League "World" Cup

[rowan]

Numbers confirm Rugby League World Cup now utterly dwarfed by Union equivalent

Last year’s RLWC saw 373,461 people pass through the stiles, with an average attendance across its 28 games of 13,338, a drop of 18 percent on the previous tournament’s average of 16,374.

Its union equivalent in London in 2015 saw 2,477,805 attend the tournament’s 48 games; this despite RWC2015 being the most expensively ticketed large-scale sporting event in history.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/numbers- ... equivalent

[rowan]

Melbourne smash Leeds in the World Club challenge:

So they still have this then? I guess it's a no-brainer when you've only got two pro competitions in the world https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/02/16/mel ... orkContent

What happened to the uni equivalent. I know the annual fixture in France was farcical but had hoped it would develop into something we could take remotely seriously one day...

[morepork]

Change the fuckin record man.

[rowan]

Melbourne smash Leeds in the World Club challenge:

So they still have this then? I guess it's a no-brainer when you've only got two pro competitions in the world https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/02/16/mel ... orkContent

What happened to the uni equivalent. I know the annual fixture in France was farcical but had hoped it would develop into something we could take remotely seriously one day...

[rowan]

Pretty sure the Kadikoy Bulls are the exact same bunch of guys who play for Kadikoy in the local rugby union comp. I've communicated a few times with their French coach, though I've never met him personally. The other Istanbul team involved is from Bilgi University. A few of my pals have taught there.

EXPANDED BALKAN SUPER LEAGUE KICKS OFF FEATURING 15 TEAMS FROM SEVEN COUNTRIES

The second Balkan Super League kicks off this weekend with a significant increase in interest. A total of 15 teams will take part in five groups of three, including participation from rugby league debutants Albania and Montenegro, together with Greece, joining sides from Serbia, Bulgaria, Turkey and Bosnia Herzegovina. Applications were also received from South Africa and Russia.

In the first season last year eight clubs participated, Serbian side Partizan defeating Belgrade rivals Red Star 32-26 in the Grand Final.

BSL commissioner Dragan Pavlovic commented: “We planned to build the competition but this is a huge step in just one season. It will be challenging while doubling the number of teams, but it is great to see how our sport can grow in this part of continent.” Over 300 players are expected to take part over the summer.

The opening three games will be played this Sunday 18 March, with Bulgarian side Locomotive hosting defending champions Partizan in Sofia. In Belgrade, Dorcol take on Vitez from Bosnia Herzegovina, while Radnicki Novi Beograd play Bosnian debutants Banja Luka Warriors.

Group A: Radnicki Novi Beograd (Serbia), Kadikoy Bulls (Turkey), Banja Luka Warriors (Bosnia and Herzegovina).

Group B: Partizan (Serbia), Lokomotiv (Bulgaria), Aris Eagles (Greece).

Group C: Radnicki Nis (Serbia), Attica Rhinos (Greece), Klubi Regbise Tirana (Albania).

Group D: Dorcol (Serbia), Vitez (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Juzna Regija (Montenegro).

Group E: Red Star (Serbia), Rhodes Knights (Greece), Bilgi Badgers (Turkey).

[rowan]

Don't be surprised if Zimbabwe competes at the next installment, and probably with more legitimacy than about half the countries there. Apparently their ruggers are being signed in their droves by British rugby league clubs: https://www.loverugbyleague.com/post/ti ... irst-team/

Plenty of Zimbos playing union abroad as well, of course. Here's a XV, just for example:

1. Gabriel Sipapate (Caceres, Spain)/Lovejoy Chatawama (London Irish)
2. Brian Muntanga (Life University, USA)
3. Farai Mudariki (Tarbes, France)
4. Jannie Stander (Pumas, SA) / Jan Ferreira (False Bay, SA)
5. Eli Snyman (Blue Buls, SA)
6. Michael Botha (False Bay, SA)
7. Connor Pritchard (Colleges Knights, Australia) / Nyasha Tarusenga (University of Cape Town)
8. Njabulo Ndlovu (UWC, SA)
9. Hilton Mudariki (Jersey, England) / Peter Du Toit (Clontarf RC, Ireland) / Ian Prior (Western Force, Australia)
10. Nick Holton (Manly, Australia)
11. Sam Phiri (Western Province U19
12. Riaan O'Neill (False Bay, SA)
13. Justin Zietsman (Joondalup, Australia)
14. Tafadzwa Chitokwindo / Dylan Baptista (Tottonians RFC, England)
15. Tapiwa Mafura (Leopards, SA) / Brandon Mandivenga (Loughborough, England)

[morepork]

One dood = a drove

[Stones of granite]

One dood = a drove

Droves of Zimbabweans moved to Yorkshire as children, went through school there, and were trained at the Halifax Elite Rugby Academy (league) before being signed up by British rugby league clubs.

[rowan]

So they recently staged a league test between NZ & England at the 76K-capacity Mile High American football team in Denver, sold an estimated 19K tickets - and most of the people who attended apparently thought they were going to be seeing the All Blacks. This is where league really gets my goat; its constant piggy-backing on the fame and reputation of union and teams like the All Blacks. However, it was all set up by a promoter, who seems to have lost a fair bit on the game. Serves him right. Not sure why he would have chosen Denver either, since there isn't an actual league competition anywhere near Colorado. So I wonder what was achieved here, if anything...

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/a ... d=12074982

[morepork]

Stick to football mate.

[cashead]

Memory's a bit fuzzy but I seem to recall that only got any attention at international level after 7s became a big hit in union.

If you're talking about the NRL 9s, then yes, your memory is very fucking fuzzy.

[cashead]

Stick to football mate.

Chip on his shoulder so large, you could see it from space.

[rowan]

Sums it up well . . .

All the presenters at the ground were continuously referring to the game as 'rugby' rather than 'rugby league'. Even a segment designed to help the locals learn the rules didn't say 'rugby league'. The segment, which was displayed on the big screen, asked fans if the rule being shown was an NFL rule or a rugby rule.
Yes, once again rugby not rugby league.
This may seem like mountain out of molehill behaviour from me, but when you make the effort of taking players halfway across the world mid-season to "grow the game" in another country, you'd at least hope people knew what game that was.
Next time organisers may want to emphasise rugby league a little more. Because the way they went about things I can almost guarantee half of the 19,000 fans present at Mile High stadium walked out thinking they had just watched the All Blacks.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/105255198/ ... .105255198

[morepork]

Sums up what? Your spare time?

[rowan]

Emerging Nations World Cup (I know for a fact that the Turkish team are all union players, as there is no actual league played here, except one-off club and international fixtures against foreign teams) :

The full draw for the Emerging Nations World Championships is below:

Emerging Nations World Championships

POOL A Malta PhilippinesNiue

POOL B Hungary Greece Vanuatu

POOL C Japan Solomon Islands Hong Kong Poland Turkey



Mon 1 Oct, 2018 Pool A Windsor Malta V Philippines 2pm

Mon 1 Oct, 2018 Pool C Windsor Solomon Islands V Turkey 3.30pm

Mon 1 Oct, 2018 Pool B Windsor Hungary V Greece 5pm

Thurs 4 Oct, 2018 Pool A St Marys Malta V Niue 1.30pm

Thurs 4 Oct, 2018 Pool C St Marys Japan V Turkey 3pm

Thurs 4 Oct, 2018 Pool C St Marys Hong Kong V Poland 4.30pm

Thurs 4 Oct, 2018 Pool B St Marys Hungary V Vanuatu 6pm

Sun 7 Oct, 2018 Pool A Cabramatta Philippines V Niue 1.30pm

Sun 7 Oct, 2018 Pool C Cabramatta Solomon islands V Hong Kong 3pm

Sun 7 Oct, 2018 Pool C Cabramatta Japan V Poland 4.30pm

Sun 7 Oct, 2018 Pool B Cabramatta Greece V Vanuatu 6pm

http://rlif.com/article/8439/

[rowan]

Maori v Aborigines All Stars game set for February next year. https://www.warriors.kiwi/news/2018/08/ ... confirmed/

Wonder how an indigenous RWC would go...

[rowan]

Emerging Nations World Cup (I know for a fact that the Turkish team are all union players, as there is no actual league played here, except one-off club and international fixtures against foreign teams) :

The full draw for the Emerging Nations World Championships is below:

Emerging Nations World Championships

POOL A Malta PhilippinesNiue

POOL B Hungary Greece Vanuatu

POOL C Japan Solomon Islands Hong Kong Poland Turkey



Mon 1 Oct, 2018 Pool A Windsor Malta V Philippines 2pm

Mon 1 Oct, 2018 Pool C Windsor Solomon Islands V Turkey 3.30pm

Mon 1 Oct, 2018 Pool B Windsor Hungary V Greece 5pm

Thurs 4 Oct, 2018 Pool A St Marys Malta V Niue 1.30pm

Thurs 4 Oct, 2018 Pool C St Marys Japan V Turkey 3pm

Thurs 4 Oct, 2018 Pool C St Marys Hong Kong V Poland 4.30pm

Thurs 4 Oct, 2018 Pool B St Marys Hungary V Vanuatu 6pm

Sun 7 Oct, 2018 Pool A Cabramatta Philippines V Niue 1.30pm

Sun 7 Oct, 2018 Pool C Cabramatta Solomon islands V Hong Kong 3pm

Sun 7 Oct, 2018 Pool C Cabramatta Japan V Poland 4.30pm

Sun 7 Oct, 2018 Pool B Cabramatta Greece V Vanuatu 6pm

http://rlif.com/article/8439/

Just saw the Turkish squad on fb: The 33-man squad comprises 29 Aussies of Turkish or part-Turkish ancestry, and 4 Turks travelling from Turkey - all of whom I happen to know are also union players and only took up league a couple of years ago.

[rowan]

There is, nonetheless, a genuine effort to get league up and running in these parts, with Turkey and Albania only the latest to basically switch codes en masse. It might be a fairly shrewd approach for rugby union to sit back and allow league to do the groundwork, set up clubs and competitions and build up the player numbers, and then to step back in a little further down the road and re-convert them all with incentives league simply won't be able to match.

[rowan]

Footage of Turkey v Greece at league:



NB: I'm guessing Turkey are in yellow because that is the (Istanbul) Kadikoy club's colors and most if not all of the players probably come from there. They also play union for the club. In fact, they only started doubling up as a league act a year or two ago.

[rowan]

Official Turkish jersey:

[rowan]

Just seen the schedule for the Emerging Nations tournament. It includes placings finals (3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, etc) as well as the grand final - which will be played on the same day as a Trans-Tasman test, strangely:

01.10 Windsor (Australia) Malta - Philippines Emerging Nations Championship Pool A
01.10 Windsor (Australia) Hungary - Greece Emerging Nations Championship Pool B
01.10 Windsor (Australia) Solomon Islands - Turkey Emerging Nations Championship Pool C
04.10 Saint Marys (Australia) Niue - Malta Emerging Nations Championship Pool A
04.10 Saint Marys (Australia) Hungary - Vanuatu Emerging Nations Championship Pool B
04.10 Saint Marys (Australia) Japan - Turkey Emerging Nations Championship Pool C
04.10 Saint Marys (Australia) Poland - Hong Kong Emerging Nations Championship Pool C
06.10 Valencia Spain - Russia European Championship (B)
07.10 Cabramatta (Australia) Niue - Philippines Emerging Nations Championship Pool A
07.10 Cabramatta (Australia) Greece - Vanuatu Emerging Nations Championship Pool B
07.10 Cabramatta (Australia) Japan - Poland Emerging Nations Championship Pool C
07.10 Cabramatta (Australia) Solomon Islands - Hong Kong Emerging Nations Championship Pool C
09.10 Cabramatta (Australia) 3rd Pool C - 5th Pool C Emerging Nations Championship 9th-11th Place Group
10.10 Cabramatta (Australia) 3rd Pool A - 2nd Pool C Emerging Nations Championship 5th-8th Place Semi-Final
10.10 Cabramatta (Australia) 3rd Pool B - 1st Pool C Emerging Nations Championship 5th-8th Place Semi-Final
10.10 Cabramatta (Australia) 1st Pool A - 2nd Pool B Emerging Nations Championship Semi-Final
10.10 Cabramatta (Australia) 1st Pool B - 2nd Pool A Emerging Nations Championship Semi-Final
11.10 Cabramatta (Australia) 4th Pool C - 5th Pool C Emerging Nations Championship 9th-11th Place Group
13.10 TBD Russia - Serbia European Championship (B)
13.10 Saint Marys (Australia) Loser 3B/1C - Loser 3A/2C Emerging Nations Championship 7th Place Match
13.10 Saint Marys (Australia) Winner 3B/1C - Winner 3A/2C Emerging Nations Championship 5th Place Match
13.10 Saint Marys (Australia) Loser 1A/2B - Loser 1B/2A Emerging Nations Championship 3rd Place Match
13.10 Saint Marys (Australia) Winner 1A/2B - Winner 1B/2A Emerging Nations Championship Final
13.10 Saint Marys (Australia) 3rd Pool C - 4th Pool C Emerging Nations Championship 9th-11th Place Group

http://www.theroonba.com/rugbyleague/men/fixtures.html