Quote: roopy "The interesting think about Italy, Canada and South Africa suddenly finding an interest in League is that these have all been fairly strong Union countries for some time.
My belief is that it is a sign that we have reached 'critical mass' and countries like this can now see that we have an international game and want to be a part of it.
All three of these countries are mounting a stronger challenge than you would have expected a year or two ago.'"
not sure if i quite agree that south africa is a fairly strong rugby union country,as the game is TITANIC there, italy ok fairly strong ru wise and canada yes a historic game, traditionally played by a well organised well connected group, particularly around BC and ontario, yes i agree more countries are looking into playing league than we may have thought possible say at the end of the last century, you say all three of these countries are mounting a stronger challenge than we would have expected a year or two ago,well my opinion differs with you on this one, yes canada certainly, seen as they have just turned up in the last year or two, italy they have done ok i suppose, but much more has to be done there, and south africa well i emphatically disagree with you and certainly, in my honest opinion the game has not been developed at all, no foundation was ever laid, to bring in schools or youth,in a whole 20 years, this has resulted in a country which has the ingredients to take on the very best of what rugby league has on show,actually dying on its feet, and instead of coming to the fore in the magnificent spectacle of 'liga rugby',it is heading into the courtrooms of south africa on humanitarian legalities of which i will not now go into, and so my friend i suggest if rugby league is to grow and prosper in new and far off lands, as good as it all looks, on a website or rugby league forum of the greatest of optimism, it must adopt strong development policies, and development must rank at the very top of rugby leagues priorities, along with patience, and one must never forget that the hand that rocks the cradle rules the world and out of all this, at least south africa will have taught us one golden rule and we should heed it with a passion
