Jim from Oz
Juniors
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OK all,
As I noted on a UK-based forum, I have just emailed this to the RLIF.
Let's see if they reply.
Comments/thoughts/criticisms welcomed.
Thanks
Jim in Sydney (a MASSIVE international RL fan)
Dear RLIF,
How are you?
I have seen various proposals recently for a Pacific Cup in 2019.
I have a much better idea for a Pacific Cup every four years : (2019, 2023, 2027 etc … the intermediate year of the RL World Cup).
(And please,call it the Pacific Cup! Pacific is sexy! Pacific tests are a brand! The Pacific Cup has a history going back to the 1980s! No one has even heard of Oceania!)
Surely, if Australia is available to play in late 2019 – are they playing GB or not? – then the way to make a Pacific Cup exciting (and profitable) is this way:
Group 1
Australia, Fiji, and Samoa
Group 2
New Zealand, Tonga, and PNG
Play each team once in your group (1st round is during State of Origin / rep weekend, when Australia and NZ do not play; final 2 rounds after the NRL GF).
The top in each group then plays off for thePacific Cup Final,with 2nd in each group playing for 3rd and 4th, and last in each group playing for 5th and 6th in amassive triple header. Every team plays 3 games.
And PLEASE: do NOT have a Pacific Cup of two seperate groups with promotion and relegation – that is absurd and will not work! You don't even get a final with that ! And why should 3 teams be "less" than the 3 other teams? This will never improve the international sides!
(Note; if Australia IS playing GB in late 2019, the Pacific Cup could still be played, with Cook Islands replacing Australia on this one occasion).
AT THE SAME TIME AS THE PACIFIC CUP, PLAY IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE A EUROPEAN CUP EVERY 4 YEARS (2019, 2023, 2027 etc )
Same format as the Pacific Cup:
Group 1
England, Ireland, Scotland
Group 2
France, Wales, Italy/or qualifier.
Both these comps could one day be expanded to 8 teams:
PACIFIC CUP:
Group 1
Australia, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands
Group 2
New Zealand, Tonga, PNG, qualifier (from the Americas Cup: US, Canada, Chile etc)
EUROPEAN CUP:
Group 1
England, Ireland, Scotland, Lebanon
Group 2
France, Wales, Italy, qualifier (from the European Championship B: Serbia, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, Greece, Malta etc etc).
BEST OF ALL, FROM THIS WE NOW GET A NICE STABLE "SPINE" OF INTERNATIONAL RL:
2019: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2020:
2021: RL World Cup
2022:
2023: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2024:
2025: RL World Cup (in the US/Canada …?)
2026:
2027: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2028:
2029: RL World Cup (in Australia/NZ/PNG)
2030:
2031: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2032:
2033: RL World Cup (in GB/France)
2034:
In the intervening years, we could have touring - but in a 4-year / 8-year cycle so everyone knows what's going on !
2019: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2020: Kangaroo tour to GB/France
2021: RL World Cup
2022: NZ tour to GB/France
2023: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2024: GB tour to Australia
2025: RL World Cup
2026: GB tour to NZ/PNG/Pacific nations
2027: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2028: Kangaroo tour to GB/France
2029: RL World Cup
2030: NZ tour to GB/France
2031: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2032: GB tour to Australia
2033: RL World Cup
2034: GB tour to NZ/PNG/Pacific nations
This way Australia play England/GB every 4 years (2020, 2024, 2028 etc) for the RL Ashes – another great tradition that should be revived !
Tours to/from/by other nations - esp. France and the 4 big Pacific nations – can be factored in accordingly.
It also means once every 4 years, Australia does NOT play in a major cup/Test series (which is what they seem to want?) … they could then play a 2-Test series v NZ in those years ??
Yours
etc
As I noted on a UK-based forum, I have just emailed this to the RLIF.
Let's see if they reply.
Comments/thoughts/criticisms welcomed.
Thanks
Jim in Sydney (a MASSIVE international RL fan)
Dear RLIF,
How are you?
I have seen various proposals recently for a Pacific Cup in 2019.
I have a much better idea for a Pacific Cup every four years : (2019, 2023, 2027 etc … the intermediate year of the RL World Cup).
(And please,call it the Pacific Cup! Pacific is sexy! Pacific tests are a brand! The Pacific Cup has a history going back to the 1980s! No one has even heard of Oceania!)
Surely, if Australia is available to play in late 2019 – are they playing GB or not? – then the way to make a Pacific Cup exciting (and profitable) is this way:
Group 1
Australia, Fiji, and Samoa
Group 2
New Zealand, Tonga, and PNG
Play each team once in your group (1st round is during State of Origin / rep weekend, when Australia and NZ do not play; final 2 rounds after the NRL GF).
The top in each group then plays off for thePacific Cup Final,with 2nd in each group playing for 3rd and 4th, and last in each group playing for 5th and 6th in amassive triple header. Every team plays 3 games.
And PLEASE: do NOT have a Pacific Cup of two seperate groups with promotion and relegation – that is absurd and will not work! You don't even get a final with that ! And why should 3 teams be "less" than the 3 other teams? This will never improve the international sides!
(Note; if Australia IS playing GB in late 2019, the Pacific Cup could still be played, with Cook Islands replacing Australia on this one occasion).
AT THE SAME TIME AS THE PACIFIC CUP, PLAY IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE A EUROPEAN CUP EVERY 4 YEARS (2019, 2023, 2027 etc )
Same format as the Pacific Cup:
Group 1
England, Ireland, Scotland
Group 2
France, Wales, Italy/or qualifier.
Both these comps could one day be expanded to 8 teams:
PACIFIC CUP:
Group 1
Australia, Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands
Group 2
New Zealand, Tonga, PNG, qualifier (from the Americas Cup: US, Canada, Chile etc)
EUROPEAN CUP:
Group 1
England, Ireland, Scotland, Lebanon
Group 2
France, Wales, Italy, qualifier (from the European Championship B: Serbia, Russia, Spain, Ukraine, Greece, Malta etc etc).
BEST OF ALL, FROM THIS WE NOW GET A NICE STABLE "SPINE" OF INTERNATIONAL RL:
2019: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2020:
2021: RL World Cup
2022:
2023: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2024:
2025: RL World Cup (in the US/Canada …?)
2026:
2027: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2028:
2029: RL World Cup (in Australia/NZ/PNG)
2030:
2031: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2032:
2033: RL World Cup (in GB/France)
2034:
In the intervening years, we could have touring - but in a 4-year / 8-year cycle so everyone knows what's going on !
2019: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2020: Kangaroo tour to GB/France
2021: RL World Cup
2022: NZ tour to GB/France
2023: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2024: GB tour to Australia
2025: RL World Cup
2026: GB tour to NZ/PNG/Pacific nations
2027: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2028: Kangaroo tour to GB/France
2029: RL World Cup
2030: NZ tour to GB/France
2031: Pacific Cup/European Cup
2032: GB tour to Australia
2033: RL World Cup
2034: GB tour to NZ/PNG/Pacific nations
This way Australia play England/GB every 4 years (2020, 2024, 2028 etc) for the RL Ashes – another great tradition that should be revived !
Tours to/from/by other nations - esp. France and the 4 big Pacific nations – can be factored in accordingly.
It also means once every 4 years, Australia does NOT play in a major cup/Test series (which is what they seem to want?) … they could then play a 2-Test series v NZ in those years ??
Yours
etc