Men's Rugby League IRL World Cup 2021

[Dragon 2,026]

18 hours ago, De_Gambassi said:

International one (France, Australia, NZ...)

 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-63271423 Some things definitely did go wrong

[Makedonas 2,239]

23 hours ago, De_Gambassi said:

By players who actually can speak the language of the country they are plying for, that's seems about right. 

I'm sure some of the Greeks in Australia speak Greek...

[phelps 8,292]

Italy just destroyed Scotland 28-4 

 

I wonder how many people in Italy do even know that Rugby is also played with these rules and format... 

[Dragon 2,026]

10 minutes ago, phelps said:

Italy just destroyed Scotland 28-4 

 

I wonder how many people in Italy do even know that Rugby is also played with these rules and format... 

 

Their star today...

[Dragon 2,026]

Ireland defeat Jamaica 48-2 in the second match of the day

[Dragon 2,026]

Well, it's not going to last long but just now  lead  6-0.... 

 

Edited October 16, 2022 by Dragon

[Dragon 2,026]

It ended 34-12 to New Zealand. Not a great game but a fantastic display from the Lebanese to be competitive to the end of the game

[Grassmarket 4,042]

The complicated history of Greek Rugby League.  They invented the word “bureaucracy”

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/63236572

[Dragon 2,026]

Quick history lesson.

 

Rugby League split off from Rugby Union in the late 19th century.

Rugby Union remained an "amateur" sport for another century but rugby league immediately became professional  and had a a "rugby league" based in the North of England which was why the sport got its name.

 

"League" developed roots in New South Wales and Queensland in Australia and the South of France as well as parts of New Zealand and Papua New Guinea but never got bigger than that.

Along the way the rules changed. Instead of 15 players as rugby union has, there are only 13 in rugby league (2 fewer forwards). There are no line-outs and scrums are a lot less important.

 

Traditionally Great Britain and Australia have been the giants of the sport but in the last 30 years Great Britain has split into England, Scotland and Wales and Australia have dominated the sport with New Zealand emerging as the second best team.

 

What used to happen was amateur rugby union players would be tempted to sign for professional rugby league teams but when rugby union went professional in 1995 that basically ended in Europe but continued for Pacific Islanders.

Now Tonga, Samoa and Fiji make up the top six teams with England, Australia and New Zealand.

 

The weaker teams in this World Cup are made up of countries who have a lot of second and third generation immigrants in the strongest three countries of England, Australia and New Zealand.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Dragon
spelling mistake

[Dragon 2,026]

 beat  34-12 but it was a good performance from Greece.