I think the RFL should have someone over in France working with the government for 2021. The have the Euros in 2018 so their facilities will be absolutely top notch. It’s a couple of hours from anywhere in the UK with cheap flights meaning there would be tons of people prepared to make the trip and probably spend a week or two on holiday, so there would be plenty of tourist interest with the subsidies to go at. Being on the European mainland as well means we have the opportunity to get a few more people interested in some of the neighbouring countries with Spain and Italy not far from the southern French heartlands of the game.

Next one should be in NZ, then France, US and SA.

That's one hell of a joint bid

It's the type of "innovative" thinking the RFL are known for

Bearing in mind the RLWC is going to grow and grow in the number of teams involved,i think it would be commonsense to give the next WC to aus/nz as joint hosts,then in 2021 bring it back to Europe with games in paris and Barcalona included this time.

The RLWC is the biggest tournament in the game. We shouldn't just give it away at the first flash of a wallet. If the tournament is a flop, it could do some serious damage to the momentum of the international game. There needs to be more than just financial guarantees.

It would be safer to take a Four Nations over there. It would cost far less for a start and guarantee that SA will get a game against the big guns. I'd possibly consider changing that to a Six Nations by including the European and Pacific Cup winners.

The RLWC2017 should be in Aus & NZ, with the big games and the Final in NZ. Build the game further in NZ.

If SA and USA want to bid for the next one, they need to show what they can do for RL by hosting a tournament first.

I would love to see us take a test match or the WCC to Dubai, hell of a lot of wealth in that place.

Nigel wood wants to host a World Cup in china by 2021

1. South Africa: They have used this "bid" to force their governments hand. IF Knock down Nigel is even thinking of considering their bid, he needs to be sectioned NOW.
2. Dubai: Not as daft as it sounds in respect of a WCC or Test Match. Sevens stadium holds 50,000.....if they can fill it for the 7's then they can surely fill it for GB v someone......
3. France: No reason why they wouldn't be able to host this stand alone. Government would need to be engaged, but I see no reason why they couldn't be the first one to crack 1,000,000 attendees.
4. USA: Not in my lifetime....RLIF need to step in and sort out the mess there.
5. China: More chance of USA



As for "Offside Monkey" and plans for RL domination of New Zealand



The National RL Regional Championship Finals took place this week at Mt Smart...this is the highest level of the game here (other than the Warriors)...it was attended by less than 1,000 "fans" who were in general friends and families of the teams for the senior game and the earlier 17's game.....both games were shown LIVE on SKY TV and neither rated.The NZ warriors are sometimes outrated on NZ Television by the Netballers. We shifted 28k for the visit of the Warriors and the Dogs here in Wellington last year, but in reality...and I attend the club/regional games here, we get a hundred at games if we are lucky.

...some people need to get a handle on reality when it comes to the NRL, it's billion dollar 5 year deal. To put it into perspective, the BBC pay the RFU 1/3 of the NRL deal every year for 15 games....the NRL deal is for 300+ games a year.

and yet NZ TV paid $20million a year for NRL and a pittance for netball. Go figure!

How's Netball v NRL ratings on SkyNZ?
Top netballers earn $50k, Warriors just signed Tomkins on $1million, Seriously your comparing Netball to NRL? lol.
Is NZRU still losing money?

if the ARLC got serious about resourcing RL in NZ it could be far far bigger than it currently is. Bringing in a Wellington NRL team and giving the NZRL the difference between NRL grants to Warriors/Wellington and the NZ Tv deal would be a good start!

I'd have 2017 Oz&NZ
then France/Spain
then UK
then Oz&NZ (+PNG)

PNG needs incentive to build a decent stadium for RL, they are going to have the pacific games stadium but it needs major work to make it a workld class RL stadium big enough to pack in the PNG devotees of the game. 3 Kumuls WC games might be enough to get Govt support.

IF...BUT.....Maybe....
RL is a tiny sport in NZ......sorry the facts don't help your fantasy!
NRL 9's will show you

In other news, NSW Country have just returned after flogging South Africa 58-12. www.theherald.com.au/story/18517 ... an-rhinos/ South Africa would have to start training now to get a team ready for 2017.

In other news, NSW Country have just returned after flogging South Africa 58-12. www.theherald.com.au/story/18517 ... an-rhinos/ South Africa would have to start training now to get a team ready for 2017.

I feel we need to go for the 'safe' option of Australia & New Zealand next time, we need to get the World Cup firmly on the calender as a stable event that happens every 4 years.

next time it comes to Europe I hope we stage more games in France though, and even Barcelona

Countries don’t owe this game anything. We aren’t in a position to go demanding things from them. If SA get government and private backing for a WC, it doesn’t follow that we have the right to demand the host something else first.

The RLIF has the job of selling the game to the world, the world doesn’t have the job of selling itself to us.

You do know that a form of RL is the most popular participation sport by far in NZ don't you?

RU players 195,000
RL players (touch and contact) 350,000

Hopefully we can have either 15 or 16 teams in next WC with 3x5 or 4x4 groups.

Don't the Warriors get bigger crowds than Auckland Blues?

They should have at least hold the World Club Challenge or the 4 Natons first, before holding the WC. I'd really like to see South Africa become a top RL side, but thas a pipe dream at the moment.

No......they don't.

Yet the FACTS show that union dwarfs league?
Touch is a separate summer fitness game that the NRL have badged....... Same as the RFU have in ENgland

No touch is a form of RL. It is based on RL rules, was developed by RL and is finely back recognised as part of RL. As a union fan you may hate it but RL, in its different forms, has more players than RU, in its different forms in NZ.

Blues avg 19'661
Warriors 16'197

Hardly "dwarfing" RL.

I think it is funny as that the rfu are promoting a variety of RL. It'd be liken the rfl promoting RU sevens and rebadging it as league sevens but using RU rules.

If you think league is within touching distance of union in NZ even in South Auckland you need your bumps felt bud. As for the crowd averages you used.......same averages show that. Union is bigger in Brisbane......and you and I know that's not the case.

Ok. Just seen a few posts on a NZ Warriors forum suggesting that they do.

They don't
Even if they did it means little.... Reds get bigger crowds than the broncos in Brisbane......RL still rules the roost up there

1. Regardless of the fact that touch is a league based pastime and the aside regarding me being a Union fan, it is a summer fitness sport here in New Zealand and is actually televised on Maori TV. Claiming the participants as RL Players is as desperate as the AFL and their incredible claims regarding OZkick.
2. 2,000,000+ watched the RWC Final in 2011....450,000 watched the Kiwis win in 2008......and as I said, Netball regularly out draws RL on NZ TV ratings.
3. The Blues play all their games at Eden....the Warriors average at Mt Smart is 13,970 the Blues for the season just closed was actually 20,953. The Warriors AND Blues benefited from a duel ticket offer for the season opener and the Warriors benefited with their second biggest gate in Wellington...their average at Mt Smart is the lowest since 2008!
4. The RFU and 02 have locked up touch in the UK.....so again, 2 states in Australia is hardly global domination.


5. Nobody is denying that RL is popular in Australia. All I did was respond to outlandish claims about New Zealand Union being overtaken by League.....not in either of our lifetimes and I suspect my daughters or future grandchildren's either. I attended the Regional RL finals in Auckland this week........I was being generous with my crowd estimates......the game has a bad reputation over here which bit by bit, is being repaired, but it has at least another 100 years+ to go!
6. A wellington team would help, but will take a massive investment to get it up and running.