RugbyRebels

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/kangar ... CQRf-mBa5M

Makes you wonder if we'll see the Wallabies and AB's this Autumn...

I agree with their stance on this. Its the responsible course of action. Rates of vaccination are painfully slow in Australia and New Zealand and going to the UK this year is not a calculated risk. It is practically inevitable that they will end up introducing the virus to people back home.

morepork wrote:I agree with their stance on this. Its the responsible course of action. Rates of vaccination are painfully slow in Australia and New Zealand and going to the UK this year is not a calculated risk. It is practically inevitable that they will end up introducing the virus to people back home.

Porky theirs some story going round that the Aussies are going to send an Indigenous team and Kiwis to send a Maori team to the RL WC, if thats the case it seems bloody mad to do that...

I hadn't heard that one.

Doorzetbornandbred wrote:

morepork wrote:I agree with their stance on this. Its the responsible course of action. Rates of vaccination are painfully slow in Australia and New Zealand and going to the UK this year is not a calculated risk. It is practically inevitable that they will end up introducing the virus to people back home.

Porky theirs some story going round that the Aussies are going to send an Indigenous team and Kiwis to send a Maori team to the RL WC, if thats the case it seems bloody mad to do that...

That would be more than a little on the nose, even for Australia. "Far too dangerous to send our team over, couldn't possibly countenance it. Wouldn't be humane to send our brave citizens into such a plague pit. We can send an Indigenous team though, that's fine."

Puja

Puja wrote:

Doorzetbornandbred wrote:

morepork wrote:I agree with their stance on this. Its the responsible course of action. Rates of vaccination are painfully slow in Australia and New Zealand and going to the UK this year is not a calculated risk. It is practically inevitable that they will end up introducing the virus to people back home.

Porky theirs some story going round that the Aussies are going to send an Indigenous team and Kiwis to send a Maori team to the RL WC, if thats the case it seems bloody mad to do that...

That would be more than a little on the nose, even for Australia. "Far too dangerous to send our team over, couldn't possibly countenance it. Wouldn't be humane to send our brave citizens into such a plague pit. We can send an Indigenous team though, that's fine."

Puja

Im fairly confident the Kangaroos have a fair amount of indigenous people anyway in the team.

Sounds more like the clubs are behind this, they don't want any chance of a disrupted season. The players appear keen to play.

morepork wrote:I agree with their stance on this. Its the responsible course of action. Rates of vaccination are painfully slow in Australia and New Zealand and going to the UK this year is not a calculated risk. It is practically inevitable that they will end up introducing the virus to people back home.

Not really, they would have to quarantine on the way home just like the Olympic athletes and the cricket team. If all the other people going through quarantine haven't reintroduced the virus in NZ, another 50 or so won't inevitably do it. Vaccinations will be very different by the year end too.

From the kiwis in rugby league, I got the sense a few of the players won't desperate to play. Just a week or so ago, Zelezniak, the captain last time they played, was saying he hadn't given any thought to the WC or whether he would play if it went ahead. A lot of them have been stuck at a temporary base in Australia for a long time and want some time at home.

Cameo wrote:

morepork wrote:I agree with their stance on this. Its the responsible course of action. Rates of vaccination are painfully slow in Australia and New Zealand and going to the UK this year is not a calculated risk. It is practically inevitable that they will end up introducing the virus to people back home.

Not really, they would have to quarantine on the way home just like the Olympic athletes and the cricket team. If all the other people going through quarantine haven't reintroduced the virus in NZ, another 50 or so won't inevitably do it. Vaccinations will be very different by the year end too.

From the kiwis in rugby league, I got the sense a few of the players won't desperate to play. Just a week or so ago, Zelezniak, the captain last time they played, was saying he hadn't given any thought to the WC or whether he would play if it went ahead. A lot of them have been stuck at a temporary base in Australia for a long time and want some time at home.

Since I was at one stage hoping to attend the league world cup, I've been following one of the RL forums. Many of the people post there are furious with NRL/ARL/NZRL, pointing to the Olympics/wallabies/aus cricketers. It seems odd to me, just because other sports have taken a different stance doesn't mean they are right. The amount of sport now on the go in many places seems barmy to me.

The same forum posters argue that NRL/ARL/NZRL are using covid as an excuse because they don't care much for the international game. Based on the timings of some of the decisions, they probably have a point. What a mess.

Covid as an excuse...Sydney is shut down for the next month at least, so yeah, lets all fly, mix, and mingle. Are Tonga and Samoa going to head back to their resepctive unvaccinated countries? Neither NZ or Oz are progressing quickly with vaccination roll out. NZRL definitely up for internationals.

Well there's probably a fair overlap in the RL online community and belief in conspiracy theories. It was odd that ARL et al. made the decision to announce their non participation just two days after the big announcement that the event was go. Pretty awful timing.

In a move that perfectly sums up the covid era, the exact opposite may happen with plans being formulated for the Rugby Championship to be played in Europe. The fixtures would be moved back to allow the teams to stay in Europe and move straight in to the AIs.
Covid is a fickle f**ker.

Remaining RC games to take place in Queensland after a protracted period of media hand bags between NZ and Oz after NZ pulled out of the 3rd Bledisloe test. ABs to play their 100th test against the Boks in Townesville. I'm sure the locals will not give a toss at all.