Five Nations: Samoa must stay

[Nothern]

How can we afford to let this Samoan team go? Best thing to happen in international RL for years.

I know it's unlikely, but wouldn't five nations be awesome?

I want to watch Samoa every week!!!!

 

[ozenzud]

Absolutely agree. Make it a regular thing and players will commit to Samoa rather than Oz or NZ and they would become very competitive.

Don't forget the potential of Tonga as well.

And Fiji. Fiji has the biggest population of all the islands and the biggest domestic player potential.

With a bit of effort and a bit of money, the international game of RL could be incredibly vibrant and exciting.

I for one, would be diverting some of the NRL TV deal into the island games. Bringing up their standards and following. Then, as they get stronger, interest grows, the money coming out of the internationals will be self funding.

Can't see the ARL having the vision or the ability...

Where is the money going anyway? We don't see any in NZ, Country RL, the islands etc, etc. Is all the money going to elite players and executives of the NRL?

 

[jim_57]

Don't think they should be locked in because they happen to have the best set of heritage players at this point in time. A yearly pacific cup around Origin stand alone weekends involving NZ, PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Cook Islands would be unreal IMO.

Definitely so much potential going to waste.

 

[roughyedspud]

5nations wont work,it'll take too long to complete...

 

[Scubby]

5nations wont work,it'll take too long to complete...

Yep, has to be 6 or 4. I still prefer 4 because it is important that we play both the Aussies and Kiwis in the phase games.

 

[siv]

Expand to 6

But teams must qualify

 

[roughyedspud]

the new confederations cup will be 6 or 8

 

[Scubby]

the new confederations cup will be 6 or 8

Thought you were going to bed. Got your second wind?

I need a couple of hours at least before it all starts. Problem is I'm too fired up.

 

[roughyedspud]

ive been...just got up lol

 

[playdaball]

Samoa probably won't play a proper test match until 2017 WC, that is the issue.

 

[babyg]

nz v Samoa on a Friday night after origin
Fiji v png Sunday afternoon
Tonga v Cook Islands on fox on sat

I'd watch it

 

[DC_fan]

Absolutely agree. Make it a regular thing and players will commit to Samoa rather than Oz or NZ and they would become very competitive.

I have been pushing for sometime for players to commit to one country. And a five nations competition would be great for the international game. We just need to thee 5th team from Europe to meet the level of Samoa.

The problem for the international game is just when to play tests.

 

[milton]

With Australia playing no internationals next year and nz cancelling France's tour, why don't they just make a 4 nations in England and bring Samoa over. England, nz, France and Samoa. Would be a good tournament

 

[roughyedspud]

cos the baskerville shield series had already been sorted...

nothing to stop samoa sorting out a tour though

 

[pcpp]

There needs to be a Pacific Cup next year - PNG, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. With NZ committed to England, and Australia not scheduled to play any tests as of yet, I think a schedule like this would be realistic:

October 16: Pacific Cup Round 1
October 23: NZ v Australia one-off, Pacific Cup Round 2
October 30: Pacific Cup Round 3, NZ v England 1
November 6: Australia v Pacific Cup Champions, NZ v England 2
November 13: NZ v England 3

 

[roughyedspud]

australia aren't playing ANY tests next oct/nov...so forget about them..

all the pacific nations should consider coming up here to europe though,there plenty of teams willing to play series against them...

samoa v france 3 tests
wales v png 3 tests
fiji v ireland 3 tests
tonga v scotland 3 tests

and im sure the england knights could squeeze in 4 games against all 4 pacific teams

 

[expansionist]

its all very well to say Samoa must stay - but what about Fiji? Tonga? not to mention PNG, Cooks etc.

What is a real shame is that Tonga werent given the chance to qualify this time.

 

[hutch]

australia aren't playing ANY tests next oct/nov...so forget about them..

all the pacific nations should consider coming up here to europe though,there plenty of teams willing to play series against them...

samoa v france 3 tests
wales v png 3 tests
fiji v ireland 3 tests
tonga v scotland 3 tests

and im sure the england knights could squeeze in 4 games against all 4 pacific teams

That would be awesome if something like that could happen. They should create a trophy or shield for those nations to play for.

 

[Twatface Magee]

Agree 100% to 5 Nations.

Australia
New Zealand
Samoa
PNG
Fiji

 

[Nothern]

Agree 100% to 5 Nations.

Australia
New Zealand
Samoa
PNG
Fiji

With Aussie video ref....may as well make it the 1 nation!!!!!!

Australia played well second half, fair play, but tough to take. Cameron Smith on BBC "...ruling for 20m restart was a relief...must admit looked pretty close on the screen...glad it went our way."

Think he knew it was a try! Seen them given.

Oh well on to next week. England decided to play too conservatively at start of 2nd half. Where was Clarke?