I'm guessing that those in the Pacific Cup were established rugby nations, so it was a step up in competition for the Japanese. Similar to how Ukraine RL will benefit from playing the likes of Serbia, Italy and Russia. I agree that more fixtures should be played, but nations like Ireland and Scotland will not benefit from playing each other at an extremely low level over and over again. They've been doing that for years and it hasn't helped anything. You've suggested scrapping the World Cup yet nothing you've said backs that up at all, and in fact your argument is the complete opposite, that nations need to be playing more games at a higher standard to improve.

You can't compare RL to RU in terms of how nations and the sport develops. FWIW Japanese rugby has a professional league, so it's a different scenario altogether for them, there's a player pathway. All Ireland RL has is amateur clubs, filling their national team with amateur players would do nothing for anyone. In terms of the RLWC and nations like Ireland and Scotland, it's far more about generating interest and exposure than any sort of player development. FWIW Wales were in a similar boat, and now have a mostly home-grown team once professional clubs appeared.

In Scottish RU Ben McDougall played for Scotland despite being born and raised in Sydney, being a rugby league player and his brothers being Australian RL winger Luke McDougall and Australian international Rugby League centre Adam ‘mad dog’ McDougall. The Scotland coaches deliberately targeted Ben McDougall to not only switch codes, but nationalities because his Grandad was born in Glasgow. He wasn’t the first Australian RL centre the Scotland coaches tried to get to switch codes. Christ he wasn’t even the first Australian Rugby League centre called McDougall the Scottish RU tried to poach because their coach, Matt Williams thought the Scottish centres were so embarrassingly -poor.

Dan Parks was playing lower league RU in Australia having already been bombed out of the Leeds tykes. He played for Scotland as well. Graeme Morrison was born in Hong Kong, Ruaridh Jackson was born in Northampton, Max Evans was born in Torquay, Thom Evans was born in Harare. Nathan Hines was born in Wagga-wagga, Jim Hamilton was born in Swindon, John Barclay was born in Hong Kong, Simon Webster was born in Hartlepool, Hugo Southwell was born in London, Andrew Henderson was born in Kent, Rob Dewey was born in Wiltshire, Craig Smith was born in York, Gavin Kerr was born in Newcastle.

There is about a thousand scottish international caps there.

Yes, they have, Both have hosted international competitions.
HTH

It's been about 5 pages, can you not agree to disagree?

I'm still going with France, their familiarity with eachother should help.

Not when someone is categorically wrong about something.

Anyway, my vote is split between Scotland, Fiji and Italy. I think any of those nations would be a match for the big 3 should they get the opportunity to face them.

The Fourth strongest team at the World Cup will come down to which players miss out on selection for Oz and a lesser extent NZ.
If Hayne and Sutton turn out for Fiji they could be right up there.
It will be the top Southern Hemisphere rejects or Heritage players that will make the 3rd or 4th strongest side at the World Cup.

Why are they rejects? Australia and NZ can only pick 17 starting players! NRL has over 300 players plus NSW cup, Qland cup and NZ National comp. That's over 1000 players in 2 countries made up from people all over the world, including RL playing nations. The remaining 950 players not picked by NZ or Australia are hardly rejects.

You are reading it the wrong way.
They do not pick 17 players they pick a squad of 20 odd players.
I am saying that key players that do not make the Oz or Kiwi teams that are eligible for those Nations but not selected for those squads (maybe rejects is the wrong word) that turn out for other Nations will decide the next strongest team in the WC.
I am not talking about fringe grade players but game breaking players like Hayne, Sutton or perhaps Peter Wallace.

Hayne was pretty well the best player of the Tournament in the last World Cup even though he played for Fiji.

Australia and especially New Zealand have very large PI populations and a lot of these people would consider themselves to be both Aussies/Kiwis and Pacific Islanders. The vast majority of the players who represented Samoa and Tonga in the recent test match would have had at least one of their parents born in either of those islands. I hardly think that the Samoans and Tongans watching that game at home will have been less enthusiastic in their support for their respective teams because most of the players weren't born there.

RL activity something like quadrupled in Fiji after the last World Cup, and from what I understand it's now close to if not overtaken traditional 15-a-side RU.

Sorry to disagree with everyone, but I really don't see what PNG have got that makes them so strong.

Samoa & Tonga look stronger to me, I think Fiji and Scotland are short in the forwards, Ireland and Wales are short in the backs.

I think Italy and France will be decent, but France's success might depend on if Dureau plays for them or not.

Big mal coaching them and a significant development programme in png over the last 12 months for the elite players who will play on WC. They may not be household NRL names but they will be well prepared. How they cope with hull in October is another matter! The png hooker is a very talented player.

Aiton? He's good but there are a few better in SL I reckon.

Whilst I agree it's not the best, Fiji's pack shouldn't be underestimated if at full strength.

Ashton, Tariq, Korbin (Sims), Civoneceva, Bukuya, Naiyorovoro, Evans, Roqica, Koroisau.

No Segeyaro, plays for Penrith

It's a great rotation though, Aiton and Segeyaro should compliment each other well. If there's one position PNG won't struggle in, it's hooker. Ray Thompson isn't that bad either, though he may well be in the halves.

I guess Thompson will be in the halves alongside Nami or Aiye.

Still no word on who Hayne will turn out for. I am guessing Uate will be in Australias squad. Petro is def turning out for Fiji. www.foxsports.com.au/league/jarr ... 6694457439

Still no word on who Hayne will turn out for. I am guessing Uate will be in Australias squad. Petro is def turning out for Fiji. www.foxsports.com.au/league/jarr ... 6694457439

The Tonga and Samoa teams that played in teh pacific test in April
Ma’a Tonga:

1 Glen Fisi'ahi - New Zealand Warriors
2 Michael Oldfield - Sydney Roosters
3 Mahe Fonua - Melbourne Storm
4 Siuatonga Likiliki - Newcastle Knights
5 Etu Uaisele - Wyong Roos
6 Samsoni Langi - Sydney Roosters
7 Daniel Foster - Penrith Panthers
8 Brent Kite - Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
9 Pat Politini - Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
10 Sam Moa - Sydney Roosters
11 Sika Manu - Penrith Panthers
12 Jason Taumalolo - North Queensland Cowboys
13 Anthony Tupou - Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

INTERCHANGE
14 Nafe Seluini - Sydney Roosters
15 Fuifui Moimoi - Parramatta Eels
16 Richie Fa’aoso - Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
17 Benny Murdoch-Masila - Wests Tigers
18 David Hala - Brisbane Broncos
19 Silivia Havili - New Zealand Warriors
20 Sydney Havea - Hakame Broncos
21 Atelea Vea - St. George Illawarra Dragons

Toa Samoa:

1 Matthew Wright - Cronulla Sharks
2 Kalifa Faifai Loa - NQ Cowboys
3 Antonio Winterstein - NQ Cowboys
4 Junior Sa'u - Melbourne Storm
5 Daniel Vidot - St George Illawarra
6 Carlos Tuimavave - NZ Warriors
7 Ben Roberts - Parramatta Eels
8 Jeff Lima - South Sydney Rabbitohs
9 Masada Iosefa - West Tigers
10 Roy Asotasi - South Sydney Rabbitohs
11 Eddy Pettybourne - West Tigers
12 Sam Tagataese - Cronulla Sharks
13 Lama Tasi - Sydney Roosters

INTERCHANGE
14 Leeson Ah Mau - St George Illawarra
15 Martin Taupau - Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
16 Mark Taufua - Cronulla Sharks
17 Alex Elisala - NQ Cowboys
18 Tanielu Pasene - Rugby League Samoa
19 Leia Saofaiga - Rugby League Samoa

You are wrong.

Matty Russell was born in Scotland, as was James McManus.

You do know there are rules on eligibility don't you? The rule isn't if you've been to the country or not.

It's not that uncommon for people from places like the north of England, which is very, very close to Scotland, to have parent or Grandparent from there, the same goes for Australia with the amout of people moving to the country within the last two generations.

But that doesn't fit your argument, which JB is owning you in by the way.

Quote ="JB Down Under"Still no word on who Hayne will turn out for. I am guessing Uate will be in Australias squad. Petro is def turning out for Fiji. www.foxsports.com.au/league/jarr ... 6694457439'" Hayne will be in the Kangaroo squad as he can play anywhere from Stand off to Fullback, he is consistently one of NSW best players. I doubt Uate will make the cut, he has not done enough for NSW never mind the Test squad.

Quote ="JB Down Under"Still no word on who Hayne will turn out for. I am guessing Uate will be in Australias squad. Petro is def turning out for Fiji. www.foxsports.com.au/league/jarr ... 6694457439'" Hayne will be in the Kangaroo squad as he can play anywhere from Stand off to Fullback, he is consistently one of NSW best players. I doubt Uate will make the cut, he has not done enough for NSW never mind the Test squad.

But do you understand how this merrygo round of players for the lower level countries every World Cup can hinder genuine player development in those countries?

That is the point he is making

He's made lots of different points, but saying none of the Scotland squad are born in Scotland is wrong.

And yes, I do understand the point.

How did you get off my ignore list by the way?

I don't remember doing that!

So you are ok for short term gratification to damage long term development?