World Cup 2021 : Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:18 am  

Just announced (on the radio) that Australia and New Zealand will not be taking part

Re: World Cup 2021 : Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:25 am  

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/world- ... d9e4e2e51a

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/world- ... d9e4e2e51a

Re: World Cup 2021 : Thu Jul 22, 2021 7:53 am  

The strength of rl is in that region, the game here is in decline and a complete disaster. If we had a decent side Australia would want to play us, sadly when we cabt beat Tonga and Papua new Guinea, what's the point. Game over soon

Re: World Cup 2021 : Thu Jul 22, 2021 9:06 am  

No surprise there then

Re: World Cup 2021 : Thu Jul 22, 2021 9:47 am  

And it's not just Australia and NZ.
If the issue is with returning NRL players, that will take out Fiji, Samoa and Tonga.

The only solution is to postpone the comp but, this will leave our already penniless sport with another HUGE hole in their finances.

Re: World Cup 2021 : Thu Jul 22, 2021 9:54 am  

With the NRL clubs leaning heavily on the players not to travel i'd be surprised if the Pacific nations don't follow to be honest. Then there's the English players over there, Burgess, Whitehead, Hodgson etc plus the players that Wales, Ireland & Scotland had targeted to play for them through heritage. I can see no other option to postpone it until next year.

Re: World Cup 2021 : Thu Jul 22, 2021 12:01 pm  

Can’t criticise either Australia or NZ.

Re: World Cup 2021 : Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:28 pm  

Mr Bliss wrote:

Can’t criticise either Australia or NZ.

Really?
I'd like you to explain why.

Re: World Cup 2021 : Thu Jul 22, 2021 5:25 pm  

Aus & NZ's decision makes a laughing stock of our game. It is now essential that the World Cup progresses as planned. There are enough antipodean players in England and France to create Australian and NZ teams and probably Tonga and Samoa. We can make use of player agents to find any players down under who aren't contracted to the NRL and invite them to represent their countries. Money shouldn't be a problem as Aus & NZ have opted out of having a share of the profits.

Re: World Cup 2021 : Thu Jul 22, 2021 6:32 pm  

BarnsleyGull wrote:

Really?
I'd like you to explain why.

Two reason is they have had less cases of covid than we have had in one week .We have got the highest cases of covei and deaths in Europe .And we have got a government who are saying as long as London is ok stuff the rest of the country .They have even made it compulsory to were mask on public transport in London but no were else