N.I has just had a small league comp iirc

Good news




How about having the twelve teams put into groups according to their ranking?
This would work with three groups of four or four groups of three.
Group 1: nation ranked 1st, ranked 4th, ranked 7th and ranked 10th
Group 2: nation ranked 2nd, ranked 5th, ranked 8th and ranked 11th
Group 3: nation ranked 3rd, ranked 6th, ranked 9th and ranked 12th

4 team league started this year and bit of talk about an Ulster rep side.

So that means rugby league is played in all four provinces?
A four province tournament would be a good way to end the domestic season. Could even be used as trials for the Ireland Team.

Not sure if a team from Connacht played at all this year but development officers have been appointed for each province so hopefully when 2013 rolls around there will be more playing the game and interested so that a WC game could be staged here.

That wouldnt work seeing as the 2nd and 3rd ranks have an easier group than the 1st rank, and also the 12th rank has an easy group than the 10th and 11th rank etc.
For me the teams should be split up into pots based on location and then have the draw

One thing it would give you is closer games.
How about having three lots of seeds like they have in the Champions League draw in football?

I dont see the big deal with closer games. If I go to a game and saw Australia win 100-0 against Scotland, and the Aussies played Harlen Globe-trotter style rugby I would walk away very happy

Maybe, but plenty of folk will switch off at half time if it's 40-0.
Internationals are a rare thing in rugby league and the chance of seeing Lebanon, Scotland, Tonga or Samoa is something I'd love to have. Would be nice if a few others thought the same way.

But on the flip side I dont think as many would tune in if it was two smaller nations. Personally I am one of those that would go watch genuine teams (not those made up of Aussies/Brits with a grandparent from there) that I barely get to see though.
But seeing Scotland made up of Aussies and lower league English players, vs Ireland filled up with Aussies and lower league English players is not going to get me to tune in. So have either of those teams playing one of the big three is more than likely to get me to tune in

Something I've been saying for a long time.