Is RU really played in that many more countries than RL?
There must be 18-20 countries that could field a RL 9's team? 4 pools of 5 teams. Top team from each pool through to semis.

As I said until we get some proper 9's tournaments happening around the world it is just a pipe dream. Could be a great vehicle for developing nations.

GB
France
Italy
Holland
USA
Russia
Georgia
Jamaica
Morroco
Lebanon
Fiji
Samoa
Tonga
Australia
NZ
Png
Sth Africa
Cook islands

I wouldn't be surprised if there were a few RL players approached to make up the squad.

It would give a better 'all encompasing' image for the RFU but, possibly more importantly, it'd give RL fans reason to watch the sport and so pleasing the event sponsors.

What's the odds it is marketed as "Rugby" 7's. No wonder the world doesn't know the difference or that RUGBY league even exists. In UK the pinnacle is called SuperLEague and in OZ and nz NRL. why are we so ashamed of using "rugby"?

The IRB ranks 96 countries........RLIF 28....someone said earlier that a sport needs to be played in 75 countries to be considered. Rugby Union may well be a minority sport, but it dwarfs rugby league in nearly every area on and off the pitch.

The #1 team in Union will play matches against Australia, South Africa, Argentina,Italy, Scotland, Wales and England before the end of the year.......the #1 Ranked League side will play New Zealand whilst earlier this tear the #3 ranked team played 2 games against an invented side that nobody went to watch and attracted only 100,000 viewers.

Cash is King for the IOC, this is one of the reasons why tennis, soccer and now golf are included. Sports that draw fans/sponsors globally = Kerching = handouts/plush hotels/lavish dinners/gifts/best seats etc etc for the privileged few. It's a legalised cartel in essence
I love the endeavor, bravery, comaraderie & absolute determination to be the best you can and whilst I understand that sponsorship are now neccessary the fat cats creaming of millions is pretty sickening.
Though I don't think golf, tennis or soccer should be included I can think of a few events (such as Equestrian & Dressage) which could be removed because they are out of reach (& will forever remain so) of all but the few higher up Westernised countries who can afford to fund such.
Darts isn't a bad shout because it is such a simplistic sport that you could get good at it with just a few basic pieces of equipment, snooker as well to a slightly further degree.
As for '7s' well as the inclusion is being pushed for & sanctioned by the IRB, they will be the sole arbitors of who is included I reckon. Probably something like you have to be a registered player of onion to compete.
We will never get RL into the olympics, (long) past & present administrators of the game have seen to that. The really sad thing is is that the inclusion of 7s in the Olympics will popularise onion even more & potentially have a far greater reaching effect on RL as a whole than many people realise.
Even the Dutch women have a 7's side!

Where is this list of 96 countries they claim can out out an international team? Should be amusing reading.

RU does not dwarf RL in the Southern Hemisphere as you well know. S15 would give it's right arm to be as rich and powerful as NRL is in Australia.

In the Southern Hemisphere? Or just Australia? Theres more to the SH than the East Coast of Australia. RU has NZ, SA and Argentina as well, and is also stronger in the islands and no doubt there are considerably stronger teams in Africa than there used to be.

If you think the IRB would give up all that for one semi-decent club competition based in Eastern Australia that, despite being watched by many on TV, is still played in fairly empty stadia, you must be on crack.

www.rlif.com/about-rlif/commonwealth_games

www.rlif.com/about-rlif/commonwealth_games

Nrl salary cap going up
S15 salary cap going down

Yep going great guns is union!

Australia is not the southern hemisphere......there are only 30 pro League teams on the planet playing in 2 leagues....there are 38 pro union teams in europe alone. Wales v France in League attracts 1,600 fans......the Union version 80,000........England can only get an international game v a made up team......and still nobody cares...

Even in Australia, head to head, Melbourne, Canberra and Brisbane, 3 cities that have one team each.....the Union team averages bigger crowds...

I am loathe to go down the Union v League route AGAIN here, but some people need to realise that Rugby League does not enjoy 5% of the exposure globally that Union does. It's not an anti-league stance.....it is simply realism.

Whether that is right or not, I would never believe the figures RU come up with!

Didn't they famously claim to have more people watching the WC Final worldwide than actually had access to TV???

There is a more obvious and practical reason RL will never be in th olypmics, you cant fit a meaningful RL tournament in to that short a period of time.

Super 15 combined tv deal across 3 countries - $450mill
Nrl one country $1bill+ expected

Going great guns is union, lol.

How much is the international contract worth?