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RLWC Warm Up: Aus v Fiji & PNG in Fiji! Oct 14

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Better than expected but slightly less than hoped I guess.

Are Australia playing the PM XIII this year? Maybe Fiji could grow to be an extension of that little tour
 

roughyedspud

Coach
Messages
12,181
The Australian Kangaroos will face Fiji and Papua New Guinea in an historic tri-contest in Suva ahead of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

The innovative format of the match will see all three teams face each other on October 14, at Suva’s ANZ Stadium.

Fiji will face PNG before Australia takes on both PNG and finally Fiji. All three match-ups will last 40 minutes.

It will be the Kangaroos' first match in Fiji.

"This is a wonderful initiative and will be an historic day for Fiji, who will be hosting not one but two nations," NRL head of football Brian Canavan said.

"Fiji will get to see some of the best players in the world.

"Clearly the other important aspect will be that each contest will provide a strong preparation for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup."

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga said the contest would be a novel way to prepare for his team, as well as an important one.

"Not only will this contest be good for the Kangaroos' preparation for the World Cup, it will be wonderful for international rugby league," Meninga said.

"I love the concept of three teams playing on the same stage. It will be a great exhibition for our game."

Fiji Bati coach Mick Potter said: "It will be a great showpiece. It can only be a good thing for the game in Fiji for the locals to see the Australian team playing against two different nations, including their own.

"The people of Fiji will appreciate having all the names associated with this Kangaroos team at their stadium, as well as the best players in Fiji and PNG. To have that calibre of player on show will be phenomenal for the game."

PNG coach Michael Marum said: "It’s the first time this has ever happened so it will be a good experience for all of us.

"We’ll take a lot out of playing 40 minutes of football against each of those teams, and we’re looking forward to doing some community work alongside Fiji as they work to make rugby league even stronger over there."
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
If the PM XIII is being played this year, as expected, probably would have preferred to give Fiji a full game.

But whatever, good news anyway
 

morningstar

Juniors
Messages
826
Wish it was a full test "friendly" instead of this hybrid opposed session, but the Kangaroos are touring somewhere other than England or NZ so hard not to be excited.

The order of the halves is confusing though. What's the benefit of Aus playing gassed tier 2 teams who have already ripped in for forty minutes? Should be:-

Fiji v Aus
Aus v PNG
Fiji v PNG
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
This will do a lot of good for promotion of the WC in Fiji, the quality of the football doesn't really matter.. there's a WC starting 14 days later, you'll get your fix
 

Burns

First Grade
Messages
6,039
I guess that's what I was more excited about. As you have all pointed out, it's a glorified trial, but with the World Cup only two weeks later - it'll do heaps for promotion. Plus Australia in the Pacific! Hopefully the likes of Thurston etc travel for it.
 

paulmac

Juniors
Messages
776
Wish it was a full test "friendly" instead of this hybrid opposed session, but the Kangaroos are touring somewhere other than England or NZ so hard not to be excited.

The order of the halves is confusing though. What's the benefit of Aus playing gassed tier 2 teams who have already ripped in for forty minutes? Should be:-

Fiji v Aus
Aus v PNG
Fiji v PNG
I'd say the order of matches has been done to give the host (Fiji) the best opportunity of being competitive vs Australia in the last game.
RL should use crickets IP and call these fixtures 20/20 internationals,as it will be 20 mins halves and possibly squads of 20 players.
 
Messages
14,139
It's a game of football involving the best team on the planet in a developing nation. And the locals will respond accordingly.

The anti-Australian bullshit is reaching new levels when a massively positive event like this is ridiculed. Especially in light of the farce that will be England United's warm up game. I guess when your team is made up of second rate Aussies the thing to do is find an opponent that isn't even second rate. Beating a pub team by 100 isn't even an opposed session.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
And there's every chance that if the event is successful it will be followed up by full test matches in future.
 

hutch

First Grade
Messages
6,810
Are England playing any tests in England this year? Or any of the euro nations that are in the wc?
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Are England playing any tests in England this year? Or any of the euro nations that are in the wc?

Before flying out they should play

England v Scotland
France v Ireland
Wales v Italy

None of them match up in the pool stages and it's mutually beneficial for all to go in with some form behind them
 
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