Four Nations Schedule released

[roughyedspud]

personally speaking i was pretty bored with the tri nations after 3 in 3 years..the all golds tour came just at the right time

after the 2013 world cup,when we move to a 4 year schedule i don't see why we could'nt go like this

2013 - world cup
2014 - 4 nations
2015 - 4 nations
2016 - WCQ and a tour eg australia tour england or england tour NZ or australia,seeing as we won't have to qualify for the world cup
2017 - world cup

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

I think the shorter schedule is fitting considering last off-season we had a lengthy World Cup. I know it would be a good idea to "capitalise" on it but:

a) England didn't do so well (so support might be down and unable to be sustained across so many matches, or in larger venues) and
b) The players do need some rest.

So play a short tournament after the WC, give the players a bit of a rest, then back into a longer tournament if this smaller one proves successful.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

2013 - world cup
2014 - 4 nations
2015 - 4 nations
2016 - WCQ and a tour eg australia tour england or england tour NZ or australia,seeing as we won't have to qualify for the world cup
2017 - world cup

I'd switch 15 and 16 just so there wasn't identical offseasons two years in a row.

2014 - 4N in Northern Hem
2015 - WC Quals
2016 - 4N in Southern Hem

 

[marv]

Does anyone else think that familiarity is breeding contempt? We used to see the Kangaroos every four years and they were eagerly awaited events. Now they are like buses. We have to wait a max of two years before they are here again.

not personally, no.

 

[The Observer]

i'm not even going to start on that one...

I understand that after RLWC 2008, the RFL were keen to host a tournament to stage some quality home games, and provetheir credentials for hosting RLWC 2013. Also, the ARL may have wanted a quiet year after the busy Centenary year, hosting an RLWC and the struggling economy. On totalrl thread: 4 nations venues, doncaster - woo!, Wellsy4HullFC made a very compelling point that the condensed format has contracted international RL calendar and will probably make less money than any previous 3N tournament:

How utterly uninspiring. By including France, they were meant to be expanding the competition. Not only have they reduced the number of games per team by one, but they're playing in smaller stadiums too.

2004:
NZ vs Aus - Auckland - 19,118
Aus vs NZ - Loftus Road - 16,750
GB vs Aus - CoM Stadium - 38,572
GB vs NZ - Galpharm - 20,372
GB vs Aus - JJB Stadium - 25,011
GB vs NZ - KC Stadium - 23,377
Total - 182,315

2005:
Aus vs NZ - Telstra Stadium - 28,255
NZ vs Aus - Auckland - 15,400
GB vs NZ - Loftus Road - 15,568
GB vs Aus - JJB Stadium - 25,004
GB vs NZ - Galpharm - 19,232
GB vs Aus - KC Stadium - 25,150
Total - 155,143

2006:
NZ vs Aus - Auckland - 20,000
Aus vs NZ - Melbourne - 30,732
NZ vs GB - Christchurch - 17,005
Aus vs GB - Aussie Stadium - 24,953
NZ vs GB - Wellington - 16,401
Aus vs GB - Brisbane - 44,358
Total - 180,744

2009:
Eng vs Fra - Doncaster - 15k max
Aus vs NZ - The Stoop - 12k max
Eng vs Aus - JJB Stadium - 25k max
Fra vs NZ - Perpignan most likely - 12k max
Eng vs NZ - Galpharm - 24k max
Fra vs Aus - Toulouse most likely - 19k max
Total - 107k max

Too safe. Too boring. Nothing new apart from France at Donny.
The international game has not shown any growth in this country for too long, and venues like this won't inspire it. After the 2004 Tri-Nations opener at CoM, I thought we were finally onto something. I can't believe we've gone back to the norm.

Under a home and away series of tests, based on the best crowds attracted from 2004 through to the 2008 RLWC, we could attract the best support ever for an international series than would outstrip any year before and almost treble what the 2009 4N would get:

NZ vs Aus - 25,000
Aus vs NZ - 45,000
NZ vs England - 25,000
Aus vs combined Pacific Islanders - 25,000
Aus vs England - 45,000
NZ vs combined Pacific Islanders - 20,000
England vs NZ - 25,000
France vs Aus - 10,000
England vs Australia - 35,000
France vs NZ - 10,000
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 285,000

 

[roughyedspud]

you see,i stop reading every time is see combined pacific islanders

 

[Hindyscrack]

you see,i stop reading every time is see combined pacific islanders

where has that been written?

i am pretty sure only on PI team will compete in the four nations by winning a PI tournament.

 

[kiwileaguefan]

I am a bit worried about France, i can see them getting at least 60 point on them and mayeb up to 80.

However its the price we have to pay to bring them up to competition. IMO France should of played Ireland in a mid season test for the right to play in the Quad nations. However i doubt Ireland would have got 10,000 to the games like France will.

Just a question for the next Quad Nations, if say Fiji win and make the Quad Nations, does that say we will see at least England travel to Fiji to play one match??

 

[roughyedspud]

where has that been written?

i am pretty sure only on PI team will compete in the four nations by winning a PI tournament.

in observers post...

NZ vs Aus - 25,000
Aus vs NZ - 45,000
NZ vs England - 25,000
Aus vs combined Pacific Islanders - 25,000
Aus vs England - 45,000
NZ vs combined Pacific Islanders - 20,000
England vs NZ - 25,000
France vs Aus - 10,000
England vs Australia - 35,000
France vs NZ - 10,000
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 285,000

don't worry though it ain't going to happen..i was just saying i stop reading peoples posts when the put forward a combinded PI team

 

[hutch]

in observers post...



don't worry though it ain't going to happen..i was just saying i stop reading peoples posts when the put forward a combinded PI team

i won't ever happen in tournaments such as this, but i wouldnt be against a combined pi team (with players committed only to the pacific islands, not when they miss out on aus and nz) playing nz once every 4 or so years. would be a good way for the kiwis to play during origin time. i wouldnt like to see it every year, teams such as png, fiji, samoa, tonga need to be playing regular matches mid and post nrl season.

 

[roughyedspud]

the day anyone can convice me that 3 or 4 fijians/samoans/tongans etc playing in a combined PI side will benefit and progress the fijians,samoans & tongans as national teams then i'll entertain the idea...as it is combined sides do nothing for the development of the game