Rugby League World Cup 2013, in England Wales and Ireland

[Hoof Hearted]

No interest in this game in Ireland - nor indeed in most of the world but like their Union counterparts that doesn't stop them having a tournament called the "World(sic) Cup".
The RL "World " thingy has 3 real teams and a load of makey uppy ones.
I watch it on Sky occasionally and while the play off games between the top clubs can be good stuff the game itself is rather repititive.
Mind you it's a pretty honest game in that if a man is down injured you can be sure he really is injured.
They should make those diving soccer prima donnas play a game of RL once a month to see how real men behave.

would agee with that. The games between St Helens, Leeds Wigan and Warrington are worth tuning in to. Grand Final night in October at Old Trafford is one of the great sporting occasions of the calendar year (IMO)

[trileacman]

I am indifferent to alot of sports, cycling, snooker, athletics, racing but rugby league is one of the only sports on the planet that I hate. How can you build guys to be 16 stone and 6'3 and then tell them to jog lightly at each other.

[Eamonnca1]

What kind of money do Union players get?  Is there a cap on it?

[stephenite]

and much of NSW inc. Sydney although that is fading a bit.

Parramatta Eels
Penrith Panthers
Cronulla Sharks
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Wests Tigers
Canterbury Bulldogs
Manly Sea Eagles
Sydney Roosters

8 Sydney teams (all with a fairly strong supporter base) out of a 16 team league. Having worked in and around Sydney for most of the last 8 years there is no way it's fading, if not getting stronger in the greater Sydney area

[HeaveHo]

What kind of money do Union players get?  Is there a cap on it?

Aussie Super Rugby teams (5 teams) have a salary cap of $4.5 million AUD.

Wallabies are generally contracted directly to the ARU. The ARU would top up their Super Rugby club payments. A player like David Pocock would be on around $800k AUD in total player payments (Super rugby and Wallabies).

NRL clubs (16 teams) have a salary cap of $5.8 million AUD and AFL clubs (18 clubs) have a salary cap of $9.13 million AUD.

The top Wallabies would be better paid than most NRL players but there are plenty of NRL spots available.

[HeaveHo]

I loved playing League, but not so much Union as the rules of the latter were quite incomprehensible at times. 

And League is NOT massive in Australia.  It is the poor cousin to Union in terms of crowd numbers and years behind AFL.

It is pretty big in Queensland (you just can't get away from the Broncos in around Brisbane) and much of NSW inc. Sydney although that is fading a bit. Canberra and Melbourne have notable teams, but in Southern NSW, Vic, SA, Tas & WA there's only one game in town and that's Aussie Rules. Never been that fond of Rugby League myself, there tends to be little variation of team play and tactics team by team and game by game, and it gets repetitive. In terms of field sports it is perhaps the ultimate meathead game.

Though to be fair, rugby league players do know how to give and take hits - BIG hits! Also some of the stories that come out about National Druggy Rugby League players antics are pretty, erm, interesting!

The league lads are hard bastards - it is an occupational necessity. Some of the props in rugby might be a little bigger (heavier) but the league forwards are required to do a lot of running and hit ups. That said there are a few lads who are 120 kgs plus with very little fat on them in the NRL (Dave Taylor, the Burgess brothers etc). Most rugby props wouldn't be able to keep up in league unless they got a lot fitter.

[snoopdog]

What's this I hear about the Rugby League World Cup being held in the UK, Ireland and France?  I see that Thomond Park is slated to host a game, Ireland v Australia on November 9th.  Could be interesting.  Never been to a Rugby League match, always quite enjoyed watching it on TV when I lived in the north of England where it was a big deal.  Lot easier to follow than Union, less stop-and-starty.  Will any of yiz go to it? Is there any interest in Rugby League in Ireland?

there will only be interest in Rugby league in Ireland when they start winning matches in it. Like Unioin 12 years ago nobody watched it. although havent heard much about it recently apart from the ladies game.

[deiseach]

there will only be interest in Rugby league in Ireland when they start winning matches in it. Like Unioin 12 years ago nobody watched it. although havent heard much about it recently apart from the ladies game.

[laoislad]

What's this I hear about the Rugby League World Cup being held in the UK, Ireland and France?  I see that Thomond Park is slated to host a game, Ireland v Australia on November 9th.  Could be interesting.  Never been to a Rugby League match, always quite enjoyed watching it on TV when I lived in the north of England where it was a big deal.  Lot easier to follow than Union, less stop-and-starty.  Will any of yiz go to it? Is there any interest in Rugby League in Ireland?

there will only be interest in Rugby league in Ireland when they start winning matches in it. Like Unioin 12 years ago nobody watched it. although havent heard much about it recently apart from the ladies game.

But but but This Is Rugby Country isn't it!

Rugby League is a far better game than Union IMO.
Don't watch it religiously but I attended several games when I was in Oz.
I would go to a game if the World Cup comes here.

[Farrandeelin]

What's this I hear about the Rugby League World Cup being held in the UK, Ireland and France?  I see that Thomond Park is slated to host a game, Ireland v Australia on November 9th.  Could be interesting.  Never been to a Rugby League match, always quite enjoyed watching it on TV when I lived in the north of England where it was a big deal.  Lot easier to follow than Union, less stop-and-starty.  Will any of yiz go to it? Is there any interest in Rugby League in Ireland?

there will only be interest in Rugby league in Ireland when they start winning matches in it. Like Unioin 12 years ago nobody watched it. although havent heard much about it recently apart from the ladies game.

But but but This Is Rugby Country isn't it!

Rugby League is a far better game than Union IMO.
Don't watch it religiously but I attended several games when I was in Oz.
I would go to a game if the World Cup comes here.