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Four Nations 2023

Clarkent

Juniors
Messages
828
Stupid rules for a stupid contest.

surley Samoa and Tonga are classed as tier 1 nations today?
That will never happen. Samoa and Tonga don't have the resources to be a tier 1 nation, and Origin will lose some spark if the island players don't play Origin
 

Brian potter

First Grade
Messages
5,308
They could just allow NZer's eligible for Origin to play Origin and for NZ, doesn't need to be a tier thing. It's not going to be a huge amount of players anyway.
Not ideal but I totally agree.

if tier 2 players can play origin then why not kiwis?
 

Clarkent

Juniors
Messages
828
They could just allow NZer's eligible for Origin to play Origin and for NZ, doesn't need to be a tier thing. It's not going to be a huge amount of players anyway.
I agree. But that's up to the aussies not IRL. And the aussies will never run a comp where it'll make the top competition better.
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,110
I agree. But that's up to the aussies not IRL. And the aussies will never run a comp where it'll make the top competition better.
Oh yeah I know I was just giving the option that's fair to all of us smaller nations (including NZ in comparison to the juggernaut that is Australia).
 

Clarkent

Juniors
Messages
828
Oh yeah I know I was just giving the option that's fair to all of us smaller nations (including NZ in comparison to the juggernaut that is Australia).
I would love nothing more than every team beating the ausses. They need to be humbled so they can take the international game more serious. The gap has gone smaller tho. The old days of the aussies dominating the 2nd best team with ease is gone. We just need to have more competitive international games
 

Last Week

Bench
Messages
3,724
I would love nothing more than every team beating the ausses. They need to be humbled so they can take the international game more serious. The gap has gone smaller tho. The old days of the aussies dominating the 2nd best team with ease is gone. We just need to have more competitive international games

Not really. Australia have lost only 2 games in the last 7 years out of 23 matches.
 

Clarkent

Juniors
Messages
828
Not really. Australia have lost only 2 games in the last 7 years out of 23 matches.
Aussies will always be dominant but not as much as in the past. Because the aussie talent has spread out to the samoan and Tongan team more. Back in the days we didn't have 5 or 6 competitive teams. Any of those teams can beat Australia on their day tbh.
 

Last Week

Bench
Messages
3,724
Aussies will always be dominant but not as much as in the past. Because the aussie talent has spread out to the samoan and Tongan team more. Back in the days we didn't have 5 or 6 competitive teams. Any of those teams can beat Australia on their day tbh.
I think I understand where you're coming from, but I don't entirely agree.

What's changed in Samoa and Tonga are more competitive with England and NZ.

Prior to the emergence of Tonga and Samoa, NZ were neck and neck with Australia in terms of top level talent.

Players choosing to play for Samoa and Tonga has hurt NZ more than any other country. If that trend ends, and I suspect it will one day for various reasons, NZ and Australia will play tit for tat for the number 1 nation.
 

Clarkent

Juniors
Messages
828
I think I understand where you're coming from, but I don't entirely agree.

What's changed in Samoa and Tonga are more competitive with England and NZ.

Prior to the emergence of Tonga and Samoa, NZ were neck and neck with Australia in terms of top level talent.

Players choosing to play for Samoa and Tonga has hurt NZ more than any other country. If that trend ends, and I suspect it will one day for various reasons, NZ and Australia will play tit for tat for the number 1 nation.
We're gonna have to wait and see at the end of the year if there are any internationals. The problem with the last world cup, is that we didn't get to see England face the aussies. Even tho samoa defeated them in the semi final, England was outstanding before that game, I really think they would've given the aussies a really good game. At the 2017 world cup, England was a try away from being world champs. I also give credit to the Kiwis, recovering well after the 2017 world cup. They got over the Tongan players leaving, and they got even better than before. If anything, the current Kiwis team now has the potential to be the greatest Kiwis team ever with the amount of class players that they have on the roster. In the past the kangaroos team used to be named and I'm pretty sure, most countries used to read that team list and go "fugging hell what a team" but now most teams look at the aussies and go " That's a good aussie team, but you know what? They're very beatable" The Nsw and Qld origin starting front rows might be playing for samoa. And the up and coming second rowers are tongans. The kangaroos backs and halves will always be elite with depth, but the aussies forward pack is where most teams will target them. The Kiwis almost did it, but they ran out of puff.
 

Brian potter

First Grade
Messages
5,308
We're gonna have to wait and see at the end of the year if there are any internationals. The problem with the last world cup, is that we didn't get to see England face the aussies. Even tho samoa defeated them in the semi final, England was outstanding before that game, I really think they would've given the aussies a really good game. At the 2017 world cup, England was a try away from being world champs. I also give credit to the Kiwis, recovering well after the 2017 world cup. They got over the Tongan players leaving, and they got even better than before. If anything, the current Kiwis team now has the potential to be the greatest Kiwis team ever with the amount of class players that they have on the roster. In the past the kangaroos team used to be named and I'm pretty sure, most countries used to read that team list and go "fugging hell what a team" but now most teams look at the aussies and go " That's a good aussie team, but you know what? They're very beatable" The Nsw and Qld origin starting front rows might be playing for samoa. And the up and coming second rowers are tongans. The kangaroos backs and halves will always be elite with depth, but the aussies forward pack is where most teams will target them. The Kiwis almost did it, but they ran out of puff.
My worry is that the kangaroos or to be more specific Queensland and NSW start to target more and more NZ born players who are moving from NZ aged 13, 14 and 15 on NRL scholarships.

The NZRL need to be working overtime trying to woe exciting young kiwi talent like titans fullback Keano Kini, broncos centre deine mariner and bulldogs halfback Karl oloapu On pulling on the black&white jersey over the maroon one or the blue one.
 

Matua

First Grade
Messages
5,110
My worry is that the kangaroos or to be more specific Queensland and NSW start to target more and more NZ born players who are moving from NZ aged 13, 14 and 15 on NRL scholarships.

The NZRL need to be working overtime trying to woe exciting young kiwi talent like titans fullback Keano Kini, broncos centre deine mariner and bulldogs halfback Karl oloapu On pulling on the black&white jersey over the maroon one or the blue one.
I think under the current rules they don't qualify for Origin if they go over at 13+.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
69,520
Ideally we would have had a Kangaroos tour to Northern hemisphere end of this year to maximise the interest following the RLWC.
Then a 5 nations in pacific nations. Here's a novel idea. how about Samoa and Tonga actually PLAYING in their countries? Radical idea I know!
 

MKCS

Juniors
Messages
645
We can't have a four nation without England man. They need to include England and make it a 5 nations. I can't picture a international tournament without England in it. If they have to take a team out to include England, than it'll have to be Tonga because they missed out on the semi finals of the world cup

Would be cool to have a European Four Nations consisting of England, France, Ireland and Scotland, winner takes on the winner of Australia, New Zealand, Samoa and Tonga's four nations.

It's an absolute disgrace.

Australia, NZ, Samoa and Tonga should be touring England, France, Wales and Ireland/Serbia.

Are you saying Australia, NZ, Samoa and Tonga should be touring France, Ireland, Serbia and Wales to play those respective nations? I'd genuinely say that all four of the bigger nations would crush Serbia 100+ to 0 whilst France, Ireland and Wales would lose 50+.

If you mean they play one another in those countries that could be a good thing.
 

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