Rugby League World Cup

@sparky said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

Don't really like League but here's my five cents anyway. Given Covid cases are already going down in the UK more than three months before the League World Cup starts (after a rapid vaccine rollout) and the coaches and players were keen to go, this is a poor decision by the Aussie and NZ League authorities.

Don't know where you've got that from. The UK is currently going through another exponential explosion in the number of cases. And with England removing all restrictions, that's likely to climb much higher before September.

Fortunately the number of hospitalisations and deaths is not rising as fast because they've done a good job with the vax roll-out, but still nervously waiting to see how much that goes up.

Having said that, I don't reckon the danger from covid is the reason they've withdrawn. The problem of players living in perpetual bubbles might be. Or it might just be down to a power / money play from the NRL, don't know.

Don’t really blame Oz / NZ. I doubt the vaccine rollout would get down to their players within 3 months from what I’ve read.

Jury still out on where the UK will be in 3 months too. Pingdemic causing chaos at the moment too.

All in all, catastrophic for the tournament and also for any near future sport involving NZ / OZ. Precedent has been set.

@majorrage said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

I doubt the vaccine rollout would get down to their players within 3 months from what I’ve read.

My understanding is that sport teams like the Black Caps and the Olympians were prioritised for vaccinations before travelling. I caught the end of an interview with Sophie Devine yesterday where vaccines were also mentioned ahead of the White Ferns England tour. Sounded like the league players would almost certainly be vaccinated before travel, if they want it.

@donsteppa yup there is a process, but if the sport applies and the govt agrees, people can queue jump, already 86000 people have jumped ahead of vulnerable groups 'above' them

Group 4 86186 45876

Anyone confused by me saying the numbers in the UK are going up and Sparky's comment that they're going down: he's right that the last couple of days' numbers are down, but you don't have to be a public health expert to know that you can't read two much into one or two data points. Here's the 7 day average...

This spike started before "freedom day", so dropping all the restrictions (in England, it's a bit different in Scotland and Wales) is likely to increase it rather than turn it around. It's not good, but the high vaccination levels help a lot - levels of hospitalisation and death are not going up as much.

It is very hard to say what it'll look like in 3 months when the RLWC was meant to be. But we know that politically Bojo's very unlikely to consider another lockdown or many restrictions. Safe to say that it'll be a bit different to NZ.

@gibbonrib said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

Having said that, I don't reckon the danger from covid is the reason they've withdrawn. The problem of players living in perpetual bubbles might be. Or it might just be down to a power / money play from the NRL, don't know.

That's one of the main problems. The NRL is struggling to keep their competition alive with all teams relocating to Qld so it has already been a disruptive season. Add in the 2 weeks quarantine on return to Aust and NZ, so more time away from families.

I actually hope that the tournament goes ahead as an "up yours" to the ARLC.

@bovidae
You think there's any possibility at all of them holding it without A & NZ? I don't follow league much so no idea, just assumed that with 2 of the top teams gone it would be dead in the water

@gibbonrib

This is what I have read:

Furious World Cup officials will meet with representatives of the remaining 12 nations this weekend, as they weigh up what to do following Thursday's withdrawal. It's understood postponing until next year is the least likely option on the table, behind going ahead without Meninga and Maguire's teams or cancelling it altogether.

The UK Govt has committed money to hold the tournament this year so there is a concern they could lose that funding.

@bovidae So it could actually happen? England might actually have a chance of winning a world cup?

I will laugh like a drain if they end up losing to Tonga

@gibbonrib They would have to get past the might of the Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Canary Islands and Lichtenstein in pool play before encountering someone like Georgia in the quarters and PNG in the semis before they can even think about taking on the Mate Ma'a in the final.

@mikethesnow said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

If these athletes - who will be double jabbed before they leave the SH - can’t ‘tell’ COVID-19 to get fucked then the general population of Australia and NZ is fucked.

It's not about safety. About 2 weeks ago their rumours about Australia pulling out because quarantine etc wouldn't leave enough time for proper break + proper nrl pre-season.

That was quashed by organizers. But a few weeks later they pull out for safety reasons.

Its obviously a bullshit reason, bullshit as in not the truth.

SH rugby league is effectively controlled by NRL, who are a club controlled body, not that interested in success of international league or the world cup. The ARL died in the super league war. The ARLC is a compromise replacement.

So, decision is really an NRL one, made easier by players being bubble fatigued. But its embarrassing to admit that club pre season trumps a world cup in their priorities. So, "player safety" gets trotted out.

Not sure on NZRLs motives, but their player pool is most effected by 'away from home' fatigue.

I think it just shows how much the players really give a shit about the league “world” cup. They’re not scared of Covid, just the pain in the arse of travel, bubbles, inconvenience etc etc. I’m willing to bet they’d do it for Origin or the NRL finals, but for this? Not so much.

@rancid-schnitzel said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

I think it just shows how much the players really give a shit about the league “world” cup. They’re not scared of Covid, just the pain in the arse of travel, bubbles, inconvenience etc etc. I’m willing to bet they’d do it for Origin or the NRL finals, but for this? Not so much.

I reckon this is bang on. The international game is the peak for rugby; for league it's a sideshow.

A very good statement IMHO from the RLPA. Players should be allowed to make informed decisions about their own participation in the forthcoming RLWC. Let the players be the judges of her much representing their nations in the tournament means to them and the trade-offs in terms of possible rewards, risks and inconvenience at doing so in a country that almost certainly won't be Covid-free.

@sparky said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

A very good statement IMHO from the RLPA. Players should be allowed to make informed decisions about their own participation in the forthcoming RLWC. Let the players be the judges of her much representing their nations in the tournament means to them and the trade-offs in terms of possible rewards, risks and inconvenience at doing so in a country that almost certainly won't be Covid-free.

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Totally agree. Although saying the UK almost certainly won't be covid-free is like saying I almost certainly won't be the All Blacks captain at the next FIFA world cup.

@gibbonrib said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@bovidae So it could actually happen? England might actually have a chance of winning a world cup?

I will laugh like a drain if they end up losing to Tonga

I reckon there's a slim chance of Tonga going, and if they do most of their NRL stars wont be there.

I'm not sure the players were consulted before this decision to withdraw was made. The NRL and ARLC are calling the shots.

@nepia said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@gibbonrib said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@bovidae So it could actually happen? England might actually have a chance of winning a world cup?

I will laugh like a drain if they end up losing to Tonga

I reckon there's a slim chance of Tonga going, and if they do most of their NRL stars wont be there.

i know of a few island players who were hesitant to even go into NRL isolation last year, if they were going to be forced into vaccination. If this reason was cited from some NZ players this year, I suspect Tonga and Samoa will face similar problems as well

@bayimports said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@nepia said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@gibbonrib said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@bovidae So it could actually happen? England might actually have a chance of winning a world cup?

I will laugh like a drain if they end up losing to Tonga

I reckon there's a slim chance of Tonga going, and if they do most of their NRL stars wont be there.

i know of a few island players who were hesitant to even go into NRL isolation last year, if they were going to be forced into vaccination. If this reason was cited from some NZ players this year, I suspect Tonga and Samoa will face similar problems as well

Hestinacy to be vaccinated is emerging as the real reason for Oz + NZ officials pulling their sides out of the RFL Rugby World Cup.

I must know thousands of people who have been vaccinated in the UK, only know one person who has had lingering headaches. Everyone else fine within a couple of days. My advice to anyone is get your Covid vaccines as soon as you are offered.

@sparky said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@bayimports said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@nepia said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@gibbonrib said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@bovidae So it could actually happen? England might actually have a chance of winning a world cup?

I will laugh like a drain if they end up losing to Tonga

I reckon there's a slim chance of Tonga going, and if they do most of their NRL stars wont be there.

i know of a few island players who were hesitant to even go into NRL isolation last year, if they were going to be forced into vaccination. If this reason was cited from some NZ players this year, I suspect Tonga and Samoa will face similar problems as well

Hestinacy to be vaccinated is emerging as the real reason for Oz + NZ officials pulling their sides out of the RFL Rugby World Cup.

View embedded content

I must know thousands of people who have been vaccinated in the UK, only know one person who has had lingering headaches. Everyone else fine within a couple of days. My advice to anyone is get your Covid vaccines as soon as you are offered.

I hope this isn't found in NZ rugby as well, I'm running out of teams to support.

Although that article seems to suggest that anti vax wasn't the main concern but more general safety concerns.

@sparky I'd have just said you get the vaccine or you don't get selected.

@sparky said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@gibbonrib One for another thread perhaps

Yup, definitely veering off topic now

@sparky said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

Key point that I am yet to see answered is that Black Caps can come the UK for the inaugural Test Championship but not the Kiwis for the League World Cup. I could understand a blanket ban on NZ teams visiting the UK for sporting championships during Covid, but this pick and mix approach will damage NZ's reputation.

If remains only the League team I’ll be surprised if anyone cares too much - here or offshore…

Cynicism midway through a Warriors thrashing aside, I think it will stay only the NZ league team doing that - for everything else in the mix I think they’d find a way to be on the plane north later in the year if the Australians were going.

@sparky
Not sure how this reflects on NZ badly, this has nothing to do with the government.

@mikethesnow said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

I’m guessing the administrators said ‘fucked if I’m looking after these mongrels in iso’

Nah, no problem. John Hopoate retired years ago.

@donsteppa said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

SENZ: KIWIS PULL OUT OF WORLD CUP WITH A "LARGE PORTION" OF PLAYERS UNWILLING TO BE VACCINATED

Oh, FFS....

@mofitzy_ True, but I doubt it will be seen that way.

Looks as though the competition organisers' hopes are that the players will rebel against their national bodies, either by competing for other nations or by getting the national bodies to reconsider.

@mofitzy_ said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@sparky
Not sure how this reflects on NZ badly, this has nothing to do with the government.

More to the point, all the Kiwi players are currently based in Aust. NZRL can't do shit either.

@sparky said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

Looks as though the competition organisers' hopes are that the players will rebel against their national bodies, either by competing for other nations or by getting the national bodies to reconsider.

Hope they can make that work and we get some sort of RLWC going.

Not a huge follower, but it's very much the community game in large parts of Nth England and they don't deserve this on top of Covid.

I'm going to assume the number one reason is $$$.

@mofitzy_ said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

I'm going to assume the number one reason is $$$.

You sir, are a very smart man.

@bones said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@sparky I'm guessing $$$£££

@bones
Great minds and all that

@mofitzy_ said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@bones
Great minds and all that

As this is the Fern, we really should add the term "relative"...

@victor-meldrew said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@mofitzy_ said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

@bones
Great minds and all that

As this is the Fern, we really should add the term "relative"...

No we don't have the same uncle dad.

@bovidae said in 2021 Rugby League World Cup:

I'm not sure the players were consulted before this decision to withdraw was made. The NRL and ARLC are calling the shots.

Jason Costigan on ZB sport show yesterday said they weren't

@bones @mofitzy_ #booboo