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http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...international-federation-20171113-gzki6u.html
NRL clubs request meeting with Rugby League International Federation
NRL clubs request meeting with Rugby League International Federation
- Steve Mascord
South Sydney chief executive Shane Richardson has called on Rugby League International Federation bosses Nigel Wood and David Collier to address a meeting of NRL clubs before the end of the World Cup and explain their plans for the sport.
Richardson was responding to reports in Monday's Herald about the emergence of a FIFA-style window on the third weekend of June next year, when NRL and Super League players could theoretically disperse and represent their countries as soccer stars have for many years.
"The RLIF has never addressed the clubs on anything": South Sydney chief executive Shane Richardson. Photo: Christopher Pearce
He said to his knowledge clubs and the Rugby League Players Association were not opposed to such a situation – but they expected to be consulted.
"The RLIF has never addressed the clubs on anything, they just make these arbitrary announcements in the paper," said Richardson, also team manager of the Kiwis.
"Despite how this is being portrayed, my own experience is that clubs do support representative football, they do support the expansion of the sport. Just look at the number of NRL players in this tournament.
"Just look at State of Origin. Just look at the stand-alone Origin and rep weekend next year. - "I'm convinced that if they went through the matches they want to play, when, where, how and why with us, they would get a sympathetic hearing and we'd get a good outcome for the game.
- "But if you're not going to pay us the common courtesy of telling us what's going on, you are going to run into a little bit of trouble because, yes, we do pay the players."
While it could be argued the RLIF's responsibility is to countries, not clubs and players' unions, the situation is unique in rugby league as two competitions and one players union provide all the high-profile stars to international matches.
The RLPA was unsuccessful in being granted an audience with the international body when it met in Sydney this month.
"I'd like David and Nigel to come and see us before they return to the UK," Richardson said. "Tell us what's planned and why. We never hear from them. The clubs are not the bad guys here."
The sport is still grappling with its international calendar over the coming years. In theory, New Zealand are going to Europe next spring, Great Britain are reforming to tour Australia in 2019 and there is also a Nines World Cup at that time.
But while you can already buy tickets to matches in the rugby union World Cup in Japan in 2019, most rugby league-playing countries don't know where and when their next match is after the current tournament.
In other news, the Australian side arrived in Darwin for their quarter-final against Samoa at TIO Stadium on Friday night.
Back-rower Matt Gillett said he supported calls for a parity of payments across the international game, although there is nothing new regarding how this might be achieved.
"We're all out there doing the same thing, there's no reason for that not to happen," he said. "Everyone deserves the same. We're all out there putting our bodies on the line for our country."
Earlier in the day, David Klemmer and Aaron Woods were cleared over a spear tackle.
"I think they were a bit nervous," Gillett said. "It's only a short tournament and any suspension would have put doubt in their minds."
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