Scandinavia

[Druzik]

This from the TRL forum

Scandinavian Rugby League said:

The Norwegian Rugby League are looking for volunteers for the Scandinavia Cup tournament being held in Oslo, Norway on the 2nd and 3rd of May 2009. They are looking for anybody who would be willing to help by way of helping out of the running of the tournament, or potential sponsors of Norwegian Rugby League. Any help at all is most appreciated.

I sent a PM to them that if I am still in Europe round then I will try and help in some way, if not at least come and film some games etc.

[Ryan N]

Thats really good. So they're actually gonna start playing games. What's the Scandinavia Cup? Norway, Sweden?

[Druzik]

Oct 15, 2008 19:14:52 GMT 10 Ryan N said:

Thats really good. So they're actually gonna start playing games. What's the Scandinavia Cup? Norway, Sweden?

I think its Norway sweden and Denmark. I know that some 7's games have been played in Norway and Sweden in the past, and Denmark are starting up, so this may be a good final thing to get thibgs off the ground next year... they may de well to have maybe a German invitationla dn dutch team as well.

[Druzik]

Just got word,

30th May Olso 9s

Denmark, Norway, Sweden and germany development are some of the teams that will be represented.

[Druzik]

[Druzik]

OK so I have had an invite to the Olso 9s as a guest there to cover the tournament. I will be trying my best to do this.

This will mean basically some exclusive coverage for the site and I will look to write something up in the magazines as well.

[Druzik]

Ok so the Oslo 9s I will be covering exclusively for Rugby league review. So keep an eye out fo the June issue where there will be initail results and also July issue where there will be a whole round up of the tournament and results and coverage of nations.

[Druzik]

The teams for the Scandinavian 9s have been confirmed.

Vikings – Sweden/Denmark
Oslo Rugby Klubb – Norway
Oslo University – Norway
Wild Geese – Norway
Tønsberg Rugby Klubb – Norway
Team Alpenstoff – Germany
London ANZACS – Australia/new Zealand

[Druzik]

This Saturday is The Scandinavia Cup Rugby League Nines. The event is turning out to be very popular. As well as having Rugby players from around Europe keeping you entertained with some hard hitting rugby, The event will have food and drinks available from one the newest finest catering companies in Oslo. The top chefs will be on hand to make sure you are well fed and never thirsty throughout the day. There will also be a stage with a dj pumping out great sounds to keep you in the festive mood. Remember this event is a Rugby festival, and there is no covercharge to come up and join in the fun, so make sure if you have some friends who want to come up and have a great day in the sun with you, dont be afraid to bring them along. The action lasts all day with the first game being played at 10:00 hrs between Oslo University and Alpenstoff from Germany. Hope to see you there!

Ahhhhh.... and I will be there... sounds bloody great!

[Druzik]

This from Rugby League Norway, Union upto its old tricks:

The Norwegian Rugby Union has sent out an email to the RLN (Rugby League Norway) requesting that the upcoming test between Norway and the British Student Pioneers be changed to say that it "is just a friendly get together". They requested this because if FIRA found out that national union team members were now playing in the national League team as well, they would be banned for life from representing thier country again! The Newly formed RLN had picked a team to play against The Pioneers comprising of only home grown talent (rather than picking a whole lot of expats like RU). This was thought to help lift the local players game time,as they only get about 6 matches a year as it is! But now the expats running the union in Norway are threatening to ban all the national union team players who play in the RL team. My question is if you do that,who are you going to replace all these players with if they dont bow to your pressure? More expats? Why bother calling it Norway if you have no Norwegians. I just cannot believe this sort of thing is still going on today. And in such a small,amatuer country like here in Norway. I am even more disgusted by union types now!

[Druzik]

Jun 6, 2009 20:11:14 GMT 10 Druzik said:

This from Rugby League Norway, Union upto its old tricks:

The Norwegian Rugby Union has sent out an email to the RLN (Rugby League Norway) requesting that the upcoming test between Norway and the British Student Pioneers be changed to say that it "is just a friendly get together". They requested this because if FIRA found out that national union team members were now playing in the national League team as well, they would be banned for life from representing thier country again! The Newly formed RLN had picked a team to play against The Pioneers comprising of only home grown talent (rather than picking a whole lot of expats like RU). This was thought to help lift the local players game time,as they only get about 6 matches a year as it is! But now the expats running the union in Norway are threatening to ban all the national union team players who play in the RL team. My question is if you do that,who are you going to replace all these players with if they dont bow to your pressure? More expats? Why bother calling it Norway if you have no Norwegians. I just cannot believe this sort of thing is still going on today. And in such a small,amatuer country like here in Norway. I am even more disgusted by union types now!

Looks like success of the weekends tourney has the Union expats scared!

[Spider]

They tried to do the same thing as in Serbia, but they can't forbid players to play the both codes, because RL and RU are different sports, just like RL and football. I'm pretty sure that FIFA doesn't forbid footballers to play RL.

Seriously, they can ban the people who are payed by national RU to deal with RL, like development officers and general secretaries, or payed coaches. Additionally, they can also ban people who use or used IRB's or FIRA's resources, e.g. national RU can't make courses for RL referees, etc.

It is funny how they allow RL players to play for developing nations, (for example, Maltese RU national side use RL players from Australia), but menacing to ban RU players who want to play for RL national team. I would like someone to send Warren and all the other RL developers throughout the world the message to go ahead with what he do, their respective Rugby Unions can kiss them under their back.

[sportsmad]

whats bigger in serbia, league or union?

[Spider]

Union has 3 clubs in First and only Division. One more club played Serbian Cup, but they are social club barely-gathered for that one game. Two more play just youth competitions. Only one of these, the youth club, is based outside Belgrade, actually 15 kilometers far from capital. National team is one of the worst on IRB rankings.

League has 5 clubs in National Championships, had 5 teams in University League, but next season it is going to be at least 7. Also there are 3-4 more clubs who are playing Development League, 13-a-side competition for new clubs. University clubs, 3 National Championship clubs and one Development League club are from Belgrade, the others are from Novi Sad, Nis, Krusevac, Lazarevac and Nova Pazova. National team is 16th on RLIF and 8th on RLEF rankings.

It's pretty obvious what's bigger. The only thing where they are bigger are fundings, the both domestically, from the Government - RU gets 7x more than RL, and internationally, from IRB.

[sportsmad]

thats great to hear. however it must be extremely frustrating and annoying that union gets so much more funding from the government. maybe when serbia start to become really competetive on the international stage they will get more funds