Quote ="Buggo"2013 v Italy. www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/24565586'" Oh aye. I forgot about that friendly! With the team we had out that day we should have won. Although I'd say our team now is much better and in all fairness that 'Italian' team had these in their starting line up: Anthony Minichiello Josh Mantellato James Tedesco Aiden Guerra James Saltonstall Anthony Laffranchi Dean Parata Paul Vaughan Mark Minichiello In their starting line up. No excuses like, should have won. But that 'Italian' side had some world class players in it. Who do Lebanon have? Anyway, back on topic. I still think Tonga (outside of the Top 3) have a very likely chance of reaching the semi finals. And who knows, they look capable of beating a Top 3 team on their day, I just feel like their halves let them down a bit!

Quote ="Buggo"2013 v Italy. www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/24565586'" Oh aye. I forgot about that friendly! With the team we had out that day we should have won. Although I'd say our team now is much better and in all fairness that 'Italian' team had these in their starting line up: Anthony Minichiello Josh Mantellato James Tedesco Aiden Guerra James Saltonstall Anthony Laffranchi Dean Parata Paul Vaughan Mark Minichiello In their starting line up. No excuses like, should have won. But that 'Italian' side had some world class players in it. Who do Lebanon have? Anyway, back on topic. I still think Tonga (outside of the Top 3) have a very likely chance of reaching the semi finals. And who knows, they look capable of beating a Top 3 team on their day, I just feel like their halves let them down a bit!

Robbie Farah, Mitchell Moses

Also Ikahihifo to add to that as well potentially...

He doesn't exactly have the best relationship with Aus RL at times does he and they also didn't pick him last year, when he was arguably the best Prop in the world. Bit of two fingered slatute to them maybe?

he's not been announced in the squad though

Samoa will still be stronger than Tonga - maybe not in the forwards - but Samoa have double the potential player pool and have very good spine player options.

A lot of these teams look OK on paper, and I wouldn't say England could easily beat NZ, Tonga or Samo TBH. But the gap between Australia and the rest is monumental at 1,6, 7 and 9. The only team that comes close in those key roles on paper is NZ if everyone is fit and available.

Without very good players in those positions you'll struggle to get close to Australia, who wouldn't be bothered about letting a big opposition team wear itself out trying to dominate them - they'll just absorb the pressure then when they tire put a lot of points on them. You won't score many points against Australia by trying to run over the top of them.

Great news for the World Cup & International RL.

The key post-World Cup is making sure the so-called "Tier 2 Nations" have regular matches vs the "big 3", to enable them to try & attract these top class players. The International Calendar has improved, but still needs plenty of work between World Cups.

Has he played for Australia previously? If so, then it's defo a two fingered salute to them, but the RLIF really need to start getting a handle on these dual nation players and stop them jumping ship from one country to the other, especially once they have declared/played for one - it's just a joke.

They used to have a handle on it, but the rules were changed to allow such moves between tier 1 & 2 nations, and without it, we wouldn't see these guys playing for Tonga at the WC.

The main failing is the international calendar - have often between world cups do Tonga play, and how often do they get an opportunity vs top tier nations?

No and I get that, but we can't have it where players get selected for one country and then at the last hour just get to change their mind to another one. Or worse don't get selected for a country, having previously played for them, and then go and get picked for another just because that is where their heritage lies.

Perhaps the tier 1/2 system will have the opposite effect to what was expected.
You'll be lucky to see Samoa/ Tonga/ Italy have an reasonable international calendar with regular games, so why not play for them during the world cup then, rest of time, pick up your more regular appearance fees with one of the big three.

And that is why the whole thing is joke - you shouldn't be able to pick and choose based on how much you are going to be paid, or what chance you have/haven't of winning a World Cup!

Countries are never going to progress and have the international calendar we all want them to have if they don't have their best players available for every game.

Better players = better games = more competitive matches = better crowds = more tournaments = more players getting into the sport from "2nd tier countries" = growth!

Not quite as simple as that I know, but we need to start somewhere

I'm all for quality players playing for the smaller nations. Means we won't have a World Cup like 2000 and before where lower teams got hammered on the daily. Now it's more competitive. However, on the other hand if I were these top nations, I'd sack the likes of Taumalolo, Fifita off and let them play for Tonga etc for good. They can replace them with quality.

We have this hand wringing argument before every WC, and as soon as a ball is kicked, everyone forgets about it and enjoys the footy.
This year we will see many of the countries go to a new level again, after improving a lot last WC.
If the top 3 sides don't bring their A game every time, a hungry Samoa, Italy, PNG or Fiji will make them pay .

Christ, that’s better than Samoa’s team from the last World Cup. Well done to all those players for selecting their true nation. And hopefully that spells a future of all New Zealand and Australia players who should really be playing for the smaller islands to continue to do the same ongoing. It’s good for the game. It creates more competition.

Good luck Tonga, you’re going to rip it up at the WC. Semifinalists and possible finalists?

Really - Taumalolo is just about as good as it gets and Fifita isn't far behind

FIJI WORLD CUP SQUAD
1. Kane Evans - Sydney Roosters
2. Salesi Faingaa - Parramatta Eels
3. Jarryd Hayne - Gold Coast Titans
4. Tui Kamikamica - Melbourne Storm/ SC Falcons
5. Villiame Kikau - Penrith Panthers
6. Apisai Koroisau - Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
7. Joe Lovadua - St George-Illawarra Dragons
8. Henry Raiwalui - Mounties RLFC
9. Taane Milne - St George-Illawarra Dragons/ Illawarra RLFC
10. Sitiveni Moceidreke - South Sydney Rabbitohs/ North Sydney Bears
11. Marcelo Montoya - Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
12. Kevin Naiqama (C) - Wests Tigers
13. Ben Nakubuwai - Gold Coast Titans/ Tweed Heads Seagulls
14. Mikaele Ravalawa - Canberra Raiders
15. Junior Roqica - London Broncos
16. Jacob Saifiti - Newcastle Knights
17. Ashton Sims - Warrington Wolves
18. Korbin Sims - Brisbane Broncos
19. Pio Seci - Nabua Broncos
20. James Storer - Port Kembla Blacks
21. Akuila Uate - Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
22. Eloni Vunakece - Sydney Roosters/ Wyong Roos
23. Suliasi Vunivalu - Melbourne Storm
24. Brayden Wiliame - Catalans Dragons

Strong side for Fiji. With so many good backs, they'll probably use Hayne at 5\8, which will give them much needed quality in the halves.

I know that but it will be a lot easier for the likes of NZ and Australia to find a quality replacement for these players, and to be honest they will still probably be big names. However should Tonga try to replace them the quality would be significantly lower.

Really?
Taumololo and the others going to Tonga was the catalyst here in NZ for the Media to begin the debate about eligibility rules and whilst some defend the use of heavily stacked Heritage squads, it's hard to put up a valid argument when the likes of Issac Luke tries to get a game with Ireland once he'd been overlooked by the Kiwis.

It doesn't interfere with the enjoyment of the games and to be honest, it probably attracts more viewers and fans to games if the matches are going to be competitive, but the reality is that after a great tournament in 2013, Tongan and Samoa Domestic RL is still pretty non-existent and even Scotland's thrilling draw with NZ last year did little for the domestic game north of the border.

A quick look at Group B shows that Tonga(4) and Samoa(2) have only 6 players born in those countries, representing their countries and whilst articles like this one [urlhttps://www.playersvoice.com.au/michael-jennings-tonga-world-cup-revolution/#DH3pkoXQTCwOVDKR.97[/url show the passion that is involved and claim that "younger players will come through", the reality is that once the trophy is won, the domestic leagues will get little benefit. Scotlands' squad has yet to be announced but it's fair to say that they will name 2 or at best 3 Scottish born players. The last team in the Group contains 4 Aussies and a Samoan in their 24, so the reality is that 69 of the 96 players in that group are "heritage players".

I fail to see how 72% of players not actually being from the country they are representing is "great" for the game?

The USA may well get hammered by Fiji in Group D, but at least the'll have a team of USA born players whilst Fiji has a squad with 18 heritage players in it.......and I doubt the Italians will be very Italian in their make up either.


As I say, it won't stop me going to games or tuning in, but I believe that it weakens the game when people talk about Samoa and Tonga being threat to New Zealand, when Tonga and Samoa have little domestic structure and rely on heritage for the vast majority of their players.

The difference between League and Union.
Union fans will talk up their game - no matter what.
League fans will talk down their game - no matter what.

Union has a successful international game because their fans get on board and love to see it succeed.
League struggles because the fans put the boot in every chance they get.

Really?
[urlhttps://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/opinion/97625537/mark-reason-sorry-but-the-all-blacks-are-now-a-dirty-side[/url



Rather a simplistic viewpoint there, especially as it is a sweeping statement rather than a response to the issue of our game at International level being awash with heritage players. As I said, it won't stop me attending or watching, but the reality is that until our governing bodies actually govern for the benefit of the game and not just the top clubs, we will continue to see international sides stacked with ANZAC players and little development at grass roots.

Ireland have picked 2 Irish Born players in their 24. It's not like they are likely to trouble the engraver at the end of the tournament, so surely it would be better to have more guys playing in their domestic comp (like the USA have done) rather than have ex-England caps like LMS running out for them?
This isn't a league fan putting the boot in, it's a League fan wanting to see real development and that means pathways fr more people to play the game, not diluting the payer pool across imaginary RL Playing nations.

I'd add that this "issue" is entirely one of our own making!
[urlhttp://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11714258[/url