| FORUMS > The Virtual Terrace > Should it be 12, 14, 16 or 20 teams for the 2017 World Cup? |
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I think it should have a similar format to this year but with 16 teams something like:
Group A:
England
Australia
Fiji
Ireland
Group B:
New Zealand
Samoa
France
PNG
Group C:
Italy
Scotland
Tonga
Lebanon
Group D:
Wales
USA
Cook Islands
South Africa
Only the top 8 after rankings are published in 2015 should automatically qualify and they should automatically be divided into two pools, Finalists from this world cup should be kept apart in the groups and then have a draw between the remaining 6 teams to fill the remaining places.
2 from each group should qualify.
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[b:1crbsr9w] Toulouse for Championship in 2017, Super League in 2021!
Avignon for Championship in 2021, Super League in 2022! [/b:1crbsr9w]:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_18302.png |
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| Quote: Old Blighty "The current finals series has, so far, worked well, we must however be bold, yet careful with the qualifying tournament.
In my view we should guarantee the semi finalists a place in the next comp.
All other nations, who have an organized domestic season, a schools program, and college/ university leagues over a number of consecutive years, should be allowed to enter qualifying.
Further any team who fail to fulfill an international fixture, as Germany did this year, shall be barred fom the next qualifying competition.
National teams must train and prepare in their own country and ba affiliated to their national sports authorities...
For example Italy and Lebanon would not be allowed to have their headquarters, press conferences, commercial arm, training camps etc based in Australia. Scotland and Ireland would similarly be expected to base their activity in their own country.
Growth should not be forced but facilitated and encouraged.
I think the OP has not researched his subject, for the excellent work in Jamaica and Canada seems to be ignored, and what of the exciting developments in Ghana...? or the way in which the island of Malta has taken to the game?
Who knows where we will be in the next 20 to 30 years ... ![]()
In the next 20 to 30 years I hope I will be in my villa in Carcassone, being massaged by my buxom Spanish housekeeper Rosita, and trying to decide whether to drive to Toulouse to watch the local Super League club take on Leeds on Saturday night, or take a train to Avignon to watch Provence Super League club take on Wigan on Sunday afternoon, or fly to Paris to watch Paris St. Germain Super League club take on London Broncos on Monday night.
Or should I take in all three? Perhaps I will ask Rosita! 
Three tasty European Super League games on the same weekend!
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There's no place like home... There's no place like home... There's no place like home...:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_69752.gif |
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| Quote: JEAN CAPDOUZE "In the next 20 to 30 years I hope I will be in my villa in Carcassone, being massaged by my buxom Spanish housekeeper Rosita, and trying to decide whether to drive to Toulouse to watch the local Super League club take on Leeds on Saturday night, or take a train to Avignon to watch Provence Super League club take on Wigan on Sunday afternoon, or fly to Paris to watch Paris St. Germain Super League club take on London Broncos on Monday night.
Or should I take in all three? Perhaps I will ask Rosita! ![]()
Nice dream
I hope you get there... I assume you have a plan...
30 years of being a keyboard warrior will achieve a villa in Carcassonne? I might change my career!
I was hopefully projecting the potential future of the international game, assuming the continued hard work of many selfless people.
But if we are projecting personal futures for 30 years hence... I will probably be dead!
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The system used in 2008 and the system used this year have worked brilliantly in the way they have allowed as many games as possible to be genuine contests.
A sport like Soccer doesn't need super groups because they can find 24 sides that all have at least a small chance to beat each other on a given day, but we will never be there in my lifetime, so our super group concept has delivered us an elegant solution that means 90% of games are genuine contests on the field.
If by some miracle a team like Italy were able to name the best squad in the World Cup, they could still win the cup from the bottom ranked group simply by winning all their pool games and progressing to the knockout stage.
This system can be adapted to fit in up to 24 sides I imagine, and we'd still have competitive games in the group stage by putting the top sides into super groups and having the weaker sides fighting over 2 quarter final spots.
If this world cup makes enough money for us to have dollars to spend on development, we should play as many qualifying tournaments as we can afford, because the experience of the last two World Cups is that qualifying tournaments drive just as much development as the Cup itself, especially in the new countries taking up the game.
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JOHN THE REDBOY I have been a rovers fan all my life and my grandkids are as well:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_47753.jpg |
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| Quote: roopy "The system used in 2008 and the system used this year have worked brilliantly in the way they have allowed as many games as possible to be genuine contests.
A sport like Soccer doesn't need super groups because they can find 24 sides that all have at least a small chance to beat each other on a given day, but we will never be there in my lifetime, so our super group concept has delivered us an elegant solution that means 90% of games are genuine contests on the field.
If by some miracle a team like Italy were able to name the best squad in the World Cup, they could still win the cup from the bottom ranked group simply by winning all their pool games and progressing to the knockout stage.
This system can be adapted to fit in up to 24 sides I imagine, and we'd still have competitive games in the group stage by putting the top sides into super groups and having the weaker sides fighting over 2 quarter final spots.
If this world cup makes enough money for us to have dollars to spend on development, we should play as many qualifying tournaments as we can afford, because the experience of the last two World Cups is that qualifying tournaments drive just as much development as the Cup itself, especially in the new countries taking up the game.'"
true and for me if it was 16, 20 or 24 bring it on I for one love it  |
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| Rank | Posts | Team |
| Player Coach | 6809 | |
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| Oct 2005 | 19 years | |
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18302_1567366773.png
[b:1crbsr9w] Toulouse for Championship in 2017, Super League in 2021!
Avignon for Championship in 2021, Super League in 2022! [/b:1crbsr9w]:d7dc4b20b2c2dd7b76ac6eac29d5604e_18302.png |
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As we approach the quarter finals, it is worth reflecting again on how many teams would be optimum in 2017.
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