Countdown to league's Copenhagen

I see your formal education ended in kindergarten.

I think you boys should take your heady ideas out of the clouds and turn your eyes and attention to your own backyard. Western Sydney, the biggest pool for Rugby League talent in the world has just been invaded by the Peril from the South. AFL is your greatest eneny. They have the money and the intention to bury Rugby League in Sydney. Did you notice the arrogant and chest beating display they performed in front of the media today. They really have no respect,humility or shame. I really hope for all Rugby League fans' sakes you take on this fight with as much energy as you seem to be putting into the 4 nations tournament. Forget about building an international brand and concentrate on securing your own heartland.

There are millions and millions of rugby fans in England who want to watched a broken down Johnny Wilkinson than rugby league. There are more has-beens that played for England in last year rugby league world cup. Stehen Bachop played for Samoa in the 1991 rugby world cup and then switch to the All Blacks for a couple of test matches. Rugby have since clean up its act in 1993 and now have one country for life rule.

Jus I've noticed you've put up a few posts with this general theme, but I don't really understand what your problem is. RL has three relatively strong test playing nations, and then a few that are bit below that quality. If this four-way tie becomes an annual event, one lesser team can play against the three big ones each year, giving them a bit of a taste of what it's all about - I can't see a problem with that at all. It's no different to the annual three-way tie we used to have in cricket in Australia each year.

Overnite, i thought you just finished telling us on the other article that rugby league has been around 100 years jus de.,. We are just carrying on where we left off, a international program second to none, Like this one has been. Hope all the people watching the game on UK t/v dont like what they see, for your sake. It must have been a rare privalige and pleasure to watch a broken down old Wilkinson drop kick a few goals last week-end., ;) Wake up mate, our sportsmen are true athlete's., not has-beens.

Stop treating R.L supporters like theyre stupid . Inventing International teams and expecting people to support them is naive . The idea that an International Calendar can be created overnight by media and hype is a recipe for failure .

You guys have to remember that many of these islander boys with Fijian, Tongan or Samoan heritage have either been born or grown up in Australia. A massive lure for any of these kids is to play State of Origin, the toughest test for any rugby league player. For someone like Michael Jennings, he has a few good years for penrith and gets some attention. By this time he is a 19-20 yr old. He is not going to get picked for Australia at this point, but his island nation would love to pick him. He is not going to give up his dream of playing SOO, at such a young age, so if being picked for his island nation would preclude him, he would forgo the island representation. There fore the island misses out on him all together. I dont know what the solution is, its a very difficult situation. RL isn't the only sport with eligibility rules. I remember one of the Bachup ( forgive my spelling if its incorrect) playing for 3 different countries 3 year world cups in a row in Union. The massive influx of pacific island communities into Australia and NZ has created a great boon, but also this problem.

"...and deals were done over a Chinese meal with half a carton on VB throwdowns placed on the lazy susan. " Mmmmm...VB.... Seriously though I think Tom has raised an interesting point in relation to the island nations. Why not allow them to group together to form a team similar to the West Indies format in cricket? If all their NRL and Superleague stars were available, leavened with a sprinkling of likely youngsters from their local competitions, imagine what a powerhouse they could become on the international scene.

If he wasn't able to change countries he wouldn't even have played for Fiji. It's fairly obvious that in rugby league there are different tiers of international competition, and the priority facing the sport is to develop more countries that can play at the top tier. The reality is that many players qualify potentially for more than one country, and that is true of almost any sport you care to mention these days. So why shouldn't a player who isn't selected for, say, Australia or New Zealand for a competition at the highest tier be able to play for another country that reflects his heritage in a competition like the Pacific Cup? If it helps develop the game it has to be a good thing, and at long last rugby league seems to be coming round to the view that international development points to a positive future for the code.

Gee whiz - I thought it was precisely my political musings that drew people to the Roar.

I dare say this probably isn't the right forum for you to express your political beliefs Pip, for the most part, we just aren't interested in your political musings. I'm sure there is a talkback radio host who would love to chat with you.

Tom, nice to hear from you, and dont get me wrong, i agree, the dino's need moving on, but if you think we can just create a international agenda with those teams involved you are kidding me. Look, to be honest Australia is the glue holding the international scene together at the moment, we just cant expect players to hang around and play rugby league if you dont allow opportunities for players like Jennings and Hayne. What are you going to do? Tell them they cant play so then they can go join Fiji, or Samoa, Why would they bother, even Samoa is touring Europe in Rugby Union. So they would just convert to Union. Their is alot more behind the scenes trying to hold our game together. What we have now is nearly 5 competitive teams, the rest are 2 pegs below, What do you want them to do, throw Lebanon into a pool group with Australia and maybe France.? What would that acheive, you would probably be the 1st one on the blog saying what a joke.they got beaten 100 nil, I love the way things are going, and i also like the way the minnows get a taste of World cup action, without getting their pants pulled down. Remember , australia put 50 on the Fijians in the semi, and they had a pretty good team. Please just give them time, and the other nations can improve slowly at their own pace. And become more popular by doing so, its a mistake that was made 20 years ago, lets not go back their.

International Rugby League will never reach it's full potential until the last of the dinosaurs are swept out of office, otherwise we will be kidding ourselves if we think that our International game will truly go places. FFS, the I.R.L.F can't even be bothered to update their website. And this in 2009 of the new Millenium. The Claytons rule changes once again favour the big sides. They can basically cherry pick who they want when it suites them. Hayne and Jennings are perfect examples. The ARL didn't want them for last years World Cup, now because they have regained some form, sorry Fiji and Tonga, but we will now have them back thank you very much. In all honesty, if Tonga, Samoa and Fiji had all of their NRL and Super-League stars available and out on the paddock, they would blow PNG away. Last years rediculous World Cup format was an opportunity lost for International Rugby League. Get rid of the dinosaurs, they have held the game back enough.

Sam, they still have Relagatiion, only every 3 years now so teams have a chance of improving. And by the sound of it Wakefeild might be the 1st to be relagated in 2 years. Every 3 years 2 teams get relagated. So this wont change because like you said, with more areas playing league it gives the likes of maybe a team from Ireland or Scotland a future chance of making super league, which should be extended to 16 teams. France need to get at least 3 teams into the comp one day, this will make them a very strong force, not that they are not now. I have been impressed with their performance so far. So to answer your question, relagation was extended to 3 years, "from 1", so clubs would not go broke trying to buy players in their 1st year. And promotion is the next best placed 2 teams from the co-op comp. And the other nations have a massive reason to make super league. Its a very good system.

what does it do???? introduce fear into women?

I have no issue with PNG getting the spot over any other team. After all they are everyones second team. And yes you're right that the Cook Islands was made up almost entirely of under-20's players. Speaks volumes about their future on this stage... a very real short at qualifying for the next World Cup. Especially it it is expanded to 12 teams as it should be. But seriously how does allowing players like Hayne et al to pick and chose countries going to benefit the Islands? Australia and New Zealand have enough talent as it is. The real problem is how do you overcome State of Origin, the desire to play in that and still remaining eligable for your country? On your comments regarding Europe, the biggest mistake the Super League made was removing promotion and relegation. How are more teams going to join the Super League now? If another team from London and another team from the sud de France join they will increase their competition to 16 teams... a 30 week home and away calander. A little to big for me... Instead the entire British Rugby League system should go back to promotion and relegation and invite, permanently, teams from Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France to join from the bottom and build their way up.

I have thought about this alot, and yes we all want to see the island nations get stronger, but they wont get stronger by being flogged 100 nil. The pacific cup and the continuous infux of island players into the nrl is making them stronger. Watching the Cook Islands in the cup, Fharley said his team was made up of lots of under 20 toyota cup players. The Papuans were in the end, way to strong for the island teams, hence why they made the super pool last year. PNG are the best placed team to mix it with the big 4 nations. So we must keep giving them their chance, and a 4 nation berth is vital for them. The south of England and France should be the next 2 areas we work hard to improve, thats our future. They can bring Wales Ireland and Scotland along for the ride. This is happening, their has been slight murmers about another French Team into super league. The sooner the better. Another good post Steve, becoming common with you. ;)

I'm not sure what your point is? But if he rediscovered his 'passion' playing for Fiji and they have given him the chance, and apparently he felt 'Fijian' enough to represent them why is now allowed to change teams instantly? Fiji sure could have used him in the Pacific Cup qualifiers, maybe they'd be playing in the Four Nations next year? Instead they lost... It is a policy that will simply continue to favour Australia and New Zealand, to the determent of the few other countries in the world that could field decent Rugby League teams... Isn't international sport about national pride and passion?

So what does that say about a player like Jarryd Hayne? He rediscovered his passion for league as a member of the Fiji RLWC squad yet there he is playing for the Kangaroos!! What a mercenary!! (Ditto Michael Jennings)

Pick a country and stick to it, shouldn't be too hard, eligability should be easy - your own country. They're mercenaries for their clubs, and that is fine, it is all about the money. But international sport should be about representing the country that is closest to your heart...