Anger at summer World Cup plan

[DIEHARD]

The ARL is facing a backlash from NRL clubs over a controversial plan to play the rugby league World Cup in Australia before the start of the domestic season.

The top clubs will be asked to give up their stars for nearly two months and play as many as five games in the heat of summer for the World Cup in February and March of 2008.

ARL chief executive Geoff Carr will outline the representative program at the NRL's two-day annual conference, which begins in Sydney today.

He revealed last night a business plan put together by MI Associates, a major events consultancy which includes former league boss John Quayle, has recommended the World Cup be played before the NRL kickoff.

A host of clubs expressed concern yesterday and are expected to hotly debate the issue today.

"It presents a lot of issues. We've just made a commitment to play the Charity Shield at Telstra Stadium for the next three years and a regular trial match in Wollongong. Will we have to play those games without our best players?" St George Illawarra boss Peter Doust said.

Bulldogs chief executive Malcolm Noad said: "It will be very difficult to do in February and March. It doesn't help a club at all with their pre-season preparation. There will be a lot of discussion with the coaches on Thursday."

But it is not only powerful clubs that will be affected as many clubs will provide players to other nations such as Tonga and Lebanon.

"I don't see how it can work. In an age where we're talking about wear and tear on players we're going to be asking them to play high-intensity games in the pre-season," South Sydney's Shane Richardson said.


Carr defended the rep program that has come under fire from coaches for putting too much stress on the game's elite players.

Many have criticised the decision to play a Tri-Nations tournament next year.

"To make the World Cup successful we had to first re-establish the credibility of the international game and a big part of that has been the Tri-Nations," Carr said.

"The first year was a huge success, the second year has created even more interest and the Tri-Nations will be held in Australia next year to help establish the platform for the World Cup.

"After 2007 the international commitments will be kept to a minimum and the proposal is for the World Cup to be played in 2008 before the season starts."

NRL chief executive David Gallop said it was unclear if the NRL would have to delay its start that year.

"There are some issues to work through in relation to the impact on the rest of the season," he said.

"But certainly the pre-season provides an opportunity to showcase the international game when fans are hungry to see some footy."

# SYDNEY Roosters coach Ricky Stuart yesterday became an official ambassador for the charity organisation CanTeen which helps children with cancer. Yesterday he accepted a cheque of $733,285 from Woolworths who sold over two million bandannas on behalf of CanTeen.

# SOUTH Sydney patriarch George Piggins will sacrifice plans for a multi-sport complex at Redfern Oval if it means NRL matches can be played there again.

The NSW Police Community and Youth Club has pledged $3 million toward the Rabbitohs' battle to develop Redfern into a boutique stadium comprising a basketball court and gym. But Piggins said PCYC had made a "big gesture" to shelve the proposal in the interests of a compromise with Sydney City Council.

The council has voted to convert Redfern into an open training oval, but is understood to be considering a plan without the PCYC complex that would see the ground host NRL matches.

The Daily Telegraph

[DIEHARD]

I honestly hope the ARL is forced to abandon a pre-season World Cup and they have it post season. Which is the ideal timeframe for a hundred reasons.

A pre-season World Cup is quite ridiculous.

[Dakink]

Pre-Season world cup would be the biggest disaster ever. Players coming from nations that have cold temperatures playing in 30 degree heat. Recipe for disaster.

[Kallan]

Way too hot!

[Titanium_BD1103]

ATM.. any World Cup is quite ridiculous unless it replaces the Tri-Nations and is held once every 4 years...

There is too much Rugby League for players to deal with ATM and they are really suffering from fatigue.. they go from finals footy if they play, to national duty, then back to training with only 4 or 5 days rest.. it is asking for trouble.

If the World Cup was to be held as stated above, I'd be happy to have it... playing it preseason though is ridiculous IMO. That is like starting the season early, which is in the heat of summer and would cause issues later on in the year due to tiredness and lack of adequate rest time.

What happened to the Offseason in Sport.. I think it needs to return, otherwise playing careers will no longer be nearly as long as they once were..

[DIEHARD]

Pre-Season world cup would be the biggest disaster ever. Players coming from nations that have cold temperatures playing in 30 degree heat. Recipe for disaster.

Yea, players out of form. What if someone takes the cup off Australia?

They won't get the accolades they deserve, we'll just throw up the excuse "We weren't in form, come back at the end of the year and see if you can match it with the Kangaroos."

I think it will also effect crowd numbers and sponsors.

It is just going to be too hot and the pre season time slot just tags the World Cup as a mickey mouse cup.

The Kiwis will have only soon returned home from their All Golds Kiwi Tour at the end of 2007 as well.

The World Cup needs to be at the end of the season as the absolute pinnacle of the Centenary celebrations.

[Super Cronk]

Yep....FAR to hot. Even if they did have a break every 20 mins.

I like the idea of a world cup...but the season is just to full to add more comps...

[DIEHARD]

ATM.. any World Cup is quite ridiculous unless it replaces the Tri-Nations and is held once every 4 years..

There won't be a Tri Nations and World Cup in the same year in 2008.

After 2006 the next Tri Nations will be hosted in Great Britain in 2009. And in 2007 Kangaroos will play a lesser amount of games, likely to be only two matches.

But if any part of the season needs trimming it is the NRL season not the international season.

[Eel 33]

Dumb, ludicrus, stupid etc. This needs to be a specticle for the game of Rugby League. A pre NRL season World Cup is diasater. The NRL better start saving for a compensation fund for players are injured in the tournament. If this goes ahead, 2 or 3 big name players will play their next game in 2009 or never again. :curse:

[Cliffy GC]

as i said somewhere else

i think th should start the nrl in feb that year and finish the comp in the first weekend in september then play there world cup in september and october, which was the same time i think yawnion played theirs and it was a success. If they can do it with their crap game we can.

[DIEHARD]

as i said somewhere else

i think th should start the nrl in feb that year and finish the comp in the first weekend in september then play there world cup in september and october, which was the same time i think yawnion played theirs and it was a success. If they can do it with their crap game we can.

Cliffy also suggested.

Schedule games at night and twlights. Give Canberra, New Zealand and Melbourne home matches and Cowboys, Brisbane and Titans away matches.

There certainly are ways to make it less of a burden.

Even if we could squeeze an extra week or two out of the NRL.

The Rugby Super League have already officially declared that they are willing ti move their season back as much as 6 weeks. Maybe they will also be willing to move it forward?

[Titanium_BD1103]

That could work Cliffy GC except one thing.. Union is totally different to League...The season in Union is more spread out and mid season is break time..

I know this as we go to Eastwood during the breaks to try and get a glimpse of Matt Dunning and other Eastwood Wallabies stars..

League

Rep Season till early December
Start In Feb- Play 26 Rounds till September along with SOO and Anzac Day Test Matches and City v Country
World Cup in September/October

Union

Rep Season Finishes in Late November
Super 14 begins in February, Finishes in May
Occassional One Off tests against nations between Feb-May
All Players Return to Club Rugby (National Squad majority don't play but have a rest period)
Rep Season in July with Tri Nations, Bledisloe Cup
Rep Season finishes in Late August
World Cup in Early October

There is a lot more breaks for Union Players... doing this system to League players.. unless the NRL became a 20-22 round competition would put too much pressure on players.. and I reckon that is the last thing they need...

[DIEHARD]

Also consider that in 2007 the Kangaroos will only be playing ONE end of season Test Match against the Kiwis before they leave to tour Great Britain and France.

So Australian NRL players will have a full off season. So they should all be fresher than ever!

[Titanium_BD1103]

I guess so.. I was just trying to point out to Cliffy GC the differences between a Union season and the League season.. but I still reckon a reduced NRL Season would be more of a success than just reducing the amount of rep games are played or starting the season earlier..

[DIEHARD]

but I still reckon a reduced NRL Season would be more of a success than just reducing the amount of rep games are played or starting the season earlier..

Absolutely. The NRL had the opportunity to do this with the introduction of a new team, us. But they weren't interested, it would be nearly impossible to get this by the clubs.

The NRL dropped one game, moving to a 25 round season in 2007 onwards.

I think we should drop this City v Country garbage as well. If anything needs to go, it is that fixture. Which is no doubt in exisitance to appease the CRL.