I predict 120-0 to Australia in the quarter final.
This result confirms Wales should stick to union.

Irrelevant as to what I believe constitutes a Scot......I have purely questioned the number of "heritage" players at this RLWC. Australia are a team at this RLWC, so it would be fair to expect there would be at least 24 Australian born players at the tournament........I'd hazard a guess that if you asked any sports fan what they though of there actually being 116 (close to 5 squads worth and 34.5% of all the players) they'd think it was farcical.
Rugby League doesn't have a global presence that is strong enough to support a truly global tournament, but rather than accept this and showcase the talent they do have in a Tri-nations type tournament, they allow 264 players out of 336 to come from the four countries that have a professional team.
The AFL world tournament is only slightly more of a sham, although I do believe the Holders, IRELAND was actually made up of a team born in Ireland.......go figure.



Again, the fact that the sport needs to have an Ireland team, in the hope it will be taken more seriously as a "world" game shows the ineptitude of the governing bodies in how to actually grow the game. Ireland (sic) finished 5th last time out......I see they've kicked on massively since then




Irrelevant....again! I haven't said the qualification rules are wrong, I have said the entire premise of this RLWC is wrong.



Clint Newton qualifies for the USA through him being born there....I don't believe I ever disputed this, but you have a talent for posting comments like that, which are designed to make it look like the target of your affection has actually said something they haven't.....it generally happens when you are feeling uncomfortable.

I have no issue with heritage players....I have a massive problem with squads full of them...if you don't, then you really do see the sport through a myopic lens, because in general, sporting fans look upon this RLWC as a bit of a joke other than for the 3 top teams who were bolted on for the semis since 1954!

Yes, all this is irrelevant.

We dont have an Irish team in there because we need an Irish team, we have an Irish team in there because Irish people are playing for Ireland. The fact you dont think they are Irish enough is a stupid as it is irrelevant. The same as we have an American team because American people put together an American team and qualified for it.

The RoI national football team was ranked 6th in 1993, they are ranked 60th now. in 1990 they made the WC quarter final, they havent even qualified for a tournament in 11 years.......I see they've kicked on massively since then



If you think the entire premise of a world cup is wrong? You think that playing international sport to crown a world champion is wrong? Weird.

Your view on who is a ‘heritage’ player and who is a ‘real’ player are irrelevant. You don’t get to define other peoples nationality.

And considering that we had no more than 5 teams in a world cup until 1995, cheers for your noticing the fact that 3 of those were bolted on for the last 4.





Other people would have missed that brilliant insight, but not you. Thats why you get the big bucks.

The stock answer when personal insults have failed......
FACTS remain that the top 7 ranked countries provide 91% of all the players at this tournament. I believe it is still possible for Italy to meet Australia in the Final......feel free to tell me how normal/acceptable it would be to have a world cup final contested by 2 teams of 17 players, with 2 Kiwis and 32 Australian born players





...I'd go back to personal insults if I were you buddy.

not a stock answer at all. Simply the correct one. When what you are saying is irrelevant, it gets called irrelevant. When you are being a troll you get called a troll.


That this annoys you so much simply shows what a success the WC has been. You can stay in your state of incandescent apoplexy, let it carry on eating at you, because as the fact that you have successfully chased everyone else away from this thread shows. No-one else cares.

No...normally a debate involves an exchange of views, but you disagree with me (even though you know I am right) and therefore you call me names...




No again. I am thrilled that the crowds have turned up but I still believe the number of heritage players devalues the comp and it's potential legacy....France, PNG and Wales are 3 of the better countries when it comes to home born players.....they are 72% born in the country they represent....yet teams like Scotland and Italy (8%) are reaping the rewards of the heritage rule but adding no long term legacy. You know I am right, so you lay a smoke screen of attendances to hide the fact that I have a point.

I never questioned attendances by the way.....I questioned the organisers ability to get press releases out that were coherent and I still do.......
to date, after 14 games, we are 11k down on 2008 BTW......At a fiver a ticket I'd temper some of that back slapping for now