Mid year tests in 2022

[Tigers1986]

Rumblings of post-season tournaments, cups, tours etc as a result of the momentum of the rep round games. I'm all for it.

Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, PNG, Lebanon, that's 6 teams right there to contest a mini tournament. Run a North American tournament. European tournament. Australia vs NZ bi-annual best of 3 series (give Tonga time to grow - i think they've peaked). KANGAROO TOUR!!!

 

[Perth Red]

You didn't answer the question. What did NZ get from a sellout on Sat?

NRL needed content. So put on some tests. NZRL could of done with the gate takings and the chance to sell the TV rights

Countries like Cook Islands and Fiji couldn't get players from ESL.

Places like PNG couldn't even host the game.

So you need to get the ESL to pause to create a real mid season window or no point. As long as you are getting a minimum of 5 tests a year then it doesn't matter when they are played

Profile, merch sales, NZ players committing to NZ as they have opportunity to play, and I'm guessing the revenue NRL gets from this goes to paying the NZRL annual grant. Ideally NZRL would have organised and reaped all the rewards but thats not how it was set up, it doesn't mean it was a waste of time though.
Better question is what did the game and NZ/Tongan fans get out of it? Be like saying playing NRL and Origin in Perth is a waste of time as NRLWA doesnt get the revenue.
re SL players, there's not that many to make that a deciding point, and justifying the expense of bringing them over for one off game in middle of season would be a hard sell to the SL clubs Id have thought.
End of day this seasons mid seasons test were successful on lots of fronts and Vlandys binned them to appease Ch9, who as it turned out got more viewers for the Sunday Origin game anyway.
So we've binned something that was a success for no gain!

 

[Perth Red]

Rumblings of post-season tournaments, cups, tours etc as a result of the momentum of the rep round games. I'm all for it.

Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Cook Islands, PNG, Lebanon, that's 6 teams right there to contest a mini tournament. Run a North American tournament. European tournament. Australia vs NZ bi-annual best of 3 series (give Tonga time to grow - i think they've peaked). KANGAROO TOUR!!!

Tours dont really work in norther hemi anymore now that the club season is over with. There's only England and whopping France to play without club games as well.
Ashes series for Kangaroos ora 4 nations in Norther Hemi are better options. I think Tonga at this point could also play a 3 match series against England over there and it be successful. Maybe they could do that the year Australian and NZ play a 3 match series over here.

 

[jim_57]

I like the idea of an Australia V NZ tri-series once a world cup but it’s a bit of a backwards step if none of the other Pacific Islands get a game against them as a result. Could run a Oceania/Pacific Cup and incorporate the 3rd game in to that.

Aus Vs NZ - 2 games + other warm up games.

then

Oceania Cup - Australia, NZ, Tonga & Fiji.
Oceania Cup B - Samoa, PNG, Cook Islands, Vanuatu/Solomon Islands/Niue/Phillipines.

 

[Iamback]

Profile, merch sales, NZ players committing to NZ as they have opportunity to play, and I'm guessing the revenue NRL gets from this goes to paying the NZRL annual grant. Ideally NZRL would have organised and reaped all the rewards but thats not how it was set up, it doesn't mean it was a waste of time though.
Better question is what did the game and NZ/Tongan fans get out of it? Be like saying playing NRL and Origin in Perth is a waste of time as NRLWA doesnt get the revenue.
re SL players, there's not that many to make that a deciding point, and justifying the expense of bringing them over for one off game in middle of season would be a hard sell to the SL clubs Id have thought.
End of day this seasons mid seasons test were successful on lots of fronts and Vlandys binned them to appease Ch9, who as it turned out got more viewers for the Sunday Origin game anyway.
So we've binned something that was a success for no gain!

6 of thw Fiji WC squad is uk based.

6 Cook Islands

Tonga had no coach even

5 tests a year should be the aim. When they are played doesn't matter as long as the countries involved get the cash from it

 

[siv]

I await the new schedule between RLWC2022 and RLWC2025

A regular schedule is the first step in the right direction

 

[Perth Red]

6 of thw Fiji WC squad is uk based.

6 Cook Islands

Tonga had no coach even

5 tests a year should be the aim. When they are played doesn't matter as long as the countries involved get the cash from it

You still havent explained why you think scrapping mid season tests is a good idea. It was done as ch9 wants origin on a wednesday night, despite it not rating any higher than a Sunday. It had nothing to do with the validity or value of the actual test matches.
I’m of the opinion the more test matches the better given the general neglect of international rugby league. Weve basically compromised the nrl season more and got rid of enjoyable test match games that players highly valued for absolutely nothing.
It’s stupid in the extreme and is just another example of how tv continues to dominate decisions on how the game runs in this country.

 

[siv]

It was interesting how NRL360 ran a basic agenda of ignoring the rep round Pacific tests

 

[Perth Red]

It was interesting how NRL360 ran a basic agenda of ignoring the rep round Pacific tests

Yeh good to see the players talking it up at every opportunity.
i thought fox might have used it as an excuse to have a pop at ch9.

 

[Gobsmacked]

What do you guys think of a
" 7 nation's "
Played at every seasons end.
Australia, NZ, FIJI, Tonga, Samoa, England and France.
They are the top tier nations who could all have a chance at beating each other on their day.
All play each other once with a top 4 play off elimination.

The nations below them in cooks, png , Ireland, Wales, Scotland could have a comp also with promotion and relegation the following year.
Eg: France finish bottom playing the top finishing png to decide on the 7th side in the 7 nations the following year.
Just an idea.

 

[Perth Red]

I think a 7 nations once in the 4 year cycle could work though venues might be the tough part to make it financially viable Unless always in southern hemi.

rlwc
kangaroos/England tour plus nz v Tonga, png v Samoa, Fiji v cooks having their own tri series
7 nations in southern hemi
world nines and pacific cup/euro cup

might work, should set a goal for every major nation to play at least 4 internationals a year.

 

[Gobsmacked]

I think a 7 nations once in the 4 year cycle could work though venues might be the tough part to make it financially viable Unless always in southern hemi.

rlwc
kangaroos/England tour plus nz v Tonga, png v Samoa, Fiji v cooks having their own tri series
7 nations in southern hemi
world nines and pacific cup/euro cup

might work, should set a goal for every major nation to play at least 4 internationals a year.

Good point about it being in the southern hemisphere. It will certainly be viable down here but for it to be viable in Europe, you would have to exclude the pacific nations ( no supporters to draw from in Europe or very little)
Perhaps a 4 nations every second year England, Australia, NZ and France to get internationals regularly in Europe.

 

[LeagueXIII]

What do you guys think of a
" 7 nation's "
Played at every seasons end.
Australia, NZ, FIJI, Tonga, Samoa, England and France.
They are the top tier nations who could all have a chance at beating each other on their day.
All play each other once with a top 4 play off elimination.

The nations below them in cooks, png , Ireland, Wales, Scotland could have a comp also with promotion and relegation the following year.
Eg: France finish bottom playing the top finishing png to decide on the 7th side in the 7 nations the following year.
Just an idea.

No....less is more.

 

[Gobsmacked]

No....less is more.

Rugby league has been doing less on the international stage throughout the history of the sport.
It literally can't do less.
With the emergence of genuine international competition, we have an opportunity to create a genuine spectacle on the world stage!!
A truly international game!!
We need to find the right balance with regular rivalries.
Regular competition builds rivals over time creating a spectacle that draws crowds and adds to the spectacle. NZ vs Tonga if done right is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

[LeagueXIII]

I was referring to your idea, by year three of that people will be sick of it.

 

[jim_57]

7 nations is beginning to get a bit big and take away from the World Cup. 4 nations was good but every year again makes it a bit repetitive as well. I’d land on 5 or maybe 6 Nations once in the middle of a World Cup cycle. Regionals year after World Cup double as qualifiers, year before World Cup ad-hoc tournaments, tours and World Cup qualifiers.

Year 1 - World Cup.
Year 2 - Euro Cup & Pacific Cup.
Year 3 - 5/6 Nations, those that miss out play local games or tour.
Year 4 - Ad-hoc Tournaments, Tours & World Cup qualifiers.

 

[welshmagpie]

Y4:
World Cup

Pacific Cup Qualifier (pre-World Cup)
(PNG vs Cook Islands)

Euro Cup Qual (mid-season)
(Serbia, Germany, Netherlands, Spain)

Americas Cup Qualifiers (mid-season)
(Canada, USA, Canada, Chile)

MEA Cup Qualifiers (mid-season)
(South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco)

Y1:
Euro Cup (2 groups of 4)
(ENG, FRA, WAL, IRE, SCO, ITA, 2 qualifiers)

Pacific Cup (2 groups of 3)
(AUS, NZL, TNG, FIJ, SAM, 1 qualifier)

Americas Cup (1 group of 4)
(Jamaica, 3 qualifiers)

MEA Cup (1 group of 4)
(Lebanon, 3 qualifiers)

World Cup Qualifiers - Stage One
(nations not qualified for above)

Y2:
4 Nations
(Euro Cup 1st, Pacific Cup 1st, 2nd, 3rd)

Federation Shield
(Euro 2nd, Pacific 4th, Americas 1st, MEA 1st)

World Cup Qualifiers - Stage Two
(Continental Cup remaining teams, Stage 1 winners)

Y3:
World Series Tours
(14 teams from 4N, FS and Stage Two winners)

World Cup Qualifiers - Repechage
(WCQ-Euro 5th, WCQ-Pacific 3rd, WCQ-Americas 1st, WCQ-MEA 1st)

European Shield
(Non-World Series/Repechage teams)

Pacific Shield
(Non-World Series/Repechage teams)

Americas Shield
(Non-World Series/Repechage teams)

MEA Shield
(Non-World Series/Repechage teams)

 

[Perth Red]

You could have two 4 nations in the cycle with the bottom team dropping down and the winning team from previous one moving up. ie
4nations premiership: Eng, Aus, Nz, Tonga
4 nations championship: Samoa, Fra, Fiji, PNG

winner of championship moves up to premiership for next time tournament is played and bottom placed premiership moves into championship. Gives everyone something to aim for.

 

[Iamback]

You could have two 4 nations in the cycle with the bottom team dropping down and the winning team from previous one moving up. ie
4nations premiership: Eng, Aus, Nz, Tonga
4 nations championship: Samoa, Fra, Fiji, PNG

winner of championship moves up to premiership for next time tournament is played and bottom placed premiership moves into championship. Gives everyone something to aim for.

That is my issue with random one off mid season games. Much better with a Pacific Cup/European Cup type thing instead

 

[Perth Red]

That is my issue with random one off mid season games. Much better with a Pacific Cup/European Cup type thing instead

again, why not both? There was no good reason not to have mid season tests. They help squads build comradery, they give fans of the international teams and game something other than origin to enjoy and they make Origin less impacting on the NRL season if played on a weekend. If done differently they could also raise much needed funds for the participating nations.
Instead of abandoning them they should have moved to three origin games on a weekend and played MORE mid season tests! You could host a pacific cup mid season then!
Even if just sticking with one it wouldn't need to be random, could play same team each year for a cup and build an annual rivalry game.