This is anther person that has read the years and years worth of crap about the game played in countries it doesnt actually exist in.

That's ridiculous. There are some crazy websites outhere claiming rugby league is popular in many countries when in actual fact it's a few blokes have a run about.

Something similar happened in the Emirates when some ex pats got a rugby union team together to play a touring team of verterans a few years ago. The list of rugby union playing countries moved up one according to the IRB

He bags that and then defends a country that doesn't even have a club.

catalancs, I'd argue that there is migration and repatriation of top sportspeople, just like there is with working professionals in the real world. There isn't anything wrong with players making themselves available to play for the country on the basis of ancestry, as long as the team has a core of locals, and there is a domestic competition (or efforts to create one) that underpin it. In response to Earl, I agree that it is vitally important that expatriate and local Italian based people make a concerted effort to develop the game in Italy itself, to introduce locals, students and kids to the game, give them the resources to play, develop teams, a local competition and school competition.

However, an Italian team has been entered in this year's Euro Cup. It is in there now, so it is worth getting that team to make the best impression possible. A core of players with Italian ancestry could really boost the team, and impart thir knowledge and training on local Italian players. If the team plays strongly, it is better than beaing thrashed, and it could bring more attention to the game there.

When Italian Australians starting banding together to create interest in RL, Anthony Minichiello was among players that wore the jersey, promoted the team among the Aussie Italian community and helped raised money and interest in it.

Let's not forget that you could name a 22 of foreign raised players than represented the England RU test team.

Lebanon have included Hazem El Mazri, the leading points-scorer in Australian rugby league history, in their initial squad for the European Cup.

rlhttps://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME

Bridgend-born twins Ben and Rhys Evans, both currently learning their trade at Warrington, are among a host of new faces included in a 31-strong Wales train-on squad for the end-of-season European Cup.

rlhttps://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME

Wales, Lebanon and Serbia have named train-on squads for the forthcoming Rugbyleague.com European Cup, which begins in a month's time.

rlhttps://www.rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-news/273rl

Iestyn Harris has challenged his young Wales squad to develop into national heroes in the 2013 World Cup.

rlhttps://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/8269964.stmrl

The Italians' selection for the tournament does include players who make their representative debut at this level include a number of stars from their domestic competition along with some more familiar names.

rlhttps://www.rugbyleague.com/rugby-league-news/no-nero-but-new-faces.htmlrl

well, 3 lines in a press release and made up names of teams will not create a championship - there is no regular RL competition on Italian soil - FACT! The italian based players are all RU - not bad players at all btw -

have we got photos? tables? scores? winners?...

The final squad - the one which will be actually playing will comprise UK, French, OZ players and maybe 1-2 Italian RU guys

On a similar note - Look ate the Scotland and Ireland squad and where the players will actually come from

Cheer

Cheer what?

Here's one of those Italian rugby league clubs that doesn't exist. Remember I said I'd watched rugby league in Padova when I lived there? Well this imaginary club even has a facebook page.

rlhttps://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid

Catalancs,

You might have seen some RL in Padova, but the reality is that ther is noe competition in Rugby - how many people actually played? where did they come from? who where they? which clubs-

I can set up a facebook page as well for my Ouagadougou Junior League as well... This facebook page has been set up by Matthew Sands, overseas player based in Lyon, France - they refer to a "championship" which was a 1 day festival, which was eventually cancelled

IncidentallyI'd rather be at Twickers [/ifrom?

I cannot recall writing this - I am worried you would be subject to hallucinations? lol

How's that going?

Upper Volta Rugby League is booming -

Actually - next time I go there I can get over 100 kids kicking a Rugby Ball...

Union or league? Despite what the IRB figures might tell you, kids simply kicking a rugby ball doesn't mean that rugby union is actually played in that country.