Rugby League World Cup preview: France ready to rise again

I believe Rugby League will if given a fighting chance become the second most popular sport behind soccer in the world.Its potential to flourish over union in the U.S due to its simpler rules superior athletisism and more exciting play . This combined with more funding and aggresive tactics against union will be succesful because the product of rugby league is superior.Then i think an eventual merger between the codes to attack soccers world dominance will happen with league being the dominant controler in this amalgamation.Then the world is the games oyster.

Go Kumuls, win or loose let Bird of Paradise fly higher with pride. Do your best Kumul's. Adrian Lam team Kumuls, 8 million supporters are 110% behind you to do us proud. Go Kumuls, Go

PNG have struggle but as a team so passionate abou the game. We will accept a good game as a rugby league game played with all the best we can put in. It has been a long road and we still have a much longer journey to make. But we still love a good game of rugby. And we play in on our beaches, rivers, hills, mountains, etc. If PNG beat France come that day, we will be rejoicing a if we are the world champions. Coz, we take each game as it comes. Just wish the Kumuls All The Best from one Die Hard Supporter in PNG>

Nomad really are you serious?.RU people have acknowledged it went on, re boot money.Greg Growden in the Herald has mentioned it. If you are that naïve to believe it did not go on,perhaps you ask why a former NZ PM (David Lange)noted "it never ceases to amaze me ,seeing the AB players driving the latest in cars and wearing some fine clothing,with no visible means of support". And I could tell you a few things about a club south of the Harbour,and its supposed amateur players. Yes all monies paid under the table would be documented LOL.The benefactors and the recipients all named. I will repeat one more time for the obstinates. In 1946 the FRL had no money,they had players left over from the 41 removal,and those players and younger ones went on to play in the 50s up to the 60s.The crowds from the40s still followed the game ,when it came back in ,and hence the crowds. The ru clubs continued to grow straight after WW2,because they were officially recognised and many former rl players went over to the"RECOGNISED code. The rl clubs dwindled due to no official recognition and no Govt grants or real lack of school involvement and players and crowds flocked to the sanctioned and financially backed ru. .Therefore not having a RWC had little to do with the situation.The rl code had no assets other than income from tests,that had to support paying their players and pútting some into clubs and mgt.The code was not even able to call itself Rugby >it had to be called Game of X111.the code derived no benefits from the French GOvt as did union for grants and school access. I don't have to have lived there,historical facts spell it out.I was not there when Lincoln got assassinated. Simply one code gets the official approval for 50 years and all the benefits that go with it,the other does not and is restricted dramatically by these Govt measures.The French Commission stated so,you cant'accept it. And most recently in the French Sport Magazine LÉquipe end May 2013 which has no rl bias, spelt it out and ru official's involvement. You really need to study the subject matter and the real impact,instead of second guessing because ru benefitted and was involved in 1941. And one more time monotonously, as soon as the code was recognised ,Govt monies were able to be accessed and schools,and the code started to grow again.The proof is in the pudding. Have you opened your eyes to see the latest financial situation confronting the ARU.Pay cuts for reps,admin being removed.That how things impact.I notice there is no thread on that issue on ru tabs.Very strange indeed.

Boot money - allegations no evidence. I know a Newtown second rower whose milk run was covered gratis when he was away touring with no tax payments - who would have thought - tax avoidance!! The Kangaroos used to complain that their touring money was less and taxed (a wage) and the Wallabies wasnt (most expenses covered and a small untaxable expenses allowance) - pays to get better tax advice would be my view France RL was so destitiute after WW2 that they drew 20K a game for the WC which was the largest RL crowds ever seen in France with no RUWC. It seems like RL just got overrun not by Vichy but by more popular soccer and RU. Someone let an opportunity slip. Ypou and I werent there so hard to be definitive although I am sure you will be.

kumuls will beat france..... period.... end of story...... goodnight.

1991 is 22 years ago,Hardly a couple. Well its not and it doesn't have 3 times the number. Your last two lines is the biggest load of crock I have ever read.The French Commission was set up,on the basis of Sport under Vichy,covering not just rugby league.Their findings regardling rugby league showed ru officials ATT tried to get rid of rl. That was clearly spelt out.Yet you claim it was a sop.Denial at its very best. In addition for the next 50 years Govts not Vichy but elected French Govts kept rugby league as a non official sport,unable to access grants and unable to be taught in schools.The code had to rely on their club scne,which was decimated by their assets being purloined. I have read some apologists re the Govt findings,yours takes the cake.

Yes all the boot money was legitimate in Australia,all declared to the tax authorities LOL. That was not a Govt decision.There is a world of a difference between out of pocket expenses,and under the table payments. French ru paid their players,in direct confrontation with the IRB and its "strict" amateur policy.Whether it was taxable is irrelevant.they went against the Governing body's authority. hence the term "shamateurism". And the code was still the official rugby code,with all its opportunities for granst and school access. Partisan Govt committees,what a load of rubbish,it was an independentt Commission set up by the Govt It possibly left the Govt open to claims, if rl decided to pursue the matter further.

Very keen to see what France can do against PNG, pity they aren't playing this one at home though. League has always been a very regional (even more than union) and minor sport in France but this WC is a great opportunity for the French to watch their league guys play international games as it will be broadcasted on beIN sport. 1 win would be fantastic, 2 wins and a spot in the QF would put the sport on mainstream media. Hope they turn up mentally vs png then who knows what can happen.

RU players got expenses which were not taxed if used up legitimately in pursuing their craft - were never slugged by tax officials so that govt decision was legitimate but of course only partisan govt committiees looking at Vichy are legitimate...

In case you had forgotten - RUWC winners in 1991 and 1999 runners up in 2003. You attempt at humour was well summed you up childish. Australia can be No 1 in the world where we have 3 times the numbers of players playing the game than any other country and realistically only 2 opponents. If they took international RL seriously they would have a game in Sydney occasionally - they dont for a reason Regards the french Vich inquiry - dont set up a govt inquiry unless you know the outcome- was it a sop to the left about Vichy crimes - need to have an indpendent view before you can comment.accurately..

I can't even remember when the Wallabies were Ok.was that before the signing of the Magna Carta or the introduction of the combustion engine? Never take notice of warm up games.Why would players want to get hurt ,before the real McCoy begins.

An exhibition game between France and USA where not all players are picked is different from a WC sup when everyone theoretically is available. Funny I remember when the Wallabies were OK someone saying the kangaroos were the best reugby team of both codes in the world. Lo and behold they lose the WC to NZ wow...

I have been following rugby league since the 78 tied grand final involving Cronulla ,coached by Norm Provan.And I have been watching union to a varying degree since that time.I attended the SCG to watch a barbarians game involving David Campese.I enjoyed the Ellas in action. I played ru for 5 years before I played the 13 a side game and then for only 1 year.I have watched a Boks test v Wallabies. Don't even get me started on union refs. At school we were instilled with the amateur ethos of ru,playing for love not money.Then I found a little thing called spaghetti rugby and froggy rugby,which kinda stuffed the amateur theory.Then to my amazement,after visiting the UK in 1984 I learnt about rl in France in the 40s and beyond.I subscribed to Open Rugby which then became Total RL. Then I established even in this country,a couple of ru players stayed in ru,because they would lets us say earn more where they were. I am sorry but my foundation belief in the ethos of the code,was shaken forever ,and that lost me. Now I do not accept things first up and do some background work,its the way I have been brought up .The Govt Commmission findings in 2002 reinforced what I had been told.and low and behold this year L''Ëquipe the very popular and independent French Sport's Magazine at the end of May this year did an expose on the Vichy Govt's collusion with rugby union in the WW2. That would have been unheard of decades ago and surprised Steve Mascord.French media do not like reopening old wounds. It shows that people can bang on about m Rylance being biased ,but his views have been supported by Independent sources,none bigger than the French Govt and none more respected than LÉquipe. On that basis if Rylance had been the only source,one could suggest bias.Trouble is he was not the only source.

I followed RL closely till 1989 when a certain referee changed the course of a GF with a bad decision. I followed his career and noticed how he was appointed to big games no matter how many mistakes he made. First RL ref signed by SL. The head of News said that RL was great because it was 2 dimensional , had big hits and had "close games" (he didnt add that RL clubs could be bought or that packer had the rights). The ref followed thru and theatrically managed many big games and always got the nod. Roy masters and warren Ryan have written about this. There is a current day equivalent. Hence my trepidation when RL is mentioned..

Warm up form can never be taken seriously, just like pre-season. Experimenting combinations, unlimited interchange, and mucking about, no intensity to it. -France rugby also lost to Tonga at RWC 2011 in the group stages, and ended up making the final losing to the AB'S by 1 point. Forget warm up form. -France VS Samoa, in France will be a cracker and decide who gets a Q/F spot. I'm tipping French at home. PNG VS France in England will be a close game too.

France have lost to the USA (probably the weakest squad at the Cup) 22-18 in a warm-up fixture.

The seizure of the assets sucked. France really is only just recovering. Toulouse need to enter SL before the French can really make an impact. This is more or less the Catalans Dragon team against some very strong international sides. I hope they do well, but I think this could be another dissapointment for France. Prove me wrong boys.

just my tipping on png vs france, i just know of france in general that they will be fielding most of their players coming of sl and few nrl and if they can hold off the png bys well enough then they will win by a x poinys diference but if they dont and allow, slip let a png to score , png are sure to beat france by quiet a suprising score line. png will come with pride, believe, enthesusm and drive that they will not wana let their 8milliom people down. its their national sports !!!!

France beat Australia in a test series in 1978 hard to believe but true