be interested.

Just remind me closer to the date!

Dozen Wicked Words

I was hoping to go down, just cant afford the 90 euro it will cost for me to bring the family in, (couldn't persuade them to stand for the game which would have bought it down to 50 euro) plus whatever it would cost to stop down there. Not saying its expensive, just too expensive for me at the minute unfortunately.

Newtown90

Looking forward to the oz game in thomond a lot now! I'm a fan of both codes but it will be my first league game going to see!

Booked my tickets in August ---- and yes I was eager!

toomevara

Irish Squad named today;

Ireland squad: Dave Allen, Luke Ambler, Bob Beswick, Damien Blanch, Danny Bridge, Ben Currie, Liam Finn, Simon Finnigan, Scott Grix, Simon Grix, Kurt Haggerty, James Hasson, Rory Kostjasyn, Stuart Littler, Tyrone McCarthy, James Mendeika, Anthony Mullally, Eamon O'Carroll, Apirana Pewhairangi, Pat Richards, Colton Roche, Marc Sneyd, Joshua Toole, Brett White.

Dozen Wicked Words

Pat Richards was a great ringer last time out, his goal kicking should help Ireland out a bit.

toomevara

Yeah, there are some handy enough players in there...the Grix Bros. Blanch,Ambler, Finn, bridge, Beswick...hopefully they'll do a decent job...and Im a great fan of Mark Aston's, hes done a fantastic job for the eagles...

MerryWhistleblo

As a follower of the domestic game, I am thoroughly disenchanted by the governing body. Post 2008, commitments were made by the directors and management to bring the game in Ireland to a standard where 5 domestic based players would attain the required skills, physique and aptitude to be selected for the 2013 WC squad. The blueprint for development agreed by the board of RLI was ratified by the member clubs more through omission than participation, a thorough reflection of the state of the domestic game. Rugby league is dying on its feet in Ireland, it will shortly consist of a governing body, a couple of employees, a national team that has no link back to its member clubs and a few member clubs. If I was an organiser, player or supporter in Ulster, I would reinvent the wheel and form a governing body separate to RLI. Good rugby league people like Tim Morton, Wayne Kelly, Manus Lappin, Pascal Mulot and Adam Agbokhaie have been chewed up by the relentless incapabilities of the bean counters and charlatans who seem to find a home at the top end of rugby league administration. RU busted flushes should not be using RL as a haven for their ineptitude, and those that allow this to continue should take the mirror of the wall because if they can look themselves in the face and not be ashamed by their obsequiousness to the "guidance" provided by the paymasters.. Member clubs of RLI should look at themselves and define their purpose.. is it to grow the game, is it to provide their local pub sponsor a bit of summer business or do you respect the game enough to fulfill fixtures? Do you realise the hard birth of rugby league, the demands that are required of you to play ,to coach, to line pitches, to find a sponsor, to find players, to spread the gospel to a public that will appreciate your effort but will turn their back when you can't sustain the effort?

toomevara

Not living in Ireland I really don't have enough insight to comment Merry. But it does seem from afar that the RLI haven't been... ahem, as effective as they might have been n promoting the sport, BUT on the other hand trying to get rugby league off the ground in Ireland must be a massive task. There are huge levels of ignorance around the game and a lot of Union folk are, in my experience, actively prejudiced against the game, a prejudice often without any basis in fact. Ignorance around the game is huge, and as I've said here before when I've taken Union loving friends to Headingley to watch Leeds they've been amazed by the speed, skill, aggression and passion surrounding the game.

Having to compete against GAA, Soccer, Union must be a nightmare. Even over here where there's a well established professional game, it is very much the poor relation and has virtually no media or public recognition outside of the M62 corridor. The Super League couldn't even get a sponsor this year. In that context maybe the RLI's travails are more understandable...

themont85

Same story with the USA, Italian and several other teams. I read a stat that 85% of the 14 countries participating players are from 5 countries with over 50% English or Australian born. Lots of players who have played for more than one nation. USA Rugby League people are very unhappy with the squad. It makes you wonder what's the point when not even one domestic player can play.

The game hasn't raised an eye lid here. Do we even know will this be on tv in Ireland? If so I presume Setanta as Premier Sports have it in the UK.

Dozen Wicked Words

themont85 wrote: »

Same story with the USA, Italian and several other teams. I read a stat that 85% of the 14 countries participating players are from 5 countries with over 50% English or Australian born. Lots of players who have played for more than one nation. USA Rugby League people are very unhappy with the squad. It makes you wonder what's the point when not even one domestic player can play.

The game hasn't raised an eye lid here. Do we even know will this be on tv in Ireland? If so I presume Setanta as Premier Sports have it in the UK.

I think it's a bit of a no win. Playing with all the ringers may give respectability to some of the scorelines but maybe lose some people's respect of the tournament and international RL generally.

Sports often don't raise an eyelid here until there is a sniff of success. Don't remember women's rugby union featuring too heavily on news bulletins until the Irish women won the Grandslam.

Such scant TV coverage is a real shame though, viewing figures will be tiny and the chance to spread what's good about RL will be missed here.

ednwireland

whats parking like near thomond ? thinking of driving down from donegal

Dozen Wicked Words

England beaten by Italy in a warm up today, only managed 14 points. Pretty terrible way to go into a tournament, maybe they have got their shocker out of their systems now though.

MerryWhistleblo

With respect to all the posters on this forum, I am a victim of my own passions.My love for rugby league often leads to an inevitable build up of frustration which, in turn, leads up to intemperate commentary on the current status of the game of rugby league in Ireland. I would wish for a sustainable domestic competition, a representative national team and an independent governing body giving direction to a competent staff. None of which has anything to do with the selected squad,coaching staff or player development policies promulgated by the governing body, that being another day's commentary(maybe tomorrow).

toomevara

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

England beaten by Italy in a warm up today, only managed 14 points. Pretty terrible way to go into a tournament, maybe they have got their shocker out of their systems now though.

This is an utterly incredible result..didnt see the game, but to call Italy a minnow is doing minnows a disservice....

KevIRL

Just had a look at the TV coverage for this, very disappointing. Would at least have hoped BBC would stream the games they dont show live. Very limited selection

Anyone know if its possible to sign up from a premier sports stream from here? Even with changing DNS settings

KevIRL

KevIRL wrote: »

Just had a look at the TV coverage for this, very disappointing. Would at least have hoped BBC would stream the games they dont show live. Very limited selection

Anyone know if its possible to sign up from a premier sports stream from here? Even with changing DNS settings

To answer my own question they do have a player £9.99 for a month and the RLWC will be available to streamers from Ireland. Nice one

KevIRL

In another answer to my question, it appears that Setanta Sports 1 are showing the warm up games next week, so hopefully they will have the cup games too.

Some man to be answering my own questions so I am.

P_1

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

England beaten by Italy in a warm up today, only managed 14 points. Pretty terrible way to go into a tournament, maybe they have got their shocker out of their systems now though.

Didn't they play a match against Samoa right before the Italy match though?
160 minutes of a match strikes me as a slightly unusual warmup method mind

KevIRL

P_1 wrote: »

Didn't they play a match against Samoa right before the Italy match though?
160 minutes of a match strikes me as a slightly unusual warmup method mind

England Knights played Samoa and won 52-16. Main team beaten 15-14 by Italy, 13th ranked team in the world

P_1

KevIRL wrote: »

England Knights played Samoa and won 52-16. Main team beaten 15-14 by Italy, 13th ranked team in the world

Ah right, crikey that would be something of an upset then

toomevara

10 reasons why you should watch the RLWC: reason eight; the sport that defied fascism...nuff said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/24481185

P_1

toomevara wrote: »

10 reasons why you should watch the RLWC: reason eight; the sport that defied fascism...nuff said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/24481185

Very interesting book on that called the Forbidden Game, written by a chap called Mike Rylance. Well worth picking up on Amazon

KevIRL

toomevara wrote: »

10 reasons why you should watch the RLWC: reason eight; the sport that defied fascism...nuff said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-league/24481185

One big reason not to watch though, cause you might find it very difficult to get access to the games. Grrrrr

Poor form BBC, even with 4 channels, red button and online streaming they are only showing a handful of games

themont85

Rugby League needs to get over itself on this whole "fascism" thing. Its an inconvenient truth for some but Labour politicians in Australia had rugby union thrown out of Catholic schools in favour of league and RL had no problem with trying to enter South Africa during the 60s when a lot of other sports were getting out (not some, notably rugby union, cricket and F1, to their shame). Nor did Rugby League stop playing high profile events like the Challenge Cup when Britain were fighting the Nazis, when events like the FA Cup and the Five Nations ceased (and yes I know some will come in and talk about it being for morale purposes...but why wasn't this the same for other competitions, league needed to earn a crust).

No denying the history, nor that book being excellent and a great read for all fans (particularly those of both codes) but this us versus them thing with league is sad and chippy. The attempt is to paint a sport as some sort underdog, downtrodden and blaming everyone else is not healthy for what is an excellent sport.

This is the RLWC, why on earth does it need to be mentioned?

themont85

toomevara wrote: »

This is an utterly incredible result..didnt see the game, but to call Italy a minnow is doing minnows a disservice....

Eh did you see the Italian team....its a good chunk of a very respectable NRL outfit.

I wonder how many of them have played for Italy since 2008?

themont85

KevIRL wrote: »

In another answer to my question, it appears that Setanta Sports 1 are showing the warm up games next week, so hopefully they will have the cup games too.

Some man to be answering my own questions so I am.

Yea I'd say they will given Premier Sports is apart of the Setanta stable.

Ireland-Australia better be on Setanta Ireland. Build the audience.

toomevara

themont85 wrote: »

Eh did you see the Italian team....its a good chunk of a very respectable NRL outfit.

I wonder how many of them have played for Italy since 2008?

Did indeed, decent enough bunch with some serious talent in key positions, but nobody saw that one coming. I think the curse of English rugby league i.e. the complete inability to put together a decent international team may be about to strike again....

toomevara

themont85 wrote: »

No denying the history, nor that book being excellent and a great read for all fans (particularly those of both codes) but this us versus them thing with league is sad and chippy. The attempt is to paint a sport as some sort underdog, downtrodden and blaming everyone else is not healthy for what is an excellent sport.

This is the RLWC, why on earth does it need to be mentioned?

Great book, deserves an audience way beyond rugby. Don't agree with the'chippy' thing. True in the past but long gone now, living in leeds for many years its was great to see how union and league teams shared the same ground and training facilities....anyone involved in RL now accepts that the biggest problem with the modern game is not some conspiracy against a chippy, plucky working class sport, but the vast ineptitude of the people who run the sport at the highest level....entirely self inflicted...

Dozen Wicked Words

Can't help it, I'm still a bit chippy! Although saying that, the SA v NZ game from the other week was just some of the best sport of any kind I've seen, could nearly make me a regular Union watcher.

Nearly.

toomevara

Dozen Wicked Words wrote: »

Can't help it, I'm still a bit chippy! Although saying that, the SA v NZ game from the other week was just some of the best sport of any kind I've seen, could nearly make me a regular Union watcher.

Nearly.

That was an utterly astounding 80 minutes of professional sport, amazing.

themont85

toomevara wrote: »

Great book, deserves an audience way beyond rugby. Don't agree with the'chippy' thing. True in the past but long gone now, living in leeds for many years its was great to see how union and league teams shared the same ground and training facilities....anyone involved in RL now accepts that the biggest problem with the modern game is not some conspiracy against a chippy, plucky working class sport, but the vast ineptitude of the people who run the sport at the highest level....entirely self inflicted...

Of course its chippy...every single article I read trying to bring RL to a new audience has to include it.

KevIRL

themont85 wrote: »

Ireland-Australia better be on Setanta Ireland. Build the audience.

Its on Setanta Sports 1, Just had a look at the EPG on UPC

Good news for me as I have the Setanta/BT pack. Seems like Setanta will be showing the games that Premier have but BBC dont have.

toomevara

Gareth Hock's been kicked out of the England squad for repeated disciplinary infringements.....TBH the guy was a red card waiting to happen anyway, the Aussies would have wound him up mercilessly.

toomevara

TV coverage of RLWC, what time and channel:

http://www.wheresthematch.com/rugby-league-world-cup-on-tv/

also, nice piece from the Guardian today:

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2013/oct/23/rugby-league-world-cup-2013-england-australia

themont85

KevIRL wrote: »

Its on Setanta Sports 1, Just had a look at the EPG on UPC

Good news for me as I have the Setanta/BT pack. Seems like Setanta will be showing the games that Premier have but BBC dont have.

Ridiculous. Why not put it on SI for a bigger potential audience?

P_1

themont85 wrote: »

Ridiculous. Why not put it on SI for a bigger potential audience?

€€s in new subscriptions I'd imagine

themont85

P_1 wrote: »

€€s in new subscriptions I'd imagine

I'm sure Irish people will be queing up just to watch one game from a completely minority sport.

I'm more annoyed at the organisers, it isn't hard to request it when they sold the rights.

toomevara

England's catastrophic build up to tomorrow's game continues with McNamara walking out of a press conference today following some persistent but you'd have to say relatively innocuous questioning around the Gareth Hock thing..

On the field three Burgesses (collective noun a 'Batter' of Burgesses) have been selected in the 19 man squad to face Australia...be interesting to know if three brothers have ever represented their country at the same time, in the same game...

Dozen Wicked Words

45,000 tickets sold for the opener. Decent but this is probably biggest game of whole tournament numbers wise unless hosts get through to final. Not sure how other games have sold yet.

toomevara

Hard to know, but New Zealand V France in Avignon is virtually a sell out apparently (17,000).

icdg

KevIRL wrote: »

Its on Setanta Sports 1, Just had a look at the EPG on UPC

Good news for me as I have the Setanta/BT pack. Seems like Setanta will be showing the games that Premier have but BBC dont have.

Worth noting that despite what Setanta's website says, todays opening double header and next weeks Ireland v England game will be apparently on Setanta Ireland (on cable at least). This however is due to Setanta's desire to move their Premier League (which is Manchester United both weeks) coverage to Setanta Sports 1 rather than any desire to promote rugby league.

Ordinarily, Setanta Sports 1 is an exact simulcast of Premier Sports, except in two situations: (1) Setanta have their own programmes to show in the slot (e.g. Premier League games on Saturday afternoons and some Champions League nights) or (2) Premier Sports don't have the Irish rights to the sport in question (mainly affects GAA, e.g. tonights International Rules series will be on Premier Sports but not Setanta Sports 1 because TG4 has the rights).

toomevara

Australian Team to face England today;

Australia: Slater, Morris, Tate, Inglis, Boyd, Thurston, Cronk, Scott, Smith (capt), Tamou, Bird, Thaiday, Gallen.

Interchange: (from) Robbie Farah, Andrew Fifita, Luke Lewis, Corey Parker, Jarryd Hayne, Nate Myles.

Bloody hell, that is some outfit.That backline alone....If England win this one it'll be a minor sporting miracle...suppose they could pray for rain, but don't know if the roof in the Millennium will be closed or not. The England team will be named later this morning.

KevIRL

V good start from England