125 not out : Rugby League 2020

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Much to look forward to:

Toronto realise their Super League ambitions
An Ashes series, over here, at which people are likely to turn up
Continued interest in establishing a pro team in Spain
Distington are in the Challenge Cup again

OK, the last is a bit parochial.

[Kevin S]

The draw for next year's World Cups has been done today:

[Etienne]

How on earth does Norway have an elite wheelchair rugby league team?

[Kevin S]

Well, they don't necessarily. There wasn't a qualification process as such for the wheelchair tournament, I think it was more like bidding for places. Norway are using this as a platform to get funding to grow the whole of RL in the country.

[Benjm]

That makes it seem odder that New Zealand aren't in it; did they not ask for a place?

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

I never thought I'd live to see the day that half of the national newspapers lead with coverage of the RL World Cup draw, but admittedly the fact that England were drawn against Greece wasn't the story they were all getting excited about.

[nmrfox]

Really horrible news about Mose Masoe - here's hoping he can make a full and lasting recovery from his injury.

It'll be an interesting season for York. New stadium and with coach James Ford still at the club (for now), there is plenty of optimism for 2020. With Toronto moved on, hopes are high for another play-off push, but this is tempered by the fact that many wins last season were extremely close calls and the rub of the green may not favour York so much as it did last year. Additionally, the top sides - Toronto, Toulouse and Fev - handed out some brutal beatings to York which shows they still have a way to go to match the top sides in the division, let alone against SL opposition.

[Duncan Gardner]

I never thought I'd live to see the day that half of the national newspapers lead with coverage of the RL World Cup draw, but admittedly the fact that England were drawn against Greece wasn't the story they were all getting excited about.

Harry confirms: "I've split from 15 of the Family"

[Guy Profumo]

And Wigan Warriors announce “Pride Day” to support inclusivity for their 2020-03-22 clash with, er, Catalans Dragons.


Will they be providing rainbow laces for the opposition, too?


https://www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2...unce-pride-day

[Benjm]

They've made it Pride Day specifically because it's Catalan Dragons, haven't they? Fair play to the Pies, IMO.

Folau has supposedly committed to keeping his trap shut for the duration of his contract. That has to be a long shot. Even at an entirely cynical level, Catalans must be expecting miracles from him on the pitch for the hassle to be worth it.

[Ray de Galles]

Yeah, we mentioned this on the rugby thread, it was a specific (and swift) response to Folau's signing ;

[URL]https://twitter.com/james_dart/status/1222140327185829890?s=21[/URL]

[Guy Profumo]

But I've mentioned it on the Rugby League thread.

Which I think is where it belongs?

[Ray de Galles]

You've missed the point, as ever.

I was merely confirming Benjm's comment about Wigan's announcement being a direct and speedy response to the Folau signing and that that fact had been mentioned on the rugby thread.

[ursus arctos]

And given that Folau has been playing Union for years, that was a perfectly good place to put it

[Tony C]

Interesting development this. Hull KR seem to have the backing of other clubs here, too. Not sure if this is an unprecedented legal move for a sporting club but it's certainly an interesting, and not unreasonable, one.


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/51368373

[Guy Profumo]

Quelle surprise

Catalans Dragons have rainbow flags removed from display


https://inews.co.uk/sport/rugby-leag...s-fans-1742425

[Kevin S]

Sydney lead Sintelins 8-6 at half time.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Encouraging stuff coming out of the North East - good start to the season from Newcastle Thunder, and today they fielded three teams (under 18s, reserves and first) in which 35 out of the 51 players were local and/or from the North East Academy. They also report local participation numbers of over 1,400 players, and new clubs in North Tyneside, the west end and the Tyne Valley (I'm curious as to where the latter is, not least as it's not really fertile territory for League).

[Jon]

That is good news. maybe holding the magic weekend at st James park these past few years has helped.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

That is good news. maybe holding the magic weekend at st James park these past few years has helped.

It certainly won't be harming, and they will get another boost from hosting games in the RLWC next year. I don't follow the detail of this as much as I used to but I think they have been putting development money into the region for some time, and seem to have a decent infrastructure in place. Shows how far they have come if they can put out a team mostly comprising local players and more than hold their own at their level.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Ottawa Aces to join League One next year, confirmed.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

....and a New York club "95% certain" of joining in 2022, and aiming to play exhibition matches in 2021, plus enter the Challenge Cup at round one. The draw for the next round of this year's Challenge Cup is taking place in New York as part of the launch of the new club. Playing home games at Red Bull Arena (I know, not New York).

[ursus arctos]

I'm curious as to what they consider to be their target market. Red Bull Arena is adjacent to one of the most vibrant Portuguese neighbourhoods in the country, but they aren't known to be very keen on RL.

And the amateur clubs here draw very "friends and family" crowds.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

That sort of logic doesn't always enter the equation where RL expansion attempts are concerned, there is a lot of "build it and they will come" (sic) optimism. Which I guess there has to be, because the sport eventually has to attract new people to watch it and can't rely on ex-pats from a small number of countries (and just parts of those countries really) to sustain clubs in new areas.

[The Mighty Trin]

We need to get Ursus over here to experience the Challenge Cup Final or Grand Final. Somehow I missed that the date for the Silverstone round of the Formula 1 weekend got pushed back a week and is now the weekend of the Challenge Cup Final. IŽll be lucky enough to be at both, but it means that IŽll miss the qualifying and have to re-jig the logistics of mates, girlfriend and parents. Middle class problems...

I'm hoping that the Mighty Trin progress beyond Friday night, but there's always the possiblity of Mr Cockup...