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http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...ode-is-to-go-truly-global-20101112-17r6g.html
League needs to rethink its strategy if code is to go truly global
Brad Walter
November 13, 2010
The international game of rugby league has been done a gross disservice by the scheduling for the Four Nations tournament, with last weekend's dead rubber between tonight's finalists undermining positive developments in other parts of the globe.
Contrary to what you might have read or heard elsewhere, rugby league is growing and expanding to such an extent that officials in the US are seriously considering a bid for the 2017 World Cup. Wales and France are more traditional league countries where the game is also gaining strength, both in terms of their competitiveness and crowd numbers.
They might not be ready to challenge the might and strength of Australia and New Zealand, who will meet in tonight's Four Nations final at Suncorp Stadium, but here are sobering statistics for those who think international rugby union is far superior and league shouldn't bother:
❏ England have beaten the All Blacks just six times in 105 years of Tests between the countries (1936, 1973, 1983, 1993, 2002, 2003);
❏ Wales have beaten the All Blacks just three times (1924, 1935, 1953);
❏ Scotland and Ireland have never beaten the All Blacks.
Even the Wallabies had not beaten the All Blacks for 10 consecutive matches until their 26-24 win in Hong Kong two weeks ago - a similar record to the New Zealand league team, which has won just one of its past 11 clashes with the Kangaroos since their 2005 Tri Nations final triumph in Leeds. At least the Kiwis can boast that their win was in the 2008 World Cup, while they only lost the 2006 Tri Nations decider to Australia in extra time.
New Zealand's depth has grown enormously in the past five years, and many believe the Kiwis are a good chance of winning tonight.
But there has been nowhere near as much interest in the tournament as there should have been because of a draw that relied on England upsetting one of the finalists in the first two weeks to prevent last Saturday night's match deteriorating into little more than a dress rehearsal for the decider.
After travelling from the northern hemisphere with a young and inexperienced side that was missing injured captain Jamie Peacock and boom St Helens playmaker Kyle Eastmond, England would have been better served by playing Papua New Guinea first up.
A tournament opener between Australia and New Zealand would have also ensured the loser had to win their remaining two games, while both matches last weekend would have had a bearing on which teams qualified for the final. Instead, there are now calls to revert to a Tri Nations format, which would be a big setback to those countries competing in the European and Pacific cups that rotate as qualifying tournaments for the fourth place in the Four Nations.
Wales have earned that right next year after edging out France 12-11 in last month's European Cup final, played before a crowd of 14,551.
Incoming Catalans coach Trent Robinson, who was Brian Smith's assistant at the Roosters this season, told the Herald he was impressed by how much the standard of play had improved since he left Toulouse four years ago, while Rugby League European Federation chairman Richard Lewis said the level of interest in France was also encouraging. ''Attendances have been significantly up, especially in France, and totalling over 40,000, and television coverage and viewing figures have been similarly excellent - particularly on French terrestrial TV,'' Lewis said.
Interest is also growing in the US, with potential new American National Rugby League teams being formed in Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Portland, Salt Lake City and Phoenix.
''We are expanding locally, with development in the west and Hawaii, the midwest and within our existing comp on the east coast,'' AMNRL boss David Niu said. ''We are on a roll here, and people better start believing that we are not far away from a fully national semi-pro-amateur competition in various regions and a top layer pro-league.''
While NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball dominate the US sporting landscape, there is little international competition, and the 2017 World Cup could provide a great opportunity for league.
To have broader appeal for Americans, the World Cup would need to have more than the 10 countries that competed in the 2008 tournament in Australia, so it is vital that international development continues at the pace it is. And it will be important to get the draw right.
League needs to rethink its strategy if code is to go truly global
Brad Walter
November 13, 2010
The international game of rugby league has been done a gross disservice by the scheduling for the Four Nations tournament, with last weekend's dead rubber between tonight's finalists undermining positive developments in other parts of the globe.
Contrary to what you might have read or heard elsewhere, rugby league is growing and expanding to such an extent that officials in the US are seriously considering a bid for the 2017 World Cup. Wales and France are more traditional league countries where the game is also gaining strength, both in terms of their competitiveness and crowd numbers.
They might not be ready to challenge the might and strength of Australia and New Zealand, who will meet in tonight's Four Nations final at Suncorp Stadium, but here are sobering statistics for those who think international rugby union is far superior and league shouldn't bother:
❏ England have beaten the All Blacks just six times in 105 years of Tests between the countries (1936, 1973, 1983, 1993, 2002, 2003);
❏ Wales have beaten the All Blacks just three times (1924, 1935, 1953);
❏ Scotland and Ireland have never beaten the All Blacks.
Even the Wallabies had not beaten the All Blacks for 10 consecutive matches until their 26-24 win in Hong Kong two weeks ago - a similar record to the New Zealand league team, which has won just one of its past 11 clashes with the Kangaroos since their 2005 Tri Nations final triumph in Leeds. At least the Kiwis can boast that their win was in the 2008 World Cup, while they only lost the 2006 Tri Nations decider to Australia in extra time.
New Zealand's depth has grown enormously in the past five years, and many believe the Kiwis are a good chance of winning tonight.
But there has been nowhere near as much interest in the tournament as there should have been because of a draw that relied on England upsetting one of the finalists in the first two weeks to prevent last Saturday night's match deteriorating into little more than a dress rehearsal for the decider.
After travelling from the northern hemisphere with a young and inexperienced side that was missing injured captain Jamie Peacock and boom St Helens playmaker Kyle Eastmond, England would have been better served by playing Papua New Guinea first up.
A tournament opener between Australia and New Zealand would have also ensured the loser had to win their remaining two games, while both matches last weekend would have had a bearing on which teams qualified for the final. Instead, there are now calls to revert to a Tri Nations format, which would be a big setback to those countries competing in the European and Pacific cups that rotate as qualifying tournaments for the fourth place in the Four Nations.
Wales have earned that right next year after edging out France 12-11 in last month's European Cup final, played before a crowd of 14,551.
Incoming Catalans coach Trent Robinson, who was Brian Smith's assistant at the Roosters this season, told the Herald he was impressed by how much the standard of play had improved since he left Toulouse four years ago, while Rugby League European Federation chairman Richard Lewis said the level of interest in France was also encouraging. ''Attendances have been significantly up, especially in France, and totalling over 40,000, and television coverage and viewing figures have been similarly excellent - particularly on French terrestrial TV,'' Lewis said.
Interest is also growing in the US, with potential new American National Rugby League teams being formed in Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Portland, Salt Lake City and Phoenix.
''We are expanding locally, with development in the west and Hawaii, the midwest and within our existing comp on the east coast,'' AMNRL boss David Niu said. ''We are on a roll here, and people better start believing that we are not far away from a fully national semi-pro-amateur competition in various regions and a top layer pro-league.''
While NFL, NBA and Major League Baseball dominate the US sporting landscape, there is little international competition, and the 2017 World Cup could provide a great opportunity for league.
To have broader appeal for Americans, the World Cup would need to have more than the 10 countries that competed in the 2008 tournament in Australia, so it is vital that international development continues at the pace it is. And it will be important to get the draw right.
