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Post by bizzaro on Apr 19, 2007 9:38:08 GMT -5
Something to get some interest here maybe The rugby league world cup for 2008 was launched. It is to be held in Australia to mark 100 years of the game in that country. The final is to be held at Suncorp stadium in Brisbane. The final 3 nations to qualify will be decided by the end of this year. Tickets go on sale in August. There is even a half decent web site: www.rugbyleagueworldcup.com/
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Basil2
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Post by Basil2 on Apr 21, 2007 16:28:26 GMT -5
I wonder who australia will defeat in the final?
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rus
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Post by rus on Apr 22, 2007 21:04:07 GMT -5
Baz - who will defeat NZ in the union equivalent.
I see they (NZ) won the Under 19 RU world championships.
I was horrified when I saw the draw of the RLWC. All the top teams are in the same group - Australia, NZ, England & PNG.
However, it was explained that this would ensure top clashes from week one & an very few games where a leading team plays a minnow. This has been a problem for the cricket & union WCs.
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Post by windlesaint on May 12, 2007 12:24:43 GMT -5
the format of the competition is ridiculous - makes the game look micky mouse
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rus
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Post by rus on May 13, 2007 21:42:50 GMT -5
I wonder who australia will defeat in the final? From Cameron Bell of the Sydney Sunday Telegraph:
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rus
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Post by rus on May 14, 2007 2:28:17 GMT -5
the format of the competition is ridiculous - makes the game look micky mouse So you want scores like this:
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Post by windlesaint on May 14, 2007 11:16:49 GMT -5
the format of the competition is ridiculous - makes the game look micky mouse So you want scores like this: Obviously not, but it is still a ridiculous format that makes the game look amatuerish. Every other major team sport with a world championship follows the mini-league then knock-out stage format. Standard procedure - to deviate from a tried and trusted format just makes rl look micky mouse in comparison. PNG have every reason to be pissed-off - they are out before a ball has been kicked. They should have gone for 2 groups of 8;- GB - forget England & Wales we can't even beat Australia together let alone apart Aus NZ France PNG + 3 qualifiers To avoid big scores simply don't count points difference when separating the teams so the likes of Australia can 'rest' players when playing the likes of Tonga. To expand the game it shouldn't be beyond the whit of the ARL to encourage (morally & financially) the formation of local leagues in the South Pacific an inter-island championships. Likewise for GB in Europe. The game will only grow when you have steady, viable, continuous leagues in nations like Russia, Samoa, Lebanon, etc. These can then feed into viable international competitions.
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Basil2
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Post by Basil2 on May 15, 2007 15:14:37 GMT -5
Baz - who will defeat NZ in the union equivalent. If NZ makes the final rus - they have only done so twice - 87 & 95. Last ruwc everyone tipped nz & looked what happened. The same cannot be said however of ru's poor relative in this [quote}department, rl. I believe the Kangaroos have won it every time since its inception apart from 2(?) occasions & that's over a period of 50 years. And on one of those two occasions there was no final. Poor png. At least three games three with well over 50 points scored! Its a tri nations comp with some others invited along for the ride rus!!
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rus
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Post by rus on May 15, 2007 19:23:14 GMT -5
The advantages of the 2008 RLWC format (as has been explained to me) are:
1) the tournament will be done & dusted in four weeks. There will be no drawn out super-power minnow games as has happened in the Cricket & Union WCs. Remember crowds & TV ratings will be required to make the event viable;
2) There will be a top game every weekend because of the super-power draws;
3) PNG will have a better chance of making the semis from the super-power draw than the other groups. This is because they have only have to win one game. If they were in the other groups they would have to win all their games & then play the worst team in the super-power group.
Tonga & Samoa will have just as many full-time professionals as the PNG side. PNG are no certainties against some of those other teams.
However, PNG has beaten GB & NZ in the past. They have about seven NRL & SL players they can call upon for their squad including Neville Costigan a SOO player.
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Post by windlesaint on May 16, 2007 10:21:23 GMT -5
3) PNG will have a better chance of making the semis from the super-power draw than the other groups. This is because they have only have to win one game. If they were in the other groups they would have to win all their games & then play the worst team in the super-power group. Win 1 game and into the semis - the very definition of micky mouse!!! Oh & Baz - 12 world cups - 3 GB wins 9 Australia wins. All the finals have been tight affairs bar 2 - '68 Aus beat France 20-2 and in '00 40-12 v NZ and in '75 England lost it rather than Aus won it!-that year it was a mini-league system rather than a 1 off tournament.
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Basil2
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Post by Basil2 on May 22, 2007 22:39:25 GMT -5
3) PNG will have a better chance of making the semis from the super-power draw than the other groups. This is because they have only have to win one game. If they were in the other groups they would have to win all their games & then play the worst team in the super-power group. Lets face it, PNG will get hammered, even by GB! Micky mouse, but there should be at least three good games in this affair! You trying to be funny using the phrase "mini-league" when referring to rlwcs windy??? I suppose we have to go back to the 50s for England to have actually played in a final & won it. Wasn't there a rlwc won by GB in the early 70s where there was no final played? BTW, welcome back from your long service leave - teachers in gb do have that don't they??
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rus
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Post by rus on May 23, 2007 18:25:24 GMT -5
PNG have got some talent Baz. Last night in an Under 19 clash they held Queensland to a 12 all at half-time before wilting to be beat 36 to 12. Considering they were playing against players who mostly would be on contracts to NRL clubs (& probably full time professionals) this was a good effort. www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21783290-5001023,00.html Btw Melbourne look as though they have unearthed yet another top-liner:
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Basil2
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Post by Basil2 on May 24, 2007 17:28:38 GMT -5
PNG have got some talent Baz. Last night in an Under 19 clash they held Queensland to a 12 all at half-time before wilting to be beat 36 to 12. Considering they were playing against players who mostly would be on contracts to NRL clubs (& probably full time professionals) this was a good effort. Under 19s is one thing, the rlwc will be another. I couldn't see PNG getting within 40 of Aust, if Aus take the match seriously & don't rest players. What did you think of sooI rus? NSW completely lacking in the halves. The dearth of halves in NSW is shown by the Anasta-Mullen combination's abject failure during the game. One is over-rated & the other is too inexperienced. Having said that they'll probably both have blinders in SOO2. This will please you - both of my lads are enjoying their first season of rl.
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Post by windlesaint on May 26, 2007 14:35:42 GMT -5
You trying to be funny using the phrase "mini-league" when referring to rlwcs windy??? I suppose we have to go back to the 50s for England to have actually played in a final & won it. Wasn't there a rlwc won by GB in the early 70s where there was no final played? BTW, welcome back from your long service leave - teachers in gb do have that don't they?? GBs 3 wins;- 1954 v France 16-12 1960 competition was played as a league GB 6pts- Aus 4- France 2- NZ 0 1972 v Australia - final finished 10-10 but GB took the trophy because they beat Australia in the group game '77 & '92 finals were very close with Australia just winning 13-12 & 10-6.
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rus
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Post by rus on May 26, 2007 19:29:32 GMT -5
Good to hear about your kids enjoying RL Baz.
BTW tell me more about your medical condition. If I heard you right you have had a major heart operation.
It wasn't caused by St George's form was it?
Are you back at work?
Back to the thread: If Samoa & Tonga used the parent, grandparent rule for team selection, here is a list of players they could choose a team for the RLWC:
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