NZ to PNG in 2020

[kiwileaguefan]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12281838

Sorry can't copy the story on my phone.

 

[Burns]

Woha there is a bit of concern in this article for me:

"The Kiwis will play at least four tests next year, including a rare trip to Papua New Guinea.

Michael Maguire's team will also face the Kangaroos, though not necessarily in New Zealand, and have a highly anticipated rematch with Tonga.

It's also likely they will have a test against Samoa, if the right venue mix can be found with the other matches"
~~~
"It's likely the mid-year test against Tonga will be repeated at Mt Smart in 2020, building on the interest shown in the fixture last year.

In principle the Kangaroos are meant to cross the Tasman next year to face the Kiwis, but that game could be in either country, depending on how the financial equations stack up.

The prospect of an away test against the Kumuls is an intriguing one, as it used to be a regular fixture."
~~
Plans are also in place for the Kiwi Ferns to have games against Samoa and Australia.

The final verdict is still out on the Oceania Cup, with a disappointing crowd in Hamilton for Great Britain's clash with Tonga last week, but it is worth persevering with.

The event has been overshadowed in this country by the Rugby World Cup, but the concept has great merit."

~~~~~~~~~~
With the Oceanic Cup, New Zealand will need to play Fiji, not Samoa next year. Now ideally, they can just play both!

If New Zealand play PNG, Samoa could play maybe the Cook Islands as a warm up?

 

[jim_57]

Woha there is a bit of concern in this article for me:

"The Kiwis will play at least four tests next year, including a rare trip to Papua New Guinea.

Michael Maguire's team will also face the Kangaroos, though not necessarily in New Zealand, and have a highly anticipated rematch with Tonga.

It's also likely they will have a test against Samoa, if the right venue mix can be found with the other matches"
~~~
"It's likely the mid-year test against Tonga will be repeated at Mt Smart in 2020, building on the interest shown in the fixture last year.

In principle the Kangaroos are meant to cross the Tasman next year to face the Kiwis, but that game could be in either country, depending on how the financial equations stack up.

The prospect of an away test against the Kumuls is an intriguing one, as it used to be a regular fixture."
~~
Plans are also in place for the Kiwi Ferns to have games against Samoa and Australia.

The final verdict is still out on the Oceania Cup, with a disappointing crowd in Hamilton for Great Britain's clash with Tonga last week, but it is worth persevering with.

The event has been overshadowed in this country by the Rugby World Cup, but the concept has great merit."

~~~~~~~~~~
With the Oceanic Cup, New Zealand will need to play Fiji, not Samoa next year. Now ideally, they can just play both!

If New Zealand play PNG, Samoa could play maybe the Cook Islands as a warm up?

Concerns over the Oceania Cup because of a GB Tour game crowd?.. right...

 

[Burns]

Abandoning the Oceanic Cup after one year would be peak rugby league.

But.

Is this because there is no Australian team to bankroll the matches? The part about 'Australian crossing the Tasman' being contingent on 'financial equations' - does anything rugby league in NZ make money that isn't with Tonga?

 

[yakstorm]

Hmm there are no quotes from anyone in the NZRL about 'abandoning' the Oceania Cup and Greg Peters spoke about the NZRL's commitment to the concept at the IRL Congress, so I'd be surprised if it is thrown out that quickly.

Considering NZ is committed to already playing Tonga, they only have to find room for one more match in the mix.

I bet if Samoa had defeated Fiji at Eden Park it wouldn't even be murmured. Whilst Tonga is definitely the flavour of the month, the Samoan fans have shown they'll turn out in force when playing at Tier 1 nation.

 

[adamkungl]

Probably just journos planting seeds for their next drama article.

Obviously there are concerns about some of the crowds. And the format of the competition has faced a lot of criticism from devoted international fans. Only need to stretch that a little further to suggest the concept might be in jeopardy. "The final verdict is still out" is the journos opinion suggested as fact.

 

[Springs09]

Abandoning the Oceanic Cup after one year would be peak rugby league.

But.

Is this because there is no Australian team to bankroll the matches? The part about 'Australian crossing the Tasman' being contingent on 'financial equations' - does anything rugby league in NZ make money that isn't with Tonga?

Creating the Oceanic Cup was peak rugby league.

Sticking with it, especially with the current format, would also be peak rugby league. Abandon all the good tournaments but stick with the shittiest 'tournament' they've ever created.

 

[adamkungl]

Creating the Oceanic Cup was peak rugby league.

Sticking with it, especially with the current format, would also be peak rugby league. Abandon all the good tournaments but stick with the shittiest 'tournament' they've ever created.

It'd be fine if build on it by adding a 4th team and a final.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

They have a point though in that these sort of Tier 2 tournaments need to be self sufficient, and the IRL just doesn't have the capital required to bankroll them for too long waiting for them to become viable.

We can complain all we like but the IRL doesn't have the same means as other governing bodies, and I'm not just talking about financial means.

 

[Springs09]

It'd be fine if build on it by adding a 4th team and a final.

Yes but then it's effectively a different concept. It's more a Pacific Four Nations than what they've intended this 'Oceanic Cup' to be.

Though I do agree. They do need to fit it in to the calendar suitably.

 

[adamkungl]

Yes but then it's effectively a different concept. It's more a Pacific Four Nations than what they've intended this 'Oceanic Cup' to be.

Though I do agree. They do need to fit it in to the calendar suitably.

The concept and the format are different things
The concept is fine. The format is half-arsed.

Concept = "bi-annual tournament to determine the best team in the pacific region". Great concept.

Format = "3 teams, 3 games, 1 single game determines whether you get a trophy or relegated" shithouse format

 

[yakstorm]

It definitely needs some tweaking. One part which hasn't received much talk yet is the fact that after the 2021 World Cup, it's highly likely that you'll never see both Australia and New Zealand in the tournament under its current format.

With the Oceania Cup to be played in the same years as the Americas, MEA and European Championships (2022 / 2024), based upon previous touring cycles / etc, its highly likely we'll have NZ touring Europe in 2022, and Australia back to Europe in 2024...

Now maybe those tour's won't matter... arguably NZ can leave their fixture against Australia at the end of the year as contractually required, and then play team 3 mid-year, but it still isn't ideal, as that then prevents any expansion of the tournament...

 

[adamkungl]

It definitely needs some tweaking. One part which hasn't received much talk yet is the fact that after the 2021 World Cup, it's highly likely that you'll never see both Australia and New Zealand in the tournament under its current format.

With the Oceania Cup to be played in the same years as the Americas, MEA and European Championships (2022 / 2024), based upon previous touring cycles / etc, its highly likely we'll have NZ touring Europe in 2022, and Australia back to Europe in 2024...

Now maybe those tour's won't matter... arguably NZ can leave their fixture against Australia at the end of the year as contractually required, and then play team 3 mid-year, but it still isn't ideal, as that then prevents any expansion of the tournament...

I want tours to go GB every 4 years, and Aus OR NZ every 4 years.
In a cycle where NZ tours UK, GB tours Aus, and vice versa.

2022 - NZ to UK

2024 - GB to Aus

2026 - Aus to UK

2028 - GB to NZ

I also want Aus and NZ to enter an A-team in their touring years.

 

[hutch]

Creating the Oceanic Cup was peak rugby league.

Sticking with it, especially with the current format, would also be peak rugby league. Abandon all the good tournaments but stick with the shittiest 'tournament' they've ever created.

If it was mid year it would be perfect and could be done annually.

 

[jim_57]

It would be good to see PNG hosting a tier 1 every year. Same with France.

It's easy to get caught up in the hype of Tonga but these 2 nations in particular are probably still the only others outside the tier 1s that can draw a good 15k+ crowd and produce plenty of players.

 

[RedVee]

It would be good to see PNG hosting a tier 1 every year. Same with France.

It's easy to get caught up in the hype of Tonga but these 2 nations in particular are probably still the only others outside the tier 1s that can draw a good 15k+ crowd and produce plenty of players.

I have hopes for Fiji, not sure about crowds though

 

[jim_57]

I have hopes for Fiji, not sure about crowds though

Yeh them too, there should always be a little reward for countries with the more developed domestic scenes. Wales too.

 

[deluded pom?]

"The final verdict is still out on the Oceania Cup, with a disappointing crowd in Hamilton for Great Britain's clash with Tonga last week, but it is worth persevering with."

I never realised GB were involved in the Oceania Cup!

 

[roughyedspud]

The only thing wrong with the Oceania cup is the format and we all said that when it was announced...for next year they should just bite the bullet and change it to 4 teams for 2020....NZ,Tonga,Samoa & Fiji held in NZ...and have a bleeding final...

Send PNG to France for a series..

Wales,Scotland,Ireland & Jamaica could do something too..

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Tours should not be played at the expense of tournaments, they should be in addition or not played at all.

2022: Regional Cups with P&R - four teams in each cup's top division, played over four weekends (play each other once and a final)

• Oceania Cup (including Aus & NZ)
• Euro Cup (including England)
• America's Cup
• MEA Cup

2023: Federations Cup - two pools of four, play everyone in your pool, a semi and a final.

• Top three from Oceania Cup (e.g. Aus, NZ & Tonga)
• Top three from Euro Cup (e.g. England, Ireland & France)
• Winner of America's Cup (e.g. Jamaica)
• Winner of MEA Cup (e.g. Lebanon)

2024: Regional Cups with P&R

2025: World Cup