Rugby League has seen a lot of growth in the past decade, and internationally, since the 2008 World Cup. The growth hasn’t been world dominating, but it has been exponential – which is all a sport could ask.
But with this growth the international scene has not really found a formal time slot, like that of Rugby Union and football.
This is going to become a major problem in years to come.
First of all, we must recognise that cricket is played in the summer of the host country – not a universal six-month period.
So it is not impossible for other sports to do the same, but Rugby League does need to establish a calendar, especially for the new and developing nations, to provide a stronger international scene.
The Four Nations is a great concept, in the fact that it encourages promotion (a Northern or Southern Hemisphere team to play against the three top nations of the world).
The problem with this is that these three nations (Australia, England and New Zealand) are continually playing against each other to solidify their position as the top three nations.
Imagine if Wales caused an upset this year and defeated one of the three and came third or second. Nonetheless, in the next Four Nations, the Welsh would be excluded. It’s not a fair system.
The RLEF (The European – and now Northern Hemisphere inclusive – ruling body) has a much better system than the RLIF (The global ruling body).
The Southern Hemisphere has the greatest club competition and strongest international teams, but no protocol or system for developing the new Rugby League nations.
The RLEF has three tiers for the Northern Hemisphere alone. The tiers are used to give nations building blocks to strengthen their side and build a slow, but growing, national fan base.
The three tiers start from the European bowl, which is for entrant countries to gauge where they need to focus on (e.g. technically, positionally and so on).
The next tier, the European Shield, is for the strengthening of the developing nations and to establish some consistent competition and develop a more robust club competition in their home country.
The third tier is for the top European nations (excluding the Four Nations’ teams) to play against each other with a chance of playing in the Four Nations.
Other than these three tiers, there is the MENA Cup (Middle East and North Africa cup), for which credit must go to Lebanon Rugby League for exposing the game in an area that is not the easiest place to live, let alone play.
There is also the Amateur Four Nations (between the amateur players of Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, which the Welsh have won eight times of the past 10).
Then, the RLEF is also trying to co-ordinate the North America expansion (and, for some reason, the South Africa RL is being helped by them as well).
The international scene in the Southern Hemisphere though is in a much sadder state.
The Pacific nations are finding their own Tests to play, Samoa are traveling to France to play. And the Asian continent has barely been touched.
Bali is coming along slowly, trying to provide Rugby League as a party along with some competition.
Indonesia is slowly building and Thailand is only in its infancy. But the Pacific nations have been around for a long time and no one has taken responsibility for their development.
The Pacific nations should be having a Cup to play for every year, be it for promotion to the Four Nations or not.
The Pacific nations should involve Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands and Fiji. The five nations can battle it out in a single host country annually.
And the likes of Bali, Indonesia, Thailand and Japan should be offered a chance to play against each other for promotion of this Cup. It can still be called the Pacific Cup as they are all still bordering the Pacific.
And from here, we will see stronger international teams and a stronger World Cup.
The World Cup seems to be the only time when the minnows are ever focused on. But if we focused on them continually then the minnows might just become majors. Or whatever the big nations are called.
The international scene needs to develop for Rugby League to develop internationally; it’s simple, but true.
harry hopworthy
Guest
INTERNATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE IS MY PASSION. YOU NOTICE I SAID ,INTERNATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE. I CAN'T GET TOO EXCITED ABOUT THE CLUB GAME. THAT MUST MAKE ME DIFFERENT TO MANY RUGBY LEAGUE FANS WHO SEEM TO CONCENTRATE ON THEIR CLUBS TO THE EXCLUSION OF EVERYTHING ELSE. THE SPORT,LIKE ANY OTHER SPORT,BE IT: RUGBY UNION , FOOTBALL . PITCH HOCKEY OR WHATEVER , SHOULD BE ORGANIZED ON THE PYRAMID SYSTEM. FIRST: SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THEN THE AMATEUR CLUBS, THEN THE PROFESSIONAL CLUBS , FOLLOWED BY THE STATES OR PROVINCES , AND FINALLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY , THE NATIONAL 13, 15 OR 11. ANY SPORT WORTH IT'S SALT MUST HAVE THE NATIONAL TEAM AT THE TOP OF THE PYRAMID. PLAYING FOR YOUR COUNTRY , AND WEARING YOUR NATION'S COLOURS, HAS TO BE THE GREATEST HONOUR. HARRY HOPWORTHY , EXETER , DEVON .
Orang Gila
Guest
Bali is a province in Indonesia not a separate country. Whilst there is some RL in the province of Bali it is unknown in the rest of the country.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
kovana England not a case of perhaps,but the reality.The parliamentary members( RL supporters group in Westminster) ,who fought hard on a few issues involving the game ,will support that view.eg ArmedServices. France no doubt they do support union,but we are talking rl and the effect of powerful figures there. I would not argue on any other countries,suffice to say,both the countries I named have a very strong influence in the popularity or otherwise of the rugby codes.
kovana
Guest
England.. Perhaps. France.. I think alot of the middle and lower class people in the South of France enjoy rugby as well. Regardless Q-Girl basing his 'comment' just coz it applies in Oz or England is still incorrect.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
kovana. I am clarifying a response to QGIRL ,which was taken as applicable to all countries.That is all. I think he is looking more so at Europe in particular ,England and to a lesser extent France.Still it is up to him to clarify the situation.
kovana
Guest
CC.... Which is why his first sentence is rubbish. World wide... How about looking over at NZ and seeing why they enjoy rugby? Or the Pacific Isles? People are free to choose which sport they can play.. We in Samoa enjoy rugby, because its the game of the Working class.. Same with NZ and Wales. Such rubbish comments by Q-girl are very stereotypical.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Pops .I believe QGIRL is talking world wide not just this country,as per the topic at hand.The growth of rl in this country has hardly been restricted.,we wouldnaturally agree.
Pops MacDonald
Guest
A one Mr Packer was particularly biggoted against Rugby League. He did a lot to hold the game back. Come off it my good man, Rugby League has and contiues to have very powerful and influential supporters. The fact that it did not grow internationally is a whole other story.
kovana
Guest
Rubbish QGIRL. WHat utter rubbish comments, and you know it.
Queensland's game is rugby league
Guest
Rugby union is fortunate because it has held strong ties with the corporate sector and upper class for over a century. Influential businessmen who held strong ties with rugby union snubbed rugby league for decades. It doesn't happen as often these days, but it still happens to an extent. It limited rugby league's growth for most of the 20th century.
Corey
Guest
Too true. RL needs to look into areas where sport - especially professional sport - is in it's infancy. The reason for this is because it would not have to fight a lot opposition from other sports. RL needs to pick up its act, and I think the RLEF are doing a great job of it. Colin Love should be stepped down from the RLIF and replaced with John Howard or Kevin Rudd (old RLEF CEO).
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I get the impression you have no interest in rugby league full stop.Appears a few here are interested in growing the game internationally. From my observations rugby league fans are aware of the ineptitude at times of management,and express such feelings in print,on radio and TV.
jus de couchon
Guest
I have no Interest for Rugby League to survive on an International Stage but I am always surprised by the ineptitude of those that pretend to promote the game.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Stu Stab in the dark,your first line has liitle foundation ,but looks good for effect, No success to date in Oz,well the Storm are hardly failures despite the fact they are playing in a niche market. Where is the so called breast beating,about "the greatest game on earth'. Please show us where rl has wasted money trying to make an intnl comp viable,when the last RLWC made $5m profit.Don't let your dislike for rl get in the way of the reality of the situation. Maybe you should read the pre amble of the state of the game report in this country,you may learn something. Yes i am sure the I.C will follow your every word to the letter,as will the RLEF.
C.T.SANDERS
Guest
Why is Russia a failure?There's still Rugby league there and they have sent a team to the Under16 Tournament in Germany and they're in the World Cup Qualifiers later on in the year with Italy,Serbia and Lebanon.France won 3 Test sreies in a row in the 50's and get it right Chris B and use your real name and stop hiding under a nome de plume.
ClipperWithChipsOnBoth
Guest
Wishful thinking stu.
Bakkies
Guest
Kovana the Northern Union (now League) clubs broke away from the RFU and therefore the IRB and there is no chance of them coming back unless they switched to Rugby and registered with the RFU.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Kovana. Your point"The IRB can also see the financial strength of the NRL in Australia...Why would they want to bury that? 1) because takeovers tend to dilute the smaller party,especially when that smaller party has been a competitor for decades and is not in need of propping up.. 2) Because the IRB has no love nor committment to want rl to grow.Even people within ru at times have unkind words to say about them.Would they really want to financially back two world cups for two rugby codes? 3) For the very reason the NRL is strong,and why would it want to be always ready at the behest of the IRB.And why would the ESL want to dilute their TV deals and growth at grassroots.What about PNG? 4) For the very historical reasons I previously mentioned,and I won't go into them suffice to say (money the core issue). 5)The advances the code has made in the last couple of years in Europe and the USA/Jamaica,has been extraordinary. But their(ru & rl) growth is not being stunted.Are you suggesting the Storm should be shut down and the Rebels be the one team?or the Reds should not come in ? Both codes are professional,giving more young players the opportunity to earn money to set themselves up for life.Why deny them? The only things that really hurts codes,are inept administration ,players' misdemeanours,and hells bells rl has had that on and off for decades. "Too much hate". Maybe for a few,and they have their valid reasons.I cannot bring myself to hate a code ,except to suggest have little time for some of the officialdom and some of their media sycophants.
Chris B
Guest
IMHO Origin has been the biggest stumbling block to international RL for years. The focus on this daft interstate competition has been OTT, yet at the same time we've let what were once strong rivalries with England, France etc wither on the vine (not helped by poor standards granted), but my point stands, most people under 40 would think State of Origin has always been the epitome of RL and ignore the 100+ year history of tests agaisnt England & NZ How many of you know that France won 2 series in Aus in the 1950s? Or that Australia came last at the 1954 World Cup, or England held the RL Ashes for 30 years from 1920 to 1950. Now we are giving no support to PNG or the Pacific Islands. RL has always been bedevilled by inept leadership and insular fans in both hemispheres.
Kovana
Guest
"Why?They are two different forms of rugby." I know.. And so is 7s, but its still under the same umbrella as the XV RU game. RL is doing ok. Which is true. "RL would get buried under the IRB admin." I dont think so.. The IRB can also see the financial strength of the NRL in Australia... Why would they want to bury that? But yes, its pie in the sky stuff... But it doesnt have to be. Too much hate.. And you can say all you want about how both codes are doing OK.. But the truth is clear.. Both codes continue to hurt each other and cause each others growth to be stunted by not allowing each code to grow at the rate it should be.