GB Lions Tour 2019

[Burns]

Maybe the RFL can come out and say something?

 

[roughyedspud]

The RFL don't know what day it is let alone release a coherent statement on anything

 

[siv]

So is it England now?

Lol it's a f**king joke

Well I hope it is

 

[roughyedspud]

It's probably not...just a thick Aussie journo who doesn't know the difference

 

[Jim from Oz]

KANGAROOS-TONGA PART OF TRIPLE TREAT

In another huge boost for international rugby league, the Kangaroos are likely to again play Tonga in November as part of a triple-header in Auckland.

Talks are under way for Australia to play Tonga on the same day New Zealand host England and Fiji take on Samoa.

The triple-header would be staged the week after the World Nines tournament at the new Western Sydney stadium.

It would attract huge media interest after the Melbourne Cup and before the cricket Test season kicks into gear. This is a great result for international rugby league.

No more ridiculous ventures like the failed Denver Test experience of New Zealand v England last season.

The growth of the international game is all about the emerging Pacific nations, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji.

They have to regularly compete on the big stage at the big venues.

They will get stronger and stronger and eventually become tier-one nations.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/s...s/news-story/cd9043b102b25f81aad7f7629570c23c

No mention of Pacific Cup, no mention of GB Lions tour. When's PNG playing? Isn't this how the Pacific Cup is meant to work?

Get it right Mr Burns ! It's the Oceania Cup ! Far more sexier than boring old Pacific Cup !

 

[jim_57]

Anything "triple header" that isn't juniors and/or womens is a joke. Just shows how deep Internationals have been buried.

 

[southwalesrabbitoh]

Anything "triple header" that isn't juniors and/or womens is a joke. Just shows how deep Internationals have been buried.

Uh? Catastrophizing. Can we please just leave rugby league to the Aussies and northern England. How about getting more ppl in England and Australia watching rugby (league).

 

[Springs09]

A 3 test series between Australia & GB or England isn't a stupid idea...we've done it for a hundred years..

The fact that the ARLC would have to pay the Aussie players $1m in match fees is the stupid part

A 3 test series organised between 2 nations is a good idea. One nation deciding that they are going to be 'Great Britain' for a year despite two of the countries they draw players from being involved in WC qualifiers, and announcing they are touring without any co-operation from the countries they are meant to be playing - that is a stupid idea.

 

[roughyedspud]

Absolutely

 

[titoelcolombiano]

"There must be people within the league that are deliberately stuffing it up! " We continued on with lunch.

Did you just quote yourself? lol

Will the sequel tell us what you had for lunch?

 

[Burns]

We enter March with no announcement. Bring on April.

 

[deluded pom?]

Seven months to go and nothing has been confirmed, one way or the other. I’m not convinced it’s going to happen or if it does it will be a last minute shambles.

 

[Springs09]

Surely it's easier now, especially if the tour might be only four games, to just include England in a Four Nations?

Four Nations - Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, England
Pacific Cup - PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands

Each team can play a warm-up the week before
Example 4N Schedule:

Week 1
PNG v England - Port Moresby
Samoa v Tonga - Auckland
Australia v Fiji - Wollongong
New Zealand v Cook Islands - Whangerei

Week 2
Australia v England - Perth
New Zealand v Tonga - Auckland
PNG v Fiji - Port Moresby
Samoa v Cook Islands - Apia

Week 3
Australia v New Zealand - Brisbane
Tonga v England - Hamilton
PNG v Samoa - Port Moresby
Fiji v Cook Islands - Suva

Week 4
Australia v Tonga - Western Sydney
New Zealand v England - Dunedin
PNG v Cook Islands - Port Moresby
Fiji v Samoa - Suva

Week 5
Four Nations Final - Newcastle
Pacific Cup Final - Western Sydney

Better than 2 triple headers and a GB team wandering around playing meaningless games at least.

 

[Stallion]

Surely it's easier now, especially if the tour might be only four games, to just include England in a Four Nations?

Four Nations - Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, England
Pacific Cup - PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands

Each team can play a warm-up the week before
Example 4N Schedule:

Week 1
PNG v England - Port Moresby
Samoa v Tonga - Auckland
Australia v Fiji - Wollongong
New Zealand v Cook Islands - Whangerei

Week 2
Australia v England - Perth
New Zealand v Tonga - Auckland
PNG v Fiji - Port Moresby
Samoa v Cook Islands - Apia

Week 3
Australia v New Zealand - Brisbane
Tonga v England - Hamilton
PNG v Samoa - Port Moresby
Fiji v Cook Islands - Suva

Week 4
Australia v Tonga - Western Sydney
New Zealand v England - Dunedin
PNG v Cook Islands - Port Moresby
Fiji v Samoa - Suva

Week 5
Four Nations Final - Newcastle
Pacific Cup Final - Western Sydney

Better than 2 triple headers and a GB team wandering around playing meaningless games at least.

Would prefer Lions playing the KANGAROOS in NSW in Sydney or Newcastle. But I see the common sense in most of your idea.

 

[CC_Roosters]

Seven months to go and nothing has been confirmed, one way or the other. I’m not convinced it’s going to happen or if it does it will be a last minute shambles.

The bit I don't get is that I thought the big 3 stakeholders agrees on a loose calendar for the next cycle but when it comes to the crunch and they realise games actually have to be played to fulfil it then there's an issue?

 

[welshmagpie]

Surely it's easier now, especially if the tour might be only four games, to just include England in a Four Nations?

Four Nations - Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, England
Pacific Cup - PNG, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands

Each team can play a warm-up the week before
Example 4N Schedule:

Week 1
PNG v England - Port Moresby
Samoa v Tonga - Auckland
Australia v Fiji - Wollongong
New Zealand v Cook Islands - Whangerei

Week 2
Australia v England - Perth
New Zealand v Tonga - Auckland
PNG v Fiji - Port Moresby
Samoa v Cook Islands - Apia

Week 3
Australia v New Zealand - Brisbane
Tonga v England - Hamilton
PNG v Samoa - Port Moresby
Fiji v Cook Islands - Suva

Week 4
Australia v Tonga - Western Sydney
New Zealand v England - Dunedin
PNG v Cook Islands - Port Moresby
Fiji v Samoa - Suva

Week 5
Four Nations Final - Newcastle
Pacific Cup Final - Western Sydney

Better than 2 triple headers and a GB team wandering around playing meaningless games at least.

Do remember the Cook Islands have World Cup qualification to sort out this year.

Not a bad idea nonetheless.

 

[Springs09]

Do remember the Cook Islands have World Cup qualification to sort out this year.

Not a bad idea nonetheless.

True, while it will be only likely a one-off game against USA, it was just an example.

If Cook Islands will be unavailable the three countries can play the originally planned 3-team comp. Or Lebanon can play.

Either way a Four Nations would both be better than the stupid proposed tour and 3-team Oceania Cup or whatever it is, and would result in England/GB playing more countries than on the Lions Tour.

 

[roughyedspud]

Apparently the tour will be announced by the RFL sometime Monday (UK time)

 

[roughyedspud]

http://gboceaniatour.com

V Tonga in Hamilton 26th Oct
V NZ 1st test in Auckland 2nd Nov
V NZ 2nd test in Christchurch 9th Nov
V PNG in port moresby 16th Nov

 

[Foreign Legion]

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-lea...s-return-from-12-year-absence-for-autumn-tour