Brad Walter: Oceanic Cup 2020 may have a Final, Women's Tournament planned + much more

[Burns]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/11/20/finals-format-and-womens-tournament-in-pipeline-for-oceania-cup/

"However, the Asia Pacific Rugby League Confederation and tournament promoters, Duco Events, appear to have taken note of the concerns raised as it is understood the 2020 Oceania Cup will feature a final for teams in the top tier, Pool A, and another for the second tier, Pool B.

There are also likely to be women’s internationals run concurrently with 2020 Oceania Cup Tests, which will be played on June 20 during the NRL’s standalone representative weekend, and at the end of the season."

There is lots in this article:

On New Zealand schedule:
"In addition to the Oceania Cup, the Kiwis are also considering 2020 Tests against Samoa and Papua New Guinea – the latter to be played in Port Moresby."

Governance:
However, governance in some Pacific nations has not matched the rise in on-field performances of their teams, with the political turmoil in Tonga costing organisers of the Oceania Cup and Great Britain Rugby League Lions tour financially. There are also concerns about Samoa.

From 2020, the Oceania Cup – including the mid-season Pacific Test established by the NRL in 2013 – is due to come under the control of the Asia-Pacific Rugby League Confederation.

More on Samoa:
Samoa’s performance against Fiji was undoubtedly the biggest disappointment of the Oceania Cup and has raised questions about the future direction of the team from former players and the local media.

 

[jim_57]

https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/11/20/finals-format-and-womens-tournament-in-pipeline-for-oceania-cup/

"However, the Asia Pacific Rugby League Confederation and tournament promoters, Duco Events, appear to have taken note of the concerns raised as it is understood the 2020 Oceania Cup will feature a final for teams in the top tier, Pool A, and another for the second tier, Pool B.

There are also likely to be women’s internationals run concurrently with 2020 Oceania Cup Tests, which will be played on June 20 during the NRL’s standalone representative weekend, and at the end of the season."

There is lots in this article:

On New Zealand schedule:
"In addition to the Oceania Cup, the Kiwis are also considering 2020 Tests against Samoa and Papua New Guinea – the latter to be played in Port Moresby."

Governance:
However, governance in some Pacific nations has not matched the rise in on-field performances of their teams, with the political turmoil in Tonga costing organisers of the Oceania Cup and Great Britain Rugby League Lions tour financially. There are also concerns about Samoa.

From 2020, the Oceania Cup – including the mid-season Pacific Test established by the NRL in 2013 – is due to come under the control of the Asia-Pacific Rugby League Confederation.

More on Samoa:
Samoa’s performance against Fiji was undoubtedly the biggest disappointment of the Oceania Cup and has raised questions about the future direction of the team from former players and the local media.

Almost seems with some of those extra games they could have just made it a full 6 team Oceania/Pacific Cup.

I'm not sure where I'd like to see the Oceania Cup go but I think either making it 2 pools of 3 competing for the top trophy OR a top tier of 4 at least. 3 competing for the Oceania Cup just seems a bit of a non-event. I know it's better than nothing but it ccan definitely be improved.

Tier 1 - Aus, NZ, Tonga, Fiji
Tier 2 - PNG, Samoa, Cook Islands, Vanuatu/Solomon Islands

Or

Pool A - Aus, Fiji, PNG
Pool B - NZ, Tonga, Samoa
Adding Cook Islands makes it a bit of an awkward number.

 

[wain]

Almost seems with some of those extra games they could have just made it a full 6 team Oceania/Pacific Cup.

I'm not sure where I'd like to see the Oceania Cup go but I think either making it 2 pools of 3 competing for the top trophy OR a top tier of 4 at least. 3 competing for the Oceania Cup just seems a bit of a non-event. I know it's better than nothing but it ccan definitely be improved.

Tier 1 - Aus, NZ, Tonga, Fiji
Tier 2 - PNG, Samoa, Cook Islands, Vanuatu/Solomon Islands

Or

Pool A - Aus, Fiji, PNG
Pool B - NZ, Tonga, Samoa
Adding Cook Islands makes it a bit of an awkward number.

agree with the 3 teams being weird. It also makes no sense as far as games played, as you have a team with a bye every week.
With 4 teams (2 games a week), you can double the games played in a 3 week tourney...then have a final.
Then you could have a 4 team 2nd division. They could be played as the early game in the doubleheader (since it seems IRL will persist with doubleheaders).
At the end of 3 weeks, we can then have a final in each division, with the winner of div 2 promoted at the expense of the last team in div 1.
In the years that Aus/NZ tour northern hemisphere, there is no promotion in the previous year...only relegation to make way for their return.
Final could easily be played in Syd, Bris or Auckland. With current team strength it probably makes sense to do Auckland, as any combination of an Aus/NZ/Tonga final would pull the best crowds there, IMO.
TV rights could be maximised with double headers to keep production costs down and provide 2 back-to-back games on Fri/Sat or Sat/Sun.

TL;DR
eg.

DIV 1.
Aus
NZ
Tonga
Fiji

DIV 2.
Samoa
PNG
Cook Island
Wild card - could be more ad hoc to provide opportunity (Vanuatu, Japan, etc)

3 week round robin.
Fri/Sat night double headers (div 2 match then div 1)

GF matches.
1st v 2nd in both divisions.
4th team div 1 relegated.
winner div 2 promoted.

 

[adamkungl]

A step in the right direction.

Hopefully the 2022 edition has 4 teams in the top pool and a final.

 

[adamkungl]

I'm a fan of the P&R division system rather than an all-in 6 Nations (or 7 assuming Cook Islands wont be booted at some point).

It means we're more likely to see a closer contest in every match, it guarantees some bigger crowds with Aus and NZ likely to be in the same group, and allows limited finances to be better spent.
The opportunity is there for all the participating nations to play against the big nations, but they gotta earn it. No problem with that.

I'm hoping the pathway looks like this:

2020
- introduce a final for both pools

2022
- introduce 4 nations into pool A. Aus and NZ compulsory appearance from here. If they want to tour they work around it or have 2 squads.
-trial run of Pacific and Asia "C" level tournaments, with no promotion this time round. (Pacific Cup C & Asia Cup.)
-Winner of 2022 Americas Cup promoted to B level

2024
-4 nations in pool B as a result of 2022 Americas promotion.
-proper run of C level tournaments.
-Winners of Pacific C, Asia Cup, and Americas Cup play off for promotion to B level
-4th place in B level relegated to Americas or Pacific C as appropriate.

So from 2024 (3 iterations of the tournament from now) we have
4 teams at A and B level and fully functioning Pro-Rel pyramid taking into account Oceania, Asia, and the Americas. It might look like this

A: Oceania Cup : Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji

B: Oceania Shield : PNG, Samoa, Cook Islands, USA

C:
Pacific (Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Niue)
Asia A (Japan, Hong Kong, Philippines, Thailand)
Americas A (Canada, Jamaica, Chile, Brazil)

D: Asia B + Americas B (Newly emerging nations)


Rationale for including Americas:
The Americas Cups and MEA Cups, while great developments, offer a pretty low ceiling for participant nations.
They will still only be exposed to true high level football in World Cup years, by which time it is too late.
Thus - one of them should lead into Oceania, and the other into Europe. Africa is closer to Europe and African teams are likely less financially capable of long travel. So, MEA->Europe, Americas->Oceania

Teams like USA or Canada having the chance to play against the likes of Cook Islands and Samoa will show them where they need to get to be a serious World Cup team.
It will put their best local players in front of eyes where they might be able to gain semi-professional contracts.
It will open up America as a hosting option for the tournament.