Minnows facing cull

Bill W · Post by **Bill W** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 6:10 pm

Me??? Associate with hooligans? Never!!

banbury tiger · Post by **banbury tiger** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:06 pm

Its a disgrace. The worst thing the irb could do for the development of the 'second tier' they develop best form playing the big nations.

Take tonga - who could be in the quarters come friday night lest not forget. Who would surely be classed as a second tier nation and put into a second string tournament. Its an absoloute disgrace. the thing that makes the world cup great is just that the WORLD cup. Its open to everyone. closing it to the top tier only would only ruin it. And destory any chance of progression for the 'lower tier' teams.

Bill W · Post by **Bill W** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:18 pm

But that is what IRB want - the status quo to be maintained!!

Dave Angel · Post by **Dave Angel** » Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:39 pm

Not true Banbury Tiger. Tonga, by finishing either 2nd or third in their pool this year, will AUTOMATICALLY qualify for the main tournament next time as one of the 12 seeded teams. They would NOT be placed into the second tier tournament.

chipnchase · Post by **chipnchase** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:31 am

Yes BUT mr Angel you say players will be away from there clubs for longer, surely something has to give as more exsposure for smaller nations will lead to there own domestic games growing and rugby becoming more accesible for people.
The other thing i dont understand is why does the tournament have to go ahead in September/October??

Dave Angel · Post by **Dave Angel** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 12:32 pm

True chipnchase, but my point was that club rugby fans (including most people on here) constantly moan that players are away on international duty and are always asking that they come back to their clubs asap...

...and then the same people seem to be campaigning for RWCs to be longer & include even more sides, meaning players would be away for even longer.

You can't have it both ways!

Either the RWCs are shorter & we get our players back sooner OR the RWCs are longer with more teams & we lose our star players for even more of the season.

It just needs a bit of consistency in the argument!

thebearisstilldeano · Post by **thebearisstilldeano** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 2:01 pm

Anyone thought of calling Alex or any of his Samoan team mates minnows. More like killer whales.

Hope I haven't stepped over any lines on the forum by referring to Alex as a fish (though as any fule kno killer whales aren't fish they're mammals.)

Tiger_in_Birmingham · Post by **Tiger_in_Birmingham** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 3:22 pm

Nobody has mentioned Japan!

They have over 125,000 players, 4th largest player base worldwide - an with an increasingly Western diet they're soon gonna be big :censored: too!

Traditionally they are a stronger team than Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, South Africa buy virtue of appearing in all 6 World Cups to date! (ok, that might be pushing it a bit

)

They should also be hosting the 2011 World Cup

toriya · Post by **toriya** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 5:18 pm

I think Japan should have got the 2011 Rugby World Cup too.

Bill W · Post by **Bill W** » Fri Sep 28, 2007 11:14 pm

Of course they should.

But the establishment (the IRB)has it that world rugby is dominated by NZ, AUS,SA, England and France.

Other nations may also play.