The format has been announced for an expanded Rugby League European Federation Shield in 2012/13. The competition will now take place over two years with the four selected nations playing each other home and away. The side finishing bottom of the league will be relegated to the European Bowl, with the winner from that tournament taking their place in 2014/15. Pending RLIF confirmation of the format for the 2017 RLWC, the RLEF has proposed that the 2014-15 Shield acts as a qualifying tournament, meaning that all 24 European Shield matches between 2012 and 2015 are essentially world cup qualifiers. [iEuropean Shield 2012 fixtures[/i: 12th May 2012 - Germany v Serbia 19th May - Germany v Russia 9th June - Serbia v Italy 7th July - Italy v Germany 8th September - Russia v Italy 22nd September - Russia v Serbia www.rlef.eu.com/news/article/365 ... eld-2012-3

The format has been announced for an expanded Rugby League European Federation Shield in 2012/13. The competition will now take place over two years with the four selected nations playing each other home and away. The side finishing bottom of the league will be relegated to the European Bowl, with the winner from that tournament taking their place in 2014/15. Pending RLIF confirmation of the format for the 2017 RLWC, the RLEF has proposed that the 2014-15 Shield acts as a qualifying tournament, meaning that all 24 European Shield matches between 2012 and 2015 are essentially world cup qualifiers. [iEuropean Shield 2012 fixtures[/i: 12th May 2012 - Germany v Serbia 19th May - Germany v Russia 9th June - Serbia v Italy 7th July - Italy v Germany 8th September - Russia v Italy 22nd September - Russia v Serbia www.rlef.eu.com/news/article/365 ... eld-2012-3

Germany are way out of their depth in that comp. Off the field as well as on it.

2011 European Shield Champions so I'd say they deserve to be there. They've now got six months to get their house in order.

Catalancs you know nothing about Germany. If you did then you wouldnt put what you did. The RLEF dont care about the state of nations and are just wanting what they want. Germany has no money, no sponsors and doesnt even have a Domestic League. The Development Officer Uwe Jansen once again has come out saying there will be one-but he has a history of saying a lot and doing little. Germany will do well to even get to Serbia and Russia in 2013 let alone get close to beating them. And they have less than 6 months as the first games are in May!

So maybe around 5 months. I may not know much about Germany but they are reigning European Shield champions. That was the only real point I made so I'm struggling to see why you felt the need to respond as you did.
Merry Christmas.

I made the point because I know far more than anybody on here about Germany and what is happening and that even as reigning shield champs they shouldnt be entering against the other 3 for various reasons. They are the reigning champs but they and any other nation should have a business plan on how they exactly intend to pay to play in this comp. There is no point if they first dont have the finances-which they dont and dont even have a sponsor or any sponsors lined up. Secondly they dont have a domestic comp and most of the players are Union guys. Thirdly they dont have the resources to do a professional job on or off the field without being embarrassed. Germany are in a mess internally thanks to certain people at the RLEFand things do not look good. The RLEF should have stringent rules like a Domestic Comp, Having a business plan and the resources to enter. If a nation cant fulfil that then the RLEF shjouldnt push them to play in it and the nation should have the balls to decline until they are at that stage. From a business and a sporting point of view this could very easily destroy Germany and end up like the Dutch.

They won by beating Malta and Norway. Tthey have never come close to even beating Serbia so God knows what an Italian team preparing for the WC will do to them.

Maybe Italy should be playing in the European Cup.

Now we're getting somewhere. Get the Italians in an EC with France, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. If they don't want to take it seriously and only select domestic players then relegate them down until they DO take it seriously. If these heritage players can make it for WC qualifiers then they can make it for EC matches too.

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... _1_4137772

www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/s ... _1_4137772

Last minute Kristian Keinhorst drop goal gives holders Germany 25-24 success over Serbia in the European Shield opener.

www.rlef.eu.com/european_shield/ ... LE00000298

www.rlef.eu.com/european_shield/ ... LE00000298

Glad to see some of the previous comments on this thread were way off the mark. Sets the competition up nicely.

Well done to the players and coaching staff. Sadly the quality of the heritage players ( Queensland Cup players and SL Academy) and some Union guys papers over the problems. The fact is the Domestic League is a joke and was supposed to start in February- 3 games played so far and new fixture list now in place. There is NO development happening except using Union players. Domestically Germany are behind the Czechs who have 2 leagues for example. A guy who has just started training around 20 players in a Uni near Nuremberg asked RLD for help and games. RLD have given him a couple of balls and no team would/could travel a maximum of 2 hours to play. They have contacted me and I will travel 3 hours and run a training day with some others and will also get a game on for them in some way. This should be the job of the Development Officer and others. The board is now mainly Union people. I dont see how this is good at all. Union people whilst they may like League, will always see Union as their first love and likely why so many of the Domestic League games have been cancelled. Maybe people should not just look at Internationals but have some information and knowledge on things behind the scenes before making knocking others who have far more understanding of the situation

Calm down.

?? Just telling you how it is so I dont need to chill thanks

I understand you're passionate about the game in Germany and it sounds like you're doing some great work, but that'd no excuse to fire off at someone on an internet message board.

By the way, these are the comments I'm glad were wide of the mark;

My comment was made before the Germans drafted in Aussie heritage players. I was right about the other half of my forecast if LBC is to be believed.

Good to see great strides being made in Serbia. June 9th is the next game, against Italy in Belgrade.

I thought the Germans were playing Russia this weekend?

They are, I think.

Germany lost 26-32. Jimmy Keinhorst grabbed 3 for the Germans

Good to see close, competitive games in this tournament. Although I know you don't like the current Germany administration TLBC, it does seem like they have been able to make some advances on the field at least. I think most expected Germany would be blown away in their matches.

Problem for Germany is the Heritage players like Keinhorst, Seibold, Danzey are the spine (1,6,9) and Germany rely so much on them. Off the field things are poor and it will show likely in the away games where Germany will miss the Spine. Having had the Domestic comp rescheduled atleast twice this year and only so far just 3 games taking place including a training weekend then the German players are missing out on valuable education and game time. The biggest problem for Germany is the structure of the board. The President is a yound lad (24 years old) who lives in London most of the time. The Development Officer has NO clubs developed and just relies on bringing in Union players like Jens Schmidt and co. The board has only a couple of people who actually do anything and most are still active in Union including the Development officer. This is for me a major concern. Germany are way behind Czechs, Malta, Norway domestically but because they can call on quality heritage players who pay their own way even from Australia then the National team is very strong. But in reality it papers over the cracks. The sad thing is there are some top people who do many great things like Bene Rehm for example who gives everything and managed to stop the German RU president trying to move the game elsewhere. Its just a shame that he is not supported by the members of the board. The players deserve much praise and will have learnt alot this past 2 weeks especially regarding fitness and the big differences between League and Union

www.rlef.eu.com/european_shield/ ... LE00000299

www.rlef.eu.com/european_shield/ ... LE00000299