NZ lose home fixture to Australia + will play PNG in PNG

[Burns]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/article.cfm?c_id=79&objectid=12310784

The Kiwis won't get the chance to play the Kangaroos on home soil this year, with the annual transtasman clash again in Australia in mid-October after the NRL season.

The teams met in Wollongong last year and at Mt Smart Stadium in 2018, when coach Michael Maguire's team recorded a memorable victory.

The international calendar was restructured after the 2017 World Cup, with the axing of the mid-year Anzac test, which was a fixture from the late 1990s.

That match was almost always played in Australia (only two were in New Zealand) and with the new end-of-year fixture, there was an expectation tests would be staged on a rotation basis.

But that hasn't eventuated, as the Kiwis will have to travel across the ditch for the match on October 17.

"It's not guaranteed to be here ... there is no formal reciprocal agreement," said New Zealand Rugby League chief executive Greg Peters.

He said the match will be in Australia for "commercial reasons".

As part of the Oceania Cup, the Kiwis will also face Fiji on October 24 in New Zealand.

It will be just the second clash between the two nations, after the infamous 4-2 quarter-final defeat of the Kiwis in Wellington at the 2017 World Cup.

Maguire's squad will then face Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby on October 31.
~~~~~

More at the link.

Good to see PNG getting a home match against another Tier 1 side. Looks like Samoa v NZ won't happen then.

 

[adamkungl]

So they're playing Fiji and Tonga as part of the Oceania Cup
Australia standalone
and PNG standalone

Were we expecting NZ v Samoa for any particular reason?

I'm on the fence regarding where AUS v NZ is played.
My first though was - The NZRL hasn't learned much from the last 10 years, clearly.
Their home crowds are poor because they neglect playing at home too often.

But if they have 4 tests this year, 2 are at home and Tonga at least should be a big draw.
And Australia wouldn't play a home test if not for the NZ one.

Hopefully Aus plays NZ in NZ before flying out to England in 2021.

 

[Pommy]

I would like to see it played at Paramatta but I can understand them being reluctant to have it in Sydney. However it’s impossible to grow the international game in the biggest league market if you don’t play any games in it.

 

[adamkungl]

I would like to see it played at Paramatta but I can understand them being reluctant to have it in Sydney. However it’s impossible to grow the international game in the biggest league market if you don’t play any games in it.

Sydney has missed out on big ticket Internationals for too long, it's about time they gave it another go.

 

[jim_57]

Good to see NZ not only fulfilling their obligations (Aus, Tonga, Fiji) but playing PNG in PNG as well which they didn't need to do.

I'd love to see PNG hosting a 'tier 1' nation every year.

SIde note - Hopefully Gebbie & Ipape can establish themselves this year in the NRL. Having 3 ex hunters (with Olam) getting NRL game time would surely make NRL clubs look a bit harder at the Hunters and PNG in general.

 

[adamkungl]

With no touring teams this year (and none of a high level even available) it's hard to improve much on NZs test schedule for the year.

If I would make 1 suggestion, it would be for the mid-year test v Tonga to not be counted in the O-Cup, and play Tonga again in-tournament in the post-season.
It would sell, it would be good for both teams, and having all the games closer together would make for a far more coherent tournament.

 

[Springs09]

Happy that it's in Australia really. We have f**k all home tests over the next few years.

Guess this confirms that NZ v Tonga will be mid-season.

Also really think this shows that the tournament should be expanded out a bit. Playing 4 games but only 2 as part of a tournament, and those 2 are spread between mid-season and post-season.

Could have easily had 4-6 teams in the one group and NZ could have had 3 or 4 tournament matches post-season + the game vs Australia, instead of 1 tournament match post-season and 2 standalones.

 

[Burns]

Agree with all the comments above.

I think there had been word of a Samoa v NZ test purely on SBW being back.

Hard to fault NZ Tests for 2020 - but would imagine they cold make money if Tonga want to play them again. Maybe Tonga and Samoa will organise a Test?

 

[adamkungl]

Maybe Tonga and Samoa will organise a Test?

Same weekend as Aus v NZ... ? It's almost too easy...no chance haha

 

[yakstorm]

The draft Oceania Cup draw that was floating about had Tonga v Fiji and Cook Islands v Samoa on that same weekend as the Australia v NZ Test, so it is unlikely to happen then.

Samoa v Tonga in Utah is still being looked at. It was pencilled in for the weekend of the 31st, so hopefully it still happens.

It would be nice if on the weekend of Australia v NZ if somehow PNG and Fiji can organise a fixture. It would be great progress if most of the Pacific nations had at least 4 Tests this year.

 

[Burns]

The draft Oceania Cup draw that was floating about had Tonga v Fiji and Cook Islands v Samoa on that same weekend as the Australia v NZ Test, so it is unlikely to happen then.

Samoa v Tonga in Utah is still being looked at. It was pencilled in for the weekend of the 31st, so hopefully it still happens.

It would be nice if on the weekend of Australia v NZ if somehow PNG and Fiji can organise a fixture. It would be great progress if most of the Pacific nations had at least 4 Tests this year.

Oh, there was a draft going around? Can you share what venues were planned at all?

Still very unfussed on the Utah match. But if they are going to earn a big pay check, why not I suppose.

 

[adamkungl]

Ok, if we accept that the Oceania Cup is still going to split between mid and post season for now, and the main fixtures have been basically locked in we've got: (bolded = basically-confirmed, italics = still hopeful/wild speculation)

June
New Zealand v Tonga (OC1)
PNG v Fiji
Samoa v Cook Islands (OC2)
Lebanon v Malta
Italy v Greece

September
PNG v Australia-PMXIII

October
17
New Zealand v Australia
Tonga v Fiji (OC1)
Samoa v PNG (OC2)
Australia v France

24
New Zealand v Fiji (OC1)
PNG v Cook Islands (OC2)

31
New Zealand v PNG
Australia v England
Cook Islands v Fiji

November
7
Australia v England
Samoa v Tonga

14
Australia v England

21
Australia v Wales

EDIT: Revised on official announcement

 

[yakstorm]

Oh, there was a draft going around? Can you share what venues were planned at all?

Still very unfussed on the Utah match. But if they are going to earn a big pay check, why not I suppose.

Draft I saw was:

June 21/22:
New Zealand v Tonga
Samoa v PNG

October 17/18:
Tonga v Fiji
Cook Islands v Samoa

October 24/25:
PNG v Cook Islands
NZ v Fiji

Had no mention of a Final, and based upon the dates put forward by the NZRL (they are planning on being in Port Moresby a week after playing the Bati) doesn't sound like there will be one.

That said, things change... the Americas & MEA Championship draw was also in the draft I saw, and they ended up changing the USA v Chile and Canada v Jamaica matches.

 

[siv]

Dumb question time

Are Tonga allowed to play IRL ?

 

[deluded pom?]

Dumb question time

Are Tonga allowed to play IRL ?

No but a Tonga invitational 13 are.

 

[adamkungl]

Confirmed:
http://rlif.com/article/8875/oceani...eW-6U-PwGeupokT6hgeQkg3836T-glHpPxrPwTZQWlImo

The tournament will take place over 3 double headers. No final.
June - NZ v Tonga + Samoa v Cook Islands
Oct - Tonga v Fiji + Samoa v PNG
Oct - NZ v Fiji + PNG v Cook Islands

Dates nor venues still not confirmed (Christ this game moves at a glacial pace)

 

[jim_57]

Confirmed:
http://rlif.com/article/8875/oceani...eW-6U-PwGeupokT6hgeQkg3836T-glHpPxrPwTZQWlImo

The tournament will take place over 3 double headers. No final.
June - NZ v Tonga + Samoa v Cook Islands
Oct - Tonga v Fiji + Samoa v PNG
Oct - NZ v Fiji + PNG v Cook Islands

Dates nor venues still not confirmed (Christ this game moves at a glacial pace)

It would be good to see PNG V Fiji in June then Tonga V Samoa in Oct, hopefully that's the plan and not just a coincidence.

 

[Burns]

Just sigh.

 

[Springs09]

Right. Get rid of this shite tournament.

The only one that is sorta understandable is the Samoa v PNG/Tonga v Fiji one. Why can't Samoa v Cooks stand on its own? Why isn't PNG v Cook Islands in Port Moresby? What does it possibly add to NZ v Fiji?

At least we have some f**king games I guess.

 

[jim_57]

Right. Get rid of this shite tournament.

The only one that is sorta understandable is the Samoa v PNG/Tonga v Fiji one. Why can't Samoa v Cooks stand on its own? Why isn't PNG v Cook Islands in Port Moresby? What does it possibly add to NZ v Fiji?

At least we have some f**king games I guess.

Needs to be expanded to a top tier of 4 teams with Australia and NZ taking part every year even if it is a weakened side.

A - Aus, NZ, Tonga, Fiji
B - PNG, Samoa, Cook Islands

Add a C division with a promotion playoff Vs 3rd from B for the likes of Vanuatu, Solomon Islands etc.