posted Oct 17, 2008

The way it is this year with the so-called big three being in the same group isn't ideal looking from the outside.

But just give it a chance to see how it un-folds, and then decide if it is a farce or not.

The reason behind having ENG, OZ, and the KIWI's in the same group is to avoid the scorelines like we have had in the past, no-one surely wants to see anyone trudge off the field with a 60 point scoreline against any team, and that probably has got something to do with the poor crowd and gate reciepts along with T.V ratings as well, it's not healthy for the game even if it's your team that wins.
Cheers and good luck

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posted Oct 19, 2008

i cant believe how ridiculous how the groupings of this years world cup are.
four in one group and three in the other two and the winners of those two have the pleasure of playing in a playoff to make the semi final.
you may as well just give the big three a by into the semis or just called in the tri-nations like the last few years.#

surely you've got to feel for PAPUA NEW GUINEA who have effectively no chance of progressing.

surely it would have been better to put the big three in a group of three, with only two progressing, opening up the possibility for others to progress to the semi or even the final.

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posted Oct 20, 2008

firstly, n-price, we have to have the best teams in the semis - otherwise you risk 2 non-competetive semi-finals or worse - a final with a 60+ scoreline - no thanks! Secondly, everyone else, I understand the turn-off for unequal games early on but how the hell does RU manage to sell that idea? If they can why can't we? What do they do - just spend money? Wine and dine sponsors? I really would love to know!

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posted Oct 20, 2008

fat-lion.

It Isn't rocket science???

The Union play against a world wide sporting audience do they not, against countries that are strong in the way they field there sides of which makes it competitve.

We league lovers can argue until the cows come home in regards to which of the two sports are more attractive, but once it gets down to the amount of spectators or countries that play each game, we are kidding ourselves to even consider we are anywhere near them especially in the professional dept.

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posted Oct 20, 2008

Southsydney - name 4 countries who have played in the Union WC (ever) who haven't played in the league WC (ever), I would love to know if you can, because I can't, then try and do it the other way round - I reckon it will show the spread of League is as wide as Union

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posted Oct 20, 2008

Also further to your comment, since when was 164-0 considered a genuine contest? (not a one off either!)

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posted Oct 20, 2008

Namibia, Georgia, Portugal, Spain, Uruguay, Zimbabwe, Ivory Coast. That's at least 4.

I haven't heard of a 164-0 result, the record I think is 142-0. But yeah, there are very one-sided foregone conclusions in rugby - although arguably you get very one-sided games at the football world cup too.

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posted Oct 20, 2008

the others yes, but did Zimbabwe actually play in the WC finals? By the way Russia and Lebanon have played in League WC Comps (never in Union to my knowledge) so I make that 3 more than League, please continue, I am interested to know what people think

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posted Oct 20, 2008

Zimbabwe played in '87 and '91.
Russia has tried to qualify for the union world cup but fell at the last hurdle to other european teams. I think something like 90 teams went through qualifying for the last world cup.

I doubt Lebanon even have a union team. THe fact they have a league team I'm sure is due to the influence of the high Lebanese population in Sydney spreading the gospel

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posted Oct 20, 2008

According to Wiki 15 different National teams have played in the League WC (counting the GB nations individually but not GB itself, and counting NZ and NZ Maori as 1 nation), while 24 have competed in the Union one.

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