If England get to the final this year the two world cups will both have had five finalists, for us Aus, NZ, France, GB and England.

Oh dear.....you didn't research your sweeping statement did you?

1987 Wales, France, Australia, New Zealand
1991 Australia, England, Scotland, New Zealand
1995 South Africa, France, New Zealand, England
1999 South Africa, New Zealand, France, Australia (the one year your statement is right)
2003 England, New Zealand, Australia France
2007 South Africa, England, Argentina, France
2011 Wales, France, New Zealand, Australia.

....Wales, Scotland, England, France, Argentina, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand have all featured in semi-finals in the 7 RW Cups since 1987

as for the Proper World cup...the last 4 in the first 6 tournaments were pretty easy to pick, given there were only 4 teams entered...same again in 1977 . Wales joined the party in 1975, France couldn't play all their matches in the 3 year/5 team comp which was then repeated at the end of the 80's...

Technically, Wales England, New Zealand and Australia in 1995 was the first semi-final line up...and again in 2000. 2008 saw Fiji join the top 3........this year, the same 3 teams will be involved at the semi-final stage.

See...what I've done here is not make a generalised sweeping statement, but used facts to show that the Union semi-final make up is no way near as predictable as the same 3 ing teams always......since 1954 featuring in the semi-finals of the RLWC.


England will play New Zealand in a Semi-final to see who gets beaten by Australia in the final...I am looking forward to the RLWC...I am really looking forward to the pool matches in C & D.
The more I think about it, I still say Fiji for the semi-final spot.....they are looking very strong.

Yeh and it only cost the game $100mill a year plus no strategic vision and a news ltd stooge in charge. Of all the stupid things you have posted, suggesting news ltd running The NRL was a good thing is up there with the best of them!

As con tricks go, they're pretty damn good. Do they use that Dynamo fella to make it look like they play internationals in full stadiums? Of the 8 Squads of the Quarter-finalists at RWC 2011, 96% of the players represented the country of their birth.
I honestly believe that The RLWC is flawed...it should be a Tri-Nations comp, with the second tier nations playing in a separate competition featuring development squads from the big 3 (certain number of age restrictions). Slowly, you will see the development of counties such as Italy, USA etc becoming more competitive.

Samoa v Tonga earlier this year was a great game, but would have done little for the development of the sport in those countries because 29 of the 34 players on show were Australian.

Still, I reckon Fiji will make the semi finals....they only need to win 2 games to make it.....the 2nd placed team out of group B will have had 3 very hard hit outs...all Fiji need to do is beat Ireland....they will then meet Australia in the semi-final....let's hope for better than 52-0 this time around.

How dare you cheapen the national jersey that I have paid hard earned money to watch and passionately support for over a decade!

I want to see Wales mix it with the best, the pride I see from guys like Benny Flower represent his homeland at Wembley, against the English and on big occasions is worth more than any scoreline. That wouldn't be the same when my country are deemed second tier by default.

Whilst I agree things may change development wise for smaller and newer nations, I think the World Cup is fine.

I thoroughly enjoyed Briers taking the out of the Aussies in 2000 and us shock them into life in the 4 Nations.

Seriously though...for RL to grow as a sport, then the international systems need to be re-jigged and both SL and the NRL need to look at some form of funding to ensure that most of these developing counties get at least regular scheuled games a year, every year.

A pacific Nations Cup featuring Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands, PNG, Canada, the USA and possibly inviting Jamaica, held in Australia every 2 years over 1 month would be a start.
2 Groups of 4, top teams from each group play in a final........it would be hard at first with some players needing to take time off work, but with centrally funded travel and accommodation, I could see this working. Especially of the group games were played as curtain raisers to NRL games.
Repeat this in Europe, with France, Wales, Scotland, Italy, Ireland, Serbia, Germany and Lebanon hosted in the UK for 4 weeks every 2 years.

If you could get NRL/SL coaches to give a few hours of their time to these emerging nations, then that would be even better......


Anyway, still Fiji for me.......big game v Ireland then big game v PNG/FRANCE/SAMOA=Semi-final!

Nobody will become more competitive by being confined to a meaningless second-tier tournament that nobody cares about.

What right do you have to determine which nations can and can't compete, or to say that others aren't worthy? Typical arrogant 'big 3' mentality.

It was my opinion...I didn't determine anything and didn't say anyone wasn't worthy.

Ireland v Fiji in 2008 was a cracking game......it was both teams RLWC Final in reality, because of whom they were playing to meet.
Since then, AFAIK, Ireland have played 12 games....smashing Serbia but regularly loosing to Scotland, Wales, England Knights and France as well as being beaten by Lebanon.

Interestingly, Lebanon fielded a fair smattering of NRL stars with a few locals....Ireland was predominantly made up of Championship club players and a handful of locals....I fail to see the benefit to either games standing back at home from this game, played in front of 200 locals in Wales on a wet and windy November Sunday.
The Last 2 years, the England Knights have hammered Ireland 118-8 over 2 games...feel free to detail how that has helped develop the game in Ireland?

most of the Irish lads that received these pastings will likely as not miss out this October/November because some okers mum had a pint of stout one......happy for you to explain how this benefits the game in Ireland?

If I were an Irish rep RL player and I lost my RLWC spot in such a fashion, I am not sure I'd be keen to step up again for the European Cup hammering by the Knights in 2014.

Yet you're the one that is suggesting that the World Cup should be scrapped and Ireland should be confined to these sort of matches for the foreseeable future?

Ireland's team was so weak because the matches were meaningless, as you say, it was nothing like the full-strength Ireland team we'll see at the World Cup. Any why would it be, why would any top players waste their time playing in a second-tier match against England Knights? You're right, these matches did nothing for the game in Ireland, so why continue with that failed formula? You're totally contradicting yourself, the key to development is for these nations to be involved in more high-profile matches, not less.

Nope...I am saying that countries such as Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Serbia, wales (to a certain extent) need to play more of these regular games against each other....and the players who turn out in these games should be rewarded by retaining their places and not having them nicked by Australian or English born players not good enough for their country of birth, but who's mother once drank a Pint of Guinness.

rlLUKE DOUGLASrlis no more Scottish than I am....he doesn't ply his trade there and he actually has a sibling who plays for Australia. I am not sure if he has ever actually been to Scotland, yet he will pull on their colours this year
And before anyone pipes up with the worlds smaller or they're the same rules for other sports....find me a football code where the scenario above it the norm.

If RL has no plans to grow the game internationally then they should just stick to the 2 pro leagues and the tri-nations.......because in terms of development, that's all they've pretty much done so far.

I am still convinced it's Fiji making up the last 4.

If their squad contains the talent below, they'll have too much for Ireland and too much for France/PNG/Samoa.

Fiji: Jayson Bukuya (Cronulla Sharks); Sisa Waqa (Melbourne Storm); Akuilla Uate, Kevin Naiqama, Korbin Sims (Newcastle Knights); Ashton Sims, Tariq Sims (North Queensland Cowboys); Jarryd Hayne, Jacob Loko, Semi Radradra (Parramatta Eels); Wes Naiqama (Penrith Panthers); Kane Evans (Sydney Roosters); John Sutton (South Sydney Rabbitohs); Marika Koroibete, Lote Tuquiri (Wests Tigers) + Petero Civoniceva (Redcliffe Dolphins)

That's a pretty strong assumption with no facts

The game was shown live in those countries, wouldn't have been on TV it was two amateur sides drawn from the local comps

The game featured superstars who the kids see in the NRL every week in front of a decent passionate crowd. These are stars the kids follow and admire, you don't get the same interest watching some local amateurs who you have never heard of

Whose to say some kid (or adult) wasn't in front of a TV watching that game thinking that is a great game and I want to play it and maybe one day play for my country?

The game in those countries need a lot of help and support, dropping them from top tier international l to play locals in some amateur games will do nothing to grow the game in the likes of Fiji, Samoa and tonga.


Just had a look at the Samoan RU team and out of the current 30 odd players listed only 2 of them play in Samoa. Half the Tongan squad listed were born in NZ. It's a reality of these PI teams in union and league they are made up of players born and playing elsewhere in the world. Especially league where there are large populations of islander descended families in RL heartland areas of Australia where the kids are drawn to RL as their preferred choice of sport.

Samoan Squad has 26 of the current 30 as born in Samoa
Tongan RU squad at the recent IRB funded Pacific Cup had 21 of their 30 (70%)born in Tonga.

I fail to see how you pointing incorrectly at Samoa and Tonga in Union makes 21 tourists, some of whom have never been to Scotland, playing for Scotland

...just noticed....neither Samoa or Tonga have ever played a HOME RL match...is that to cut down on the players travelling times

Right, except that's the complete opposite of what you stated in your last post, where you criticized Ireland's lack of development since 2008 because they haven't been playing enough relevant matches.

If you think any nations are going to progress by being confined to meaningless second-tier internationals against equally undeveloped countries and being prevented from taking part in any important or legitimate competition then you're absolutely kidding yourself.