A World Cup Year? Rugby League 2021

[Benjm]

The holding email sent out to ticketholders twenty minutes ago has a tone of strained politeness, shall we say.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

How many tickets have been sold so far?

I don't think they've ever made that public but they had a decent response when they first went on sale, and then they stopped selling them for a while in case they had to limit capacity, but they re-launched them recently and have been throwing a bit of weight into the marketing in the hope that it was going ahead.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

The holding email sent out to ticketholders twenty minutes ago has a tone of strained politeness, shall we say.

The official statement went a bit further with "...disappointing statement made by the ARLC and NZRL which may have wide ranging implications for international Rugby League...".

[Ray de Galles]

I actually had tickets for the semi-final at Ashburton Grove, the gods seem to conspire to ensure I will never see a game of League (though I suppose the Broncos at Plough Lane may tempt me one day).

I never knew League even had a nines format. Given it's not as big a reduction in numbers as Sevens (or even football seven-a-side) is the game that much different from the full format (shortened matches aside, I presume)?

[ad hoc]

yes, the match shortening (2 x 9 minute halves) is basically the big difference. Conversions are drop goals, but aside form that the changes are pretty minor

[ad hoc]

I think there is a sevens too, but as i understand it there's no officially agreed upon set of rules for that

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

The Guardian reports this morning that several Australia and New Zealand players have expressed interest in the fact they would be allowed to come to the UK anyway and pull on shirts for second tier nations like Samoa, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Lebanon, which will presumably really infuriate their bosses at home (although liven up the rump tournament no end). I don't know if they're literally allowed to pick and choose who they fancy or if there has to be some of "grandparent" rule involved?

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Yes it's a grandparent rule, they can't just pick a side. A lot of the players who weren't in contention for the Australian squad would be playing for those nations anyway - the difference here would be having first choice Kangaroos turning out for another country. This is allowed anyway - you can switch allegiance between first and second tier nations, so the fact that they've played for Australia previously won't get in the way.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

And to round up the rumours and speculation, there are a few permutations at play:

1 that Australia and NZ make a u turn and come anyway (there has been some pressure on them after the players' association effectively spat out its coffee at the announcement)

2 that their places are taken by an Australian Indigenous and a NZ Maori team, which would still send the European / Lebanese heritage players towards those nations

3 that they cobble together Australia and NZ teams from players based in Europe, possibly with the addition of players currently in the NRL who won't be there next season (either because of retirement or because they are moving to Europe anyway)

4 their places are taken by (probably) Serbia and the USA, the former of which could be boosted (pardon the pun) by the "Turbo brothers"

However I still think postponement is most likely, although I am glad that they didn't have a knee jerk reaction to the announcement and seem to be thinking it through.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Ah well, at least I don't need to think of a new title for next year's RL thread...

[Benjm]

Ah well, at least I don't need to think of a new title for next year's RL thread...

Focus the creativity on The Big No Gig Thread, which will hopefully need a fresh new look.

I feel very sorry for everyone concerned with the organising and planning. Hopefully it will be able to regain momentum after postponement as the Euros did.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

In the same hour of Adrian Chiles" show as I mentioned on the Olympic thread, he interviewed Jon Dutton (RLWC CEO) about the cancellation. His opening gambit was "is this to do with Australia and New Zealand pulling out?" and then he went on to ask Dutton whether they would lose money over it. Dutton diplomatically said things would work out as running it in these circumstances was going to cost a lot more, and they wouldn't have that cost next year. Chiles tried to go all Paxman and said yes but have you lost money. Dutton has performed well in the media recently, and I was willing him to reply "what the fucking hell has it got to do with you, you two bob Tony Gubba", but he remained diplomatic.

More usefully Dave Woods reported elsewhere that the recent delays to the announcement centred around whether they would cancel the whole thing rather than just postpone.

[Benjm]

Dutton should have replied by asking how many journalists Chiles' girlfriend has sacked to cover the fee for his deeply unremarkable witterings in The Guardian.

[The Mighty Trin]

A busy week in rugby league... The Mighty Trin sack Chris Chester and the Challenge Cup final moves to White Hart Lane for a year. It's the best new ground I've been to and there'll surely be a better atmosphere there than at a Wembley with 30,000 empty seats..

[nmrfox]

That St Helens v Catalan game was something else. Unbelievable stuff at the end.

[nmrfox]

This Leeds Hull game is none too shabby mind. Great to see Harry Newman and Jamie Shawl back playing well again after horrific injuries.

[nmrfox]

Wow

[nmrfox]

This is unbelievable

[Tony C]

This mornings ARL preliminary final between Melbourne and Penrith was magnificent.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Workington Town 18-16 Keighley Cougars, in golden point extra time, in the League 1 play off semi.

The best game I've seen in person in several years, and restored my faith in lower division RL. Two well matched teams, going at it hammer and tongs without spilling over into arsey-ness. Inevitably in a close game at this level (without video assistance) the refereeing played a big part and while Town were aggrieved at Keighley's last gasp try (which a video ref would have mulled over for good while) being called fair, they got the game gifted to them with a high tackle decision under the posts (resulting match winning penalty below), which the away following were grumbling about on the way out.

Town play Doncaster at home in the final next Sunday and I should make it.

[nmrfox]

Glad you enjoyed it WFD and hope that Town can give you the same drama and excitement next weekend (though I do have a soft spot for Doncaster RLFC as a name, no Dragons or Duck-billed Platypuses for them).

Indeed the whole first weekend (inc Thursday) has been great watching. Both home teams nilled in the SL play-offs in two brutal encounters. Batley giving their much bigger neighbours Bradford a beating and then Halifax (thanks to the ageless Scott Grix) just shading out a very committed Whitehaven. Great games, great atmospheres, hoping this coming weekend is as good.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

I would have liked to have seen the Whitehaven game as well, and if I still had Virgin Media I could have seen it as Sky Sports Mix used to be available as part of the normal package, but on BT it's in the Sky Sports package, which I don't have. But yes, a good weekend all round and a good end to a difficult season. As I was driving home yesterday I was listening to the BBC RL podcast with the chairman and CEO of the RFL discussing the future of the game and as ever clubs like Workington and Whitehaven are the test cases for this sort of thing - Haven would currently be within any "two tens" set up, Town would be on the margins of it (and of course their relative positions have been reversed in the past), but either way I'd hope they could find a sustainable level in any new set up.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Glad you enjoyed it WFD and hope that Town can give you the same drama and excitement next weekend (though I do have a soft spot for Doncaster RLFC as a name, no Dragons or Duck-billed Platypuses for them).

I've underestimated the complexities of RL play offs - Town are indeed in the final, but now have a two- not one-week wait, while Doncaster and Keighley play off for the right to play them. Which means I'll miss the final as I'll be in London...

[Tony C]

Penrith v Souths in the NRL Grand Final tomorrow at 9.30 am UK time.

Catalans v St Helens in the SL Grand Final next Saturday at 6.00pm

Both could be absolutely great games. I’m sincerely hoping that Penrith put right last year’s show when they saved by far their worst performance of the season for the Grand Final. This is a very special team who deserve the big prize.

[Me Old Flower]

Toulouse booked their place in the RL Championship Final after beating Batley in front of 6000+ spectators. They'll meet Featherstone who defeated Halifax in the other semi-final. It really feels like something positive is happening in French Rugby League right now.

Anyway, too much sport today. Going to try to divide my time between watching Rabbitohs - Penrith, cycling (Paris - Roubaix), the London Marathon and Keighley vs Doncaster in the RL League One playoff semi.