The RLWC is simply too long

Good on ya Rodney for giving it to Prichard , Don't you just love the knockers and armchair critics . A child crawls before it walks and walks before it runs . The thought process towards competition is vastly different to even 1995 and players are being asked to do more and more . Traditional employment is depleting more daily and entertainment is becoming the big earner , so let's not knock the efforts of the few trying to progress League through a transition period to success in the global market . If you love Rugby League then get behind those trying and lend a shoulder to the wheel . Fair and objective criticism is welcome , not some of the garbage dished up by detractors who want sensation not news .

2011 Rugby World Cup profit for the IRB in tiny NZ - $150 million AUD. Expected 2017 Rugby World Cup profit in the UK - 200 million POUNDS Expected 2013 rugby league 'world' cup profit - $5 million AUD in the game's heartland. Discuss

The refereeing in RU is despicable. I stopped being a fan. RL refs aren't perfect but have far less impact on the result.

RU is a top heavy organisation run by greedy business people. None of those dollars went to grass root clubs.

@rl4eva: So is ping pong, "cherry pit spitting", "wife carrying" and "gumboot throwing". All these mentioned "sports" are played internationally and have World Cups too. HAHAHAHA!!!

What you think is crap so what you write is crap so don't act surprised when people call your posts crap!

I have only watched the minnows play and enjoyed every game Fiji v Samoa . I get the feeling those who think its a joke only watch Australia play. I'll start watching the big 3 now the finals are on.

I think you're seriously devaluing the calibre of some of the other nations here. USA might not have put up much of a fight, but several of these island nations have enough talent to at least push Australia. Samoa really pushed New Zealand, coming back from 36-6 down to fall 42-24 and Fiji have proven themselves an ever better side than Samoa. Before the 2008 cup New Zealand had never won and the cup was heavily criticized due to the lack of credible opponents that could possibly defeat Aus. Now in 2013 there are three credible contenders for the cup with a plucky underdog in the mix as well. The cup has been full of upsets and boilovers, the successes of Scotland and the USA were unprecedented and Fiji's participation in the semis can also be termed a surprising outcome. Like every other world cup there are teams who hope to win a few games and there are teams who hope to win the entire tournament, just because the status quo hasn't been completely flipped on its head dosen't mean that there was no intrigue in this torunament. The levels of passion in this supposed 'non-event' tournament have been outstanding, during the Fiji - Samoa game tears were shed by in pride and in devastation, and even in the big US-Aus blowout tomahawks showed spirit and intensity in defence putting on some decent hits. I'm pretty sure sheens wants Slater to be declared fit so he can be part of a possible WC winning squad, seeing as its probably his last. Belamy probably is the most adept with the Australian spine, however seeing as he has been a vocal opponent to the increased work load placed on his players, there may be a slight conflict of interest when it comes to risking his players.

Johnno: Please sit down, you don't know what you are talking about. The first and last paragraph is utter rubbish. Cheers Johnny boy. Have a nice day.

Well, as for the rise of new contenders from tournament to tournament there certainly has been development. In particular the rise of New Zealand as a credible contender with the 2008 world cup, halting the previous 26 year Australian monopoly on the title. Then after this they confirmed their status as conetender by also taking the 2010 four nations trophy as well. Some may argue they always were contenders, however an 8 game loosing streak to Australia before the tournament suggests a definate imbalance. Coming up to this torunament England have re-emerged as a credible third power. From the 50-4 flogging of 2008 from Australia, England's last fixture with Australia had a difference of 8 points. Some of the minnows have also been chugging along nicely, Fiji have remained competitive since 2008 and have tightened the margins against them (loosing by 50 to Aus in 2008, in their latest encounter they lost by 28). Scotland have progressed from winless minnows in 2000, to moderate group contenders loosing out on points difference in 2008 to undefeated group champions in 2013, this success despite coming up against their most formidable group opposition yet. While not being anywhere near credible title threats they still show progress, this success leading to greater exposure for their players to potential clubs (with scotland juniors now regulars in the super league and fijian players common in the nrl) as well as internally raising the reputation of the sport. Sure, your point that it isn't widely contested it true, however this rlwc has seen one of the most widely contested competitions yet only surpassed by the original 4 team competition. Perosnally, i'm excited although I can understand that some may be turned off by the formality thumpings that do occur.

Thanks Greg for an excellent summary of this current Rugby League World Cup. Your experience as a sports writer, an in particular Rugby League, is obvious and you have a great knowledge of the game. You are spot on when you say International Rugby League is important, however somewhere along the line the organisers are trying to create an illusion that some of the teams competing are actually authentic Rugby League based national teams. Yes, the Australia V USA was an embarrassment for the game. The competition is far too long not just for insomniacs back here but also the players who have just completed the toughest Rugby League competition on the planet, the NRL. How can we expect so much from these players. Billy Slaters injury is a casualty of this non-event World Cup. Before the first ball was kicked off we all knew the final would most likely be played between Australia and New Zealand, with England a very close threat for the Final. It just may happen that way. It's all too predictable. I find it laughable when we read that Coach Sheens is hoping Billy Slater is fit for the Final when he has the worlds best talent to work with without the genius of Slater. Leave the guy alone. I sometimes question why coaches of elite teams in competitions like this,( who know they only have to be good man managers rather than teachers of brilliant athletes), make such a big deal of who they will choose to play lowly teams like Samoa or Fiji. Tim Sheens obviously has a lot of runs on the board as a coach. He is rightly respected by the Rugby League community, and in my opinion ne should be coaching an NRL team. Why sit him on the sideline. However, he knows his team for the Final. He is playing mind games with the players. Unfortunately that’s what he did at the Tigers and the players got rid of him. He could field the Parramatta team or a Sydney Netball team on the weekend and still win. I have been a fan of Tim Sheens as a coach but I feel that his coaching methods are stuck somewhere between the mid 80′s and Mid 90′s. Compared to Craig Bellamy he is a few streets behind. He is still considering Billy Slater if he is fit. Slaters needs a month or so to even start to heal. He has the greatest talent on the planet to choose from for the position of fullback despite the fact the “Genius Slater” is injured. Why still consider Slater ?. Give the guy a break. Sometimes I think that maybe Sheens is thinking more about his own long term success as a coach rather than the Rep Teams so that he can return to an NRL club. It’s amazing and unfair that no one seems interested in his services at NRL level. Maybe he tends to coach from the “Top down “. Maybe it’s all centred on Tim rather than a consultation process where the coach is more of a facilitator who seeks players opinions, listens to the opinions of team officials and selectors, and has a good relationship with each member of the squad. His “fear of God” approach as to ” perform or I will show you the door” is too much like a teacher in a disruptive classroom. Bellamy is the opposite. That’s why he is a legendary coach. He is a great man manager. That’s where I believe Tim Sheens falls down a bit, just ask the Tigers. Australia will win this World Cup in a close encounter. When Cam Smith holds that trophy above his head it will be mainly due to the natural talent of every player in that squad with a little input from the coach, managers, trainers, and hangers on who will all race to be in the team photo with the confetti falling from the sky in the background. After all, any reasonably talented coach with some good knowledge of the game and who can manage a group of blokes, can coach an Australian Rugby League Rep Team. Their natural talent will always get them to a Final. Then it’s a mixture of attitude, luck, refereeing and the bounce of the ball as to whether they win or not.

Did you get the opinions of Sean Flanagan or Craig Bellamy ? Ask him again if Akuila or Darius break their shoulders in the finals.

Greg is simply raising the same points I have been making for a month - the tournament is bloated both in it's length and number of teams,Suddenly Col states Greg has raised some valid points for debate - what a gutless wonder! Whenever I have raised exactly the same points Quinn has merely subjected me to personal abuse and accused me of being a closet Rugby fan. The only reason Quinn is making these concessions to Greg while abusing anyone else who raises identical points is to stay on good terms with the censors so his moronic jingoism mixed with personal abuse and historical innaccuracy can continue to be published - weak as you know what? If Quinn had any sort of backbone he would be giving Greg both barrels for an article like that and accusing him of being a Union "troll" there is an Australian Rugby League term for people like Quinn - it rhymes with that.

Did you notice most read stories on the Fiji Times happen to be league :)

Slight chance you missed the point there rl4eva...

What are you gibbering about? This doesn't even make sense.

What's a proper World Cup? I'd say one where more that 2 or 3 teams have a realistic chance of winning the tournament. If I saw some evidence that the game was genuinely growing as a result of World Cups being held, I'd be all for them. But I don't see that. It seems that every time we see teams cobbled together as one-off experiments. But glad that you have enjoyed watching some of the games. And I agree with you that the organisers have done a good job in handling the logistics of the tournament.

Fantastic rebuttal Rodney. What also needs to be remembered is that IRL is essentially in its infancy as far as growth is concerned and hopefully will continue to grow as a result of this WC. I do not know anyone who expected the equivalent of the RWC, let alone the soccer world cup, yet these seem to be what the RLWC is being measured against for it's success.

The Rugby League World Cup is not about Australia, England and New Zealand - Its about Fiji, France, USA, Lebanon etc. Its about growing the game and I hate to bust any Daily Telegraph reporters bubble but Rugby League (with Top tier professional teams in Four countries and amateur leagues in a dozen more) is an international sport! The Rugby League World Cup has its faults. Lets face it - The eligibility rules are too flexible and designed so that most NRL and Super League professionals can qualify for a minnow nation without jeopardising their future international careers for one of the big guns. However if the eligibility rules were tightened (just a little bit) I still think that some nations would remain competitive providing such nation played 3 or 4 test matches a year. This should be the priority of the International Federation. As for the length of the tournament. Yes it is probably a tad too long. With 24 man squads you would think the pool stages could be done and dusted within 2 weeks. For arguments sake below is my format for the 2017 RLWC in Australia and New Zealand providing the eligibility rules have been tightened. I believe my format is more authentic and would leave the public wanting more while still embracing the festival nature of the tournament. 2017 RLWC - AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND POOL A Australia* Fiji* Euro 1 Pacific 1 POOL B New Zealand* England* Euro 2 Pacific 2 Atlantic 1 2017 FEDERATION CUP (emerging nations) Euro 3 Pacific 3 Atlantic 2 Euro 4 Simple Format - Each pool plays single round robin then A1 v B2 & B1 v A2 play off the make the final. The emerging nations cup is run concurrently and are played on the undercard of some pool games. Top 2 make the final to be played as the curtain raiser before the final game of the tournament. Im probably the only League fan that likes things to be kept simple!

Aoran, you do know the Wallabies were the only clowns who took the 2011 tri-nations seriously, they beat the AB'S in brisbane too, a majority jet lagged AB'S i might add. The whol 2011 try-nations was a write off, gave deans fancy stats, nothing else. You say Bryce was an influence, as if the boks got the better of Bryce's calls. Check the stats of that game, it was Boks all the way but the Bryce lawrence scoreboard. AB'S feared the Boks simple. I get bitter with alot of rugby union yes, you got it. And i will hammer away at that, but league has problems too, you think the rlwc is a farce, well so is the RWC , now the layers have been shorn of it's elitist north shore abode.