The Rugby League Thread

[iul Profile]

Rugby Union can be critical of Rugby League for many things but one thing it cannot be is critical of how Rugby League treats the Pacific Islands. Rugby League and the NRL is doing more for Pacific Island Rugby than World Rugby ever has.

Like what?

[Canadian_Rugger Profile]

Rugby Union can be critical of Rugby League for many things but one thing it cannot be is critical of how Rugby League treats the Pacific Islands. Rugby League and the NRL is doing more for Pacific Island Rugby than World Rugby ever has.

Like what?

Tonnes, funding rugby on the Pacific Islands. Including a team from PNG in the Queensland Cup, having a team from Fiji join the NSWRL in 2020. Actually playing tests against Fiji and Tonga regularly.

Probably, but that responds to the different situation of both sports. Australia has a much bigger weight in league and therefore it can use for purposes beyond sport (soft power) whereas World Rugby needs to care about the interests of more nations. At the same time union has a much more credible international game and doesn't need to push forward two or three particular teams to strengthen it.

As things are right now union has much more to lose by putting even more effort on Pacific Islands than league may finally gain.

NRL is the dominant league in Oceania. You are absolutely correct but WR treats the Pacific Islands as its own personal rugby player farm.

[iul Profile]

Rugby Union can be critical of Rugby League for many things but one thing it cannot be is critical of how Rugby League treats the Pacific Islands. Rugby League and the NRL is doing more for Pacific Island Rugby than World Rugby ever has.

Like what?

Tonnes, funding rugby on the Pacific Islands. Including a team from PNG in the Queensland Cup, having a team from Fiji join the NSWRL in 2020. Actually playing tests against Fiji and Tonga regularly.

Probably, but that responds to the different situation of both sports. Australia has a much bigger weight in league and therefore it can use for purposes beyond sport (soft power) whereas World Rugby needs to care about the interests of more nations. At the same time union has a much more credible international game and doesn't need to push forward two or three particular teams to strengthen it.

As things are right now union has much more to lose by putting even more effort on Pacific Islands than league may finally gain.

NRL is the dominant league in Oceania. You are absolutely correct but WR treats the Pacific Islands as its own personal rugby player farm.

Rugby union is funding the PIs far more than league. Fiji had a team in Australia's NRC until it got disbanded and now some of the PIs have teams in Rapid rugby or whatever they call it. The PIs also get quite a few matches vs T1s, mainly from the NH.

[4N Profile]

Tonga beat Australia! Incredible result.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/a ... d=12281863

[Blurandski Profile]

Really impressive result, it's rare for the B team to beat the A side of their own country.

[4N Profile]

At least one Aussie coach got the job done for his adopted country today.

[Return_of_BG_97 Profile WebsiteYIM]

Congrats to Tonga!

[RugbyLiebe Profile]

That's huge news:
Sonny Bill Wiliams has apparently signed with the Toronto Wolfpack for 10 Mio AUD for 2 years.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/sonny-bill ... e9ecdf34f2

[iul Profile]

That's huge news:
Sonny Bill Wiliams has apparently signed with the Toronto Wolfpack for 10 Mio AUD for 2 years.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/sonny-bill ... e9ecdf34f2

That's more than the salary cap. Sounds like bullshit

[thatrugbyguy Profile]

Jesus effing christ, $5m a season? How's that even possible?

[4N Profile]

He’s likely going to play for Samoa internationally too which is big for them.

[Canadian_Rugger Profile]

That's huge news:
Sonny Bill Wiliams has apparently signed with the Toronto Wolfpack for 10 Mio AUD for 2 years.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/sonny-bill ... e9ecdf34f2

That's more than the salary cap. Sounds like bullshit

Marquee player exemption, only counts as 300k against the salary cap.

Jesus effing christ, $5m a season? How's that even possible?

One word man - Toronto.

There is massive money here in sport. You're talking a city with sports franchises valued at well over $1 Billion dollars each. Argyle and company are cashed up huge.

[thatrugbyguy Profile]

I'm talking salary cap.

[Canadian_Rugger Profile]

I'm talking salary cap.

Marquee Player exemption. Each SL club is allowed to sign up to two players for as much as they want and have it only count as £150k towards the £2.1 million salary cap.

Very few Super League clubs use it though because very few have any real money. I think only half the clubs use the Marquee player exemption and only like 8-9 spend to the Salary Cap.

[Return_of_BG_97 Profile WebsiteYIM]

That's huge news:
Sonny Bill Wiliams has apparently signed with the Toronto Wolfpack for 10 Mio AUD for 2 years.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/sonny-bill ... e9ecdf34f2

Oh wow this reminds me of when MLS used to rely on signing past-their-prime Euro stars to get butts in the seat.

IIRC Mirco Bergamasco of the Italian team switched codes during the RLWC.

[Thomas Profile]

I am not surprised, SBW started in League and after his move to Union he has played several times in League, switching codes. The only difference he is now cashing in.

[4N Profile]

Papua New Guinea 28 - 10 Great Britain

[Canadian_Rugger Profile]

Papua New Guinea 28 - 10 Great Britain

League is at a totally different level down under. I wasn't surprised they lost to PNG, especially after losing to Tonga, NZ x2.

0-4 on the tour. They would do well to get some more foreign clubs and money in their supposed "Super League".

[Blurandski Profile]

Sums up the state of the game in England very well. Over the past 10-12 years Rugby's youth scouting and participation has improved substantially, leaving 'Super'League struggling for talent.

[4N Profile]

GB had more NRL players and PNG had a few guys from the English second division. Just a great second half performance and a terrible job by Wayne Bennett.

Any clubs in England or elsewhere that can attract better players to SL would obviously be good though.

Full match

[RugbyLiebe Profile]

Papua New Guinea 28 - 10 Great Britain

That's probably rugby league's biggest upset. What exactly happened? Are GB so bad or PNG so much improving?

[4N Profile]

Combination of factors including some selection issues for GB but PNG have improved with the launch of the Hunters.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papua_New_Guinea_Hunters

[iul Profile]

Wolfpack majority owner David Argyle revealed he and other investors had already sunk CAD$21 million into the club but they believe the opportunities in Toronto and North America will ensure far greater returns.

https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/01/01/ill ... rival-nrl/

That's a lot of money this guy is spending on Wolfpack.

[novac Profile]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/51282586

Israel Folau is playing again for French Rugby League club Catalan Dragons based in Perpignan.

[RugbyLiebe Profile]

And that is that with Tonga.
How much do you have to f*** up to be expelled from International Rugby League
https://www.onepng.com/2020/02/tonga-ex ... um=twitter