www.zerotackle.com/nrl/expanded- ... ime-16350/

www.zerotackle.com/nrl/expanded- ... ime-16350/

Don't disagree with some of that, but the writer needs to check previous WCC results before banging on about them being way better.

The expanded format is a waste of time for me. An "also-ran" game for the other 4 and pointless

Unfortunately is representative of many Aussies view of anything outside the NRL.

It's those kind of views that help keep the NRL/ARL isolationist and so keeps the international side of the sport small-time.

You'd have thought the recent 4 Nations might have knocked a little humility into them but I bet this particular writer didn't even notice there was an international taking place.

I just wanna point out that there have been 21 world club challenge games and 12 have been won by English sides as opposed to 9 by Australian sides.

A lot of the times English sides have lost it has been by only a few points, the writer says that aussie sides don't play to their full potential but that is quite irrelevant in that if they did and won all 21 games then they could justify such an arrogant opinion in just assuming they are better. As it stands though, English sides have a better record in the comp and all 3 English sides this year have a great chance I think.

It is a waste of time, and how can it be taken seriously when the 11th and 8th place NRL team are coming over. If Wigan or Warrington win, then so what? If they lose, it shows they cant beat a mid table NRlL team. I am a Wigan fan but I probably wont even bother watching it. Considering all but 3 of the WCC have been played in England, its not much to brag about that the English sides have more wins. I do think all 3 NRL teams will be taking it seriously and they should be competitive. Although if the Bunnies turn up wanting the win I cant see Saints living with them for long.

The last Four Nations was fantastic and im hoping they build on that for the next World Cup here. But this World Club Series hardly builds on any International progress.

Anyone talking about a waste of time is hideously short sighted.

South Sydney is taking its match with St Helens seriously.

A St Helens team that cannot crush a woefully depleted Catalans team -- missing its star play makers and star centre -- cannot hope to keep up with South Sydney.

The English born Burgess twin brothers, the Kiwi Isaac Luke, and the Australians Gregory Inglis and Adam Reynolds, will surely have too much class, and we will be forced to watch South Sydney massacre St. Helens by full time.

Memories of 2003: Sydney Roosters 38 St Helens 0.

How so? We've ditched a play off format that many felt was bloated only to introduce a flabbier version of the WCC. Granted, there's money to be made but none the less I'd be grateful if you'd point out what I'm missing.

The comments section on these are usually gold, same with any Facebook discussion. They think they're untouchable, they denigrate the game outside the NRL and then wonder why the game doesn't take off anywhere else.
If you are the best league then the onus is on you to grow it.
The trouble is there's never any winning, if we win it's the travel or our season is already up and running so it isn't fair, if we lose then it's because we're inferior and a shambles. Aussie RL fans are the worst.

This year's WCC is essentially a "proof of concept". If we can sell three SL v NRL fixtures relatively well, without resorting to dishing out free tickets, and engage enough TV interest (we effectively have two friendlies being televised in the UK, France and Australia), then its a compelling concept to sell to the clubs, sponsors and broadcasters.

Longer term, I'd love to think that this could evolve into a 'Champions League' format with the top three clubs from each competition (using whatever qualifying criteria you want).

One thing is for certain - Super League is starved of cash. The European game needs to go where the money is and that money, at the moment, is in the NRL.

It's an England vs Aussie game, there's no such thing as a friendly or a waste of time!

Typical formulaic Aussie-centric article. It makes some valid points about why people outside the fans of the teams concerned should be bothered but I think they could be addressed by actually marketing the games.

The bits going on about how superior the NRL is are a bit overblown and to be honest I think many NRL fans actually do see the bigger picture – it’s just the lazy journos that peddle this line that there’s nothing beyond the NRL and Origin. The 4 nations was a huge success with NRL fans and given time some sort of a world club comp could be too.

The game over here struggles to get coverage so this sort of comp with its international element should help address that. The last WCC was a shambles because of the gulf in standards back then. There is still a gap but by keeping the invitation to the best clubs over here that should balance things out. I’m happy for any other NRL clubs to take part as well as the premiers. If it takes off then credibility will demand that others take part – especially if there’s money in it.

Agree with that Bullseye. I also think the problem with the last WCC comp was that every club was included. I think it needs to be our version of the Champions League where you have to qualify for it. I'd start it off as 3 clubs each from SL & NRL and then slowly expand it over the years to maybe top 6.
Like you say we struggled to compete back then, I reckon we've got 5/6 clubs who could put up a fight v NRL clubs now.

Yes, I fully agree with Bullseye's positive thinking there. And indeed, although the Superleague may not provide any Shaun Edwards's these days, days, nevertheless I think the Superleague is in better health now relative to the NRL then it has been for a long time. Thurston, Cronk, Smith and Slater are all ageing. There are talented players coming through, like DCE, but this is a great time for us to stamp our mark on the international game. Sure, it would be great to see a Champions League type competition. But that's a way away yet. And the only way it could happen in the long term is if English teams start beating the Aussies a bit more often, both at club and international level. Preferably starting with the WCC and, er, the Kiwis.

Who cares what the aboriginal hating, bread stealing Ocker convicts think......