ANZAC Test axed?

[DlEHARD]

Pretty sad when the NZRL is not even notified

Disgraceful and completely unacceptable. There needs to be an inquiry!

NZRL sitting there like Kevin Rudd on a cold night in June 2010 waiting for a phone call from Wayne Swan that will never come.

 

[Burns]

Pretty sad when the NZRL is not even notified

The National Rugby League scrapped the Anzac Test without consulting the New Zealand Rugby League, announced the change without informing their Kiwi counterparts and, incredibly, did not even return the New Zealand governing body's calls when it attempted to seek clarification today.

As of 4.50pm the NZRL had heard nothing from the NRL about a television schedule from 2018 that effectively kills off the Anzac Test - a crucial revenue driver for the New Zealand game.

"This news today has taken us a little by surprise," NZRL chief executive Phil Holden admitted in a conference call with reporters this afternoon.

Mr Holden said it was still not clear whether Australian players would be available for a mid-season test against the Kiwis and "everybody was jumping to conclusions".

"We haven't physically had an opportunity to speak to anybody so I don't know and no-one else knows either."

However, NRL boss David Smith confirmed that Australian players would only be available for test duty at the completion of the NRL season at a press conference in Sydney this morning.

Mr Holden confirmed his attempts to seek clarification from the NRL about the status of the Anzac Test had been ignored.

"We have obviously reached out to them to try to seek some clarity but to date we haven't had a response."

Asked how disappointed he was to have not even received a courtesy call from the NRL Mr Holden said there was "still time on the clock" for that to happen due to the time difference between the countries.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/article.cfm?c_id=79&objectid=11494771

Other nations should boycott tests against Australia. Absolutely disgusted.

 

[RL The greatest game]

Now we are no longer the No1 test side i guess we have thrown our toys out of the pram.
If only the people who run the game in this country could see the many benefits that a properly run international program could bring to Rugby League.
SOO is not the future of Rugby League.
The best players in the world are not playing in SOO.

 

[roughyedspud]

At least we all know where we stand now..they've actually greenlit everyone to play a test while stand in a wanking circle at game 2 of origin..

 

[Last Week]

2022 ?

Comes into effect in 2018

And you think there will still be around half of the English team in the NRL by then?

 

[Evil Homer]

They're seriously scrapping the international weekend after it was so successful this year? What's wrong with these people? Where is Shane Richardson?

 

[miguel de cervantes]

oh rugby league. why are you so sh*t?

where is the RLIF?

 

[Evil Homer]

oh rugby league. why are you so sh*t?

where is the RLIF?

The RLIF were the ones who introduced the idea of international windows, the NRL have obviously taken this as an excuse to scrap the mid-season test in favor of a f**king Origin match. At least Collier now knows what he's up against.

 

[Wilson1]

It was the right decision but it was done in a poor way. I simply don't understand the need for mid-season tests. It just disrupts the club competition. I prefer that all tests be left to the end of the season in a dedicated block. If SoO 2 has a dedicated weekend allotted to it then we may as well play a test match against a Pacific Island side.

 

[Burns]

Will the NZRL come out and criticize the decision? What will the RLIF do? Will anyone say anything?

 

[yakstorm]

It was never an international weekend, only a representative weekend, however instead of it being Australia v New Zealand, the Pacific Tests and Country v City it is now Origin and the Pacific Tests.

As already mentioned by a few others on here, there is absolutely nothing preventing NZ playing anyone else.

Honestly I'm glad the mid year ANZAC Test has been scrapped. In the 17 odd years it has been running, it has never been given the respect it deserves. At least at the end of the year it is allowed to be a showcase in its own right. It also means it is a more level playing field (there is a reason it took NZ so long to win a mid year test again) when Australia and NZ go head to head.

More competitive Internationals breeds more interest which generates more sponsorship, bigger events and hopefully allows international RL to get the respect it deserves.

 

[Evil Homer]

More competitive Internationals breeds more interest which generates more sponsorship, bigger events and hopefully allows international RL to get the respect it deserves.

Yeah, so why the f**k is one of them being scrapped?

 

[yakstorm]

Yeah, so why the f**k is one of them being scrapped?

You're assuming that it has been completely removed versus being moved till after the Grand Final to begin with, secondly in relation to my post, I said competitive Internationals, which is something the mid year Test hasn't been.

New Zealand winning in 2015 and 1998 is too far between wins and isn't a reflection of where NZ truly is and has been for the past 10 years.

 

[Evil Homer]

You're assuming that it has been completely removed versus being moved till after the Grand Final to begin with, secondly in relation to my post, I said competitive Internationals, which is something the mid year Test hasn't been.

New Zealand winning in 2015 and 1998 is too far between wins and isn't a reflection of where NZ truly is and has been for the past 10 years.

The historical context is completely irrelevant, who won this year's match? Unless you're suggesting that the #2 ranked Aussies will not be able to compete with NZ going forward then there's no reason to call the competitiveness of the match into question. This seems like a typically feeble and hollow excuse to defend typical Australian pig-headedness.

 

[miguel de cervantes]

Agree with the general consensus. Not sad to see it go, never meant much. Just the way it has been done is atrocious. It is obviously tied in with the broadcast deal so probably couldn't be discussed by anyone other than the NRL and Ch9, who weren't going to consult with the NZRL which is somewhat to be expected.

It was always going to be a struggle to wrestle control off the clubs+NRL for the benefit of the international game, and it is not just a simple matter of people decreeing that from now on "we will respect the international game". There are obviously commercial pressures to take into respect, and the creation of dedicated windows is a step in the right direction. I'd dare say Collier was consulted and approved, nay insisted upon this approach to negotiating the broadcast deal.

 

[roughyedspud]

And you think there will still be around half of the English team in the NRL by then?

Yeah....if not more

 

[RoosTah]

The ANZAC test was always a poorly placed event... they should have told the NZRL, but if it means they'll play more meaningful post season series, then it's a good move.

Ideally in order to generate strong interest in internationals I'd like to see Australia, NZ and England a play 3 test series against each other on consecutive years between world cups. That would give each country a year off naturally and thus help assuage the annual burn out concerns, whilst also creating more meaningful and scarce competitions.

Doing that would also mean the world cup would be the only time all three came together, which would add to the appeal and uniqueness of that tournament.

 

[roughyedspud]

Nzru ?

 

[Last Week]

The historical context is completely irrelevant, who won this year's match? Unless you're suggesting that the #2 ranked Aussies will not be able to compete with NZ going forward then there's no reason to call the competitiveness of the match into question. This seems like a typically feeble and hollow excuse to defend typical Australian pig-headedness.

You're just being petty now.

Think of it this way, if it weren't for the mid season tests, NZ may have been ranked number 1 earlier in the last 10 years. ;-)

No one here can deny that the mid season test has been maligned for pretty much it's entire existence. Think of the advantages this brings. A world wide agreed window for international Rugby League. Only international Rugby League. No City/Country or club competitions to take attention away from it. Where as the mid year test, the build up was always based around how much NZ would lose by or injuries to players for a pointless match, or this years one, how boring there's only 2 games on this weekend!

What did the mid season test do for the international game other than help the NZRL with some cash, which they will now get at the end of the year when the matches are played there?

 

[Last Week]

Agree with the general consensus. Not sad to see it go, never meant much. Just the way it has been done is atrocious. It is obviously tied in with the broadcast deal so probably couldn't be discussed by anyone other than the NRL and Ch9, who weren't going to consult with the NZRL which is somewhat to be expected.

It was always going to be a struggle to wrestle control off the clubs+NRL for the benefit of the international game, and it is not just a simple matter of people decreeing that from now on "we will respect the international game". There are obviously commercial pressures to take into respect, and the creation of dedicated windows is a step in the right direction. I'd dare say Collier was consulted and approved, nay insisted upon this approach to negotiating the broadcast deal.