You have to hand it to the Rugby League International Federation, they can come up with some nutty ideas that seemingly have no connection to what we see on the field. Take the newly released “Rugby League World Ranking” which have been put out this evening. New Zealand has moved past Australia into top spot…
Ah the Golden Boot award, the most ridiculed, laughed at award in all of Rugby League. An award that’s credibility has been completely trashed by stupid selections over many years that have no real connection to what is going on in the game. The newly named International Rugby League has shown off the award, one…
It may be hard to imagine but it wasn’t that long ago that the likes of Tonga, Samoa and Fiji would struggle to put together 17 professional Rugby League players of any quality. Over the last 30 years Rugby League has seen these nations go from producing the occasional top level professional player, to producing…
We are just hours away from a new look Australian Kangaroos team taking on New Zealand in a rare test match played in New Zealand. It should be a good game, but honestly, it isn’t the match that I am most excited about this off season. When Australia plays Tonga next week, then I will…
There is no greater honour than representing your nation. That is what they keep trying to tell us anyway. The passion of playing for your country, joining together as a team representing an entire nation who…oh hang on, I’ve got a better offer elsewhere. I’m off. Do your best without me. I might even play…
From the people that brought you ideas such as “You can switch which nation you play for immediately after a World Cup”, the RLIF will conduct and immediate review of international eligibility rules. Now my first questions is…why? I am the first person to say that the games eligibility rules are completely broken. Just take…
You know, apart from the rules, the time keeping, the referees, the salary cap, the schedule and the venues…..nothing in Rugby League needs changed according to the NRL. No other sport on the planet decides to change it’s rules as often as Rugby League does. In some ways it can be a blessing, after all…
The Rugby League International Federation Awards are pretty much like any other international Rugby League awards that are handed out. They leave you scratching your head and wondering who actually votes on these things and do they know anything about the game. The 2013 edition is no different. Keep in mind that these awards take…
You’ve got to wonder about Rugby League administrators sometimes…. Rugby League International Federation secretary Andrew Hill has suggest that in an effort to provide the best World Cup possible, the RLIF would be willing to allow the likes of Sonny Bill Williams and Benji Marshall to play in the World Cup even if that meant…
The Rugby Football League went out of its way to free up this weekend so that England could play the Exiles team and have the best possible chance to prepare for the World Cup at seasons end. That makes me wonder, what happened to Scotland, Wales and Ireland this weekend? Why did the Rugby Football…
Once upon a time I could name you every single player in the Australian Cricket team. I could name everyone in the NSW Cricket team and even players on the fringes who played Sydney club Cricket. I could name most of the players in other state teams too. It was easy! Then something happened. Cricket…
For well over a decade now the game of Rugby League in Australia has been crying out for a strategic plan. Something that the game can work towards to give fans, players and various investors in the sport something they can look forward to. Basically the game needed to build towards something, and so today…
I love international Rugby League. I grew up watching test football and enjoying every single minutes of it. I would set my alarm late at night to watch games played over in England, and I still credit the 1994 Kangaroo Tour for giving me the terrible sleeping habits I have today. Then Super League hit,…
Australia, New Zealand and England poach talent from other countries, and then they dare to suggest that no other country can offer them a decent contest, so they refuse to play anyone else. That is the current situation in international Rugby League right now. You have a bunch of growing Rugby League nations playing games…
The Administrator in charge of the Bradford Bulls has made members of the clubs front office and coaching staff redundant today, including head coach Michael Potter. Assistant coach Francis Cummins is the only member of the coaching staff left to prepare the squad for their next Super League game. What a mess. It is a…
Last month ARLC Chairman John Grant was asked about the ridiculous situation in the State Of Origin series that saw both Queensland and New South Wales actively recruiting players who were not born and raised in Australia. His reply was pathetic and limp wristed. “I don’t think the State of Origin rules are going to…
Rugby League is a funny sport in that, it is controlled by just a few countries, and yet there is a will to have it become a true international democracy, even though there is no way in hell that will ever happen! In the past, many in England have felt that the international schedule is…
I try to fight the good fight. If I see something I think is wrong with this game of Rugby League, I’ll call it out. I’ll write all about what is wrong, I’ll write about how I would do things differently, and I hope by the time you have read through an article, you come…
As Akuila Uate, a Fijian born and raised player who only recently moved to Australia, was selected by the ARL to represent that Australian Prime Ministers XIII against Papua New Guinea, people who took any interest in seeing international Rugby League retain any credibility were up in arms. Having played for Fiji within the last…
Some people tell me that I see things in black and white terms. This is a flaw apparently. You see, I don’t understand that in this day and age, you have to be flexible. I think thats a load of horse shit quite honestly. I’ve always been someone that thinks that this game should be…
Samoa will make an application to the Rugby League International Federation to host a World Nines competition in 2012, an area of the international calender that is seen as a bit of a dead spot in the lead in to the 2013 World Cup. Its a nice idea, and it has seen some within the…
Normally we don’t see the the draw for a major international Rugby League competition until a few weeks before the bloody thing kicks off, however this time around the IRLF (ARL/RFL) have taken time out from meetings in Singapore in high priced hotels to get a draw out early. The 2008 World Cup was a…
Well the Rugby League International Federation awards were held last night. I know, I know….I didn’t know they were on either! Look, I’ll be honest with you, I look at this awards list and I don’t really know what to make of it. Does it just take in the international season, I would suggest it…
The supposed Rugby league International Federation (Or what ever they are called today) is currently meeting in Singapore (I’m not joking) and thrashing out the future of the international game which spending huge money on high priced hotels in a country where Rugby League has never been played. During this time a big decision was…
Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the international waters, the idiots running this game destroy any hope or enthusiasm you might have had. Today the RFL announced the details for the Four Nations competition to be held at the end of the year between World Champions New Zealand, Australia, France…
Its amazing to think that after so many years of waiting, the 2008 Rugby League World Cup is now behind us. After setbacks, questions about whether it would even be run, countless doubters and a cynical supporters base wondering if they would get it right, you have to give the organizers credit for pulling together…
It was very strange seeing New Zealand doing a victory lap with what I consider to be OUR World Cup, and while it was great for the game to see it happen make no mistake, I wanted Australia to win the big one. Having said that, I think the reaction by some within the Australian…
Strap in folks, this is gonna be a long one! In an amazing game that was a fitting end to the centenary celebrations in Australia, New Zealand has beaten Australia 34-20 to claim the Rugby League World Cup! I was lucky enough to be at the game and it was very surreal to see New…
All the profits from the 2008 Rugby League World Cup will go into a fund to develope Rugby League around the world. On top of this there is $2,000,000 in prize money on offer that will be spread across all ten World Cup teams depending on where they finish the tournament. This is all fantastic…
Well the World Cup Countdown has begun and if you are following some of the squad selections at the moment you will find that some players are being named in more than one squad. Because this kind of muddies the waters, the RLIF (See ARL via an fancy letterhead) decided to clear things up. The…