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Joined October 2017
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@Brett Allen: To say you are under no illusions about your sport of RL is not true. With RL commentators (Tallis, etc) and authorities (eg, Vlandys) saying things like: we have the ‘best’ game, the ‘superior’ product, the ‘best’ athletes, blah, blah, you are being delusional. Those experiencing the RWC beg to differ. And check out the athletes at the RWC from SA, NZ, Fiji, Ireland, etc.
Eddie Jones joked about signing Nathan Cleary - but he might be the only man who can save the Wallabies
“RL doesn’t have any insecurity issues.” LOL. Funniest comment of the thread.
Eddie Jones joked about signing Nathan Cleary - but he might be the only man who can save the Wallabies
@Brett Allen, you and many other RL supporters must be spluttering: “Our game is superior to Rugby, we have the best athletes, the best this, the best that, Rugby is so boring, blah.” But then you look at the Rugby World Cup and go “Why isn’t our game more popular around the world. Why? Why? Why? And why is that player from Fiji speaking with a Fijian accent and the player from Georgia speaking with a Georgian accent and the player from Portugal speaking with a Portugese accent, instead every player speaking with an Aussie accent, like at the Rugby League world cup?” LOL.
Eddie Jones joked about signing Nathan Cleary - but he might be the only man who can save the Wallabies
If we’re talking about tweaks in rugby rules to make it more attractive, here are two: (1) If attacking player (AP) kicks inside his/her half, he/she must be the first to tackle (or attempt to tackle) the receiving defending player (RDP) unless the RDP passes to his/her teammate, in which case AP’s on-side team mates can attempt the tackle. This way, the RDP has the incentive to run the ball back (not return the kick with another kick, and aerial ping pong commences) and it opens up the play. (2) On any scrum outside the 22, defending team stands back 10 metres from the scrum (not 5 as per current rules) and attacking team can be as close to the scrum as possible (not 5 back, as per current rules). This way, opens up attacking possibilities. Oh, and a third rule change: for mauls, once fwd momentum is halted, halfback MUST pass (no second chances, no waiting).
'The most boring play on a rugby field': Why Wayne Smith is right to call for radical rule tweak
Nope, it’ll never die in Australia. The game’s international strength (and it is growing internationally – check out the ticket sales for the next Rugby World Cup) will keep it alive and well. It’s going through a bad patch but it’ll remain a key sport in Australia (not necessarily the most popular).
League and union cannot afford an all-out Pacific code war
@Ouch, so long as the game is big globally and continues to grow globally, it will NEVER die in Australia. The international appeal will ensure that it remains a key sport in Oz. Maybe never the biggest and most popular, but certainly a key sport. Oz is going through a bad patch because the game has grown internationally and countries Oz could beat relatively easily in the past are now beating Oz. This is a reflection of the strength of the international game.
League and union cannot afford an all-out Pacific code war
@Craigo, ummm, I’m from Fiji and I live here plus my work takes me across the Pacific, including Tonga and Samoa on a monthly basis. Can’t understand where this staggering growth in League is taking place. Maybe living in Australia, as you do, you have a clearer line of sight to the staggering growth in the Pacific.
League and union cannot afford an all-out Pacific code war
A better team without Israel Folau? I don’t think so. Am I excited about watching the Wallabies without him? Nope. They are now a team of good solid players without the X factor I would part with my hard earned cash to see.
The Wallabies are a better team without Israel Folau
@The Neutral View: Not sure if he has, indeed, had “a few chances to solve this”. There has been a lot of reporting in the media about what he had been told on what he could or could not do regarding social media but who knows what the actual truth of the matter is. But if directives had been included and set out in the penalty, they would have been clear to all and sundry. And if Israel had failed to comply, then his failure would then be clear to all and sundry. All in all, what could have resulted in a much better outcome for all concerned (including for the LGBTIQ+ communities) ended up a right, royal mess.
Israel Folau has been unfairly hounded out of Australian rugby
Israel’s post was abhorrent – absolutely no arguments there – and he breached the code of conduct. The issue is whether the punishment is proportionate to the act(s). In my view, it’s going too far to terminate his contract and effectively end his playing career, in all the circumstances of the case and having regard to the history of his behaviour (yes, the earlier post included). What could the penalty have been? A massive fine (record, if you must), a suspension and directives including to remove the offending post(s) and to issue a statement in remorse. The penalty should formally make termination of the contract dependent on the compliance with the directive(s). If he fails to comply with the directives, then he clearly is lost.
Israel Folau has been unfairly hounded out of Australian rugby
After many days of rain, the sun has come out in Suva this morning. Hopefully it stays dry throughout the day. Saw the Georgians having a light run this morning while going for my morning walk. And the Fijians are camped out at the Grand Pacific Hotel … had a quick chat with Vereniki Goneva as he made his way to the team meeting … a real gentleman. Looking forward to the games today. Georgia over Tonga and Fiji over Samoa. Oh, and the Wallabies over Ireland (please!).
Pacific Nations Cup week 1: Preview and predictions
@Jaime O’Donnell and @Cathar Treize – thanks for enlightening me with the articles! One article (thanks Jaime O’Donnell for sourcing) quotes Steve Mascord as reporting that “the official charges are fraud, with the suggestion that UAE rugby league was masquerading as rugby union and procuring sponsorship as a result” while one article (thanks Cathar Treize for sourcing) is about the arrest of the President of the Rugby League Commission because he had broken the law and had overstayed his visa. Interesting, interesting.
Can all the naysayers just enjoy the Rugby League World Cup?
Actually, for league’s sake, England had better beat PNG. For all this talk of growing league internationally, does anyone not see the limits to growth in a sport where the top 4 teams are Oz, Fiji, Tonga and PNG? I mean I’m from Fiji (rugby is my sport although I have a more than passing interest in league because of the Fijians playing in the NRL) but even I am not so blind as to see that Fiji is a tiny country with limited capacity to ‘grow the game internationally’. Better for England to either win the cup or at least be in the final and then use that success as a springboard to grow the game in that country.
New Zealand vs Fiji: Rugby League World Cup quarter-final live scores, blog
Wow, after reading 300 comments, the surprise, shocking conclusion is …. Rugby fans say Rugby will win and League fans say that League will in. Who would have thunk it?
Kangaroos vs All Blacks? I'd like to see that!
Hey steady on Fred. Why the rugby union bashing? Reading all the comments to date and see no comments about rugby until yours in response to comments from Andrew which make no mention of rugby. Very “intelligent” rugby vs league “debate” to follow in later posts no doubt.
Mad Monday: Pacific nations take centre stage in World Cup
Fred, no one is saying that they can beat the ABs. The point is that these countries have credible rugby competitions and the sport is popular.
International rugby league? Be careful what you wish for
Fred, soccer is big in Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore etc but they never get into the soccer world cup. But it is still popular in these countries. Rugby is (I found this out, to my surprise, when I worked there from 2005-2007) quite big in Sri Lanka (they even contract Fijians to play for and coach teams) but it may never get into the RWC. Being popular in country does not mean the country will get into the world cup. I’m a rugby fan but this is not a league-bashing comment, but a response to Fred’s comment.
International rugby league? Be careful what you wish for
Good variation and similar (but not as good) as one which I have been advocating for a while now. But good nonetheless – anything to discourage aerial ping-pong and encourage more running rugby. The other variation I would encourage is to give the attacking backline at scrum time the opportunity to stand right up against their #8’s feet and get the defending backline 10 meters (not 5 as is the current law) behind their #8’s feet.
'Who wants to see more kicking?': Wallaby 'stoked' with law change that will help him run riot