I stopped reading after this line...

But if they're good enough and they play in the NRL, Australia will simply take them on their team as they'll qualify as residents.

Dunbar how have the last two world cups helped develop RL around the world?
Including NZ Warriors in the NRL arguably had a bigger impact.

Did people not read about TV aerials selling out in Fiji as their team got through to the semis of the last world cup? Streets in Suva closing so they could watch the games on big screens?

Do you think that would happen for the NRL grand final?

International RL is key to developing the sport and also to the finances of the sport outside of Australia.

It never ceases to amaze me how many people put there flatcaps back on when it suits there agenda.

True, but you have to actually look at things like population. Fiji has about 900k people. Or about a third of the population of Yorkshire.

Maurice knew this. We need him back in RL for his vision for the International game. He is so passionate about it.

Those were the days when we got 60k at Wembley and ashes tours were sell-outs.

lol

Actually the biggest boost to RL in Fiji has come from semi-pro clubs in Australia signing Fijian domestic players, not the WC. In the two years following the WC the number of clubs in Fiji was stagnant. But what has happened is that CRL clubs and a few from Sydney and Qld have signed Fijians en masse thanks largely to am initiative from the CRL to encourage this. The number of Fijians coming to Australia has gone up about 1000%. This means a better life for the players and their families and it has sparked a massive explosion in player numbers in Fiji this year. They have gone from about 12 clubs in the past decade to 30-odd this year and that's despite so many players leaving for Australia. There's probably enough for two or three other teams in the CRL alone.

wow, good stuff. great initiative

In Australia RL rates far higher than Union so it's no surprise. If ITV had rights to live Premier League football would they choose to show a RU world cup match instead?

Very good question. Would you show Man United v Chelsea or England v South Africa in Union. I reckon they'd show them both......ITV 1, ITV 2 etc.... 3.63330078125:5