Steve Mascord interview with David Collier

[Lockyer4President!]

Steve Mascord recently had an interview with RLIF chief David Collier.
Questions include the international calendar, the Fed Cup and upcoming World Cups, UAE/Sport Accord recognition and more.

http://www.rugbyleaguehub.com/?p=173691

Make sure you check the link and give the guy some love, he's one of the few journos asking questions about international footy.

 

[Storm13]

So nothing is going to happen until the RLIF get the thumbs up from the tier 1 teams?

 

[CC_Roosters]

Not sure what to make of the answer to question 1. seems to me like the fresh start with a new global event is being pushed to far into the future. really it's needed between 2018 and 2020 to accelerate what growth there is and prevent stagnation or reverse of gains. I fear we are just in for a period of bilateral series between Aus, NZ and Eng up until 2023 which is not what the game needs.

My take on what the calendar will look like from this article

2017 world cup
2018 kangaroos rest year. bilateral tour Nz & england
2019 nines tournament
2020 bilateral tour. kangaroos go North?
2021 world cup
2022 kangaroos rest year. bilateral tour NZ and England
2023 federation cup
2024 England/GB tour Australia?
2025 world cup

Pretty pathetic if this were the case tbh and unfortunately I think it will be close to the mark.

What it should be like

2017 world cup
2018 tri nations Eng, Aus and Nz
2019 federation cup- hosted by France
2020-tri nations Eng, Aus and Nz. WC qualifiers
2021- world cup UK
2022- 2025 rinse and repeat with different hosts for fed cup.

The home and away tri nations format is key to giving the international game the exposure it needs in the big 3 tier one nations, allowing it to generate sponsorship, TV revenue and a high quality tournament. I would also have each of Aus, NZ and England playing a road game against a second tier side during the tri nations. with the tri nations reverting to the home and away format (without a Gf, which I beleive is unnecessary). the second tier nations would play in their respective Euro and pacific cups held bi-annually, perhaps with the involvement of 'A' sides from the tier one nations. the tournament preceding the world cup would double as world cup qualifying.

if a nines tournament is run it should NOT be at the expense of full internationals.

 

[deal.with.it]

It's funny that when we were all waiting patienty for a calendar for 2018-25 we thought it would fall together as suggested. In the end, we are likely to only have ONE additional event in this calendar - the 2023 fed cup. Still don't know if 4 nations is staying or going - we all thought it was gone.

Pfft...

 

[siv]

Interesting that Tier 1 nations want 2023 but RLIF wants 2022

Wonder what the issue is ?

 

[adamkungl]

Pretty weird that the RLIF wanted a major tournament in 2022, a year after a WC. Seems like a very odd choice, glad it's been shot down.

 

[roughyedspud]

Its already been voted on and decided,by the board & nations,that its 2023

Dear Simon

The global event years had to be determined and awarded prior to nations completing their fixtures for 2018 - 2025 . With the venues for the 2021 and 2025 world cups being determined the Board also determined to put to tender an Intercontinental Cup in 2023. The nations met in Liverpool at Congress to then determine their fixtures in 2018-2020.

There were offers tabled for an Intercontinental Cup in 2022 rather than 2023, but the Board and nations decided that global events would be in 2021 and every two years thereafter .

There..in bold

 

[roughyedspud]

Ps...im hearing whispers that we will have a world 9s in 2019

 

[IntRLEnthusiast]

9's should be earlier the 2019.. there is a commonwealth games in 2018 where 9's could again be a demonstration sport.. set something up to be a lead up to that... would take on more meaning.. we take too much time getting good things going.. look at expansion... Rugby league in Australia has shrunk in the last 20 years... hmmmm

 

[roughyedspud]

its impossible to happen before 2019..

pre season 2017...is a few weeks away

pre season 2018 is a couple of months after a world cup..

so it has to be pre season 2019

 

[geordie_saint]

its impossible to happen before 2019..

pre season 2017...is a few weeks away

pre season 2018 is a couple of months after a world cup..

so it has to be pre season 2019

Why does it need to be pre-season?

 

[IntRLEnthusiast]

Depends what we are talking about too, a '9's world cup' one off to see who is the 9's world champions with a host of the best players is different to a 9's circuit using players often from lower comps who are suited to 9's and become contracted to 9's for a short 9's season.

 

[adamkungl]

I want a circuit. Don't care whether the top players play.
In fact I'd rather see a competition where someone other than Australia has a decent shot at winning

 

[roughyedspud]

Why does it need to be pre-season?

Cos its only a 2 day comp,it lends itself to pre season...having it post season as well as tours/4nations in 2019 will have the RLPA screaming player burn out..

and we need to,ideally,keep the 9s & 13s "seasons" seperate..9s pre season,13s post season

 

[CC_Roosters]

Cos its only a 2 day comp,it lends itself to pre season...having it post season as well as tours/4nations in 2019 will have the RLPA screaming player burn out..

and we need to,ideally,keep the 9s & 13s "seasons" seperate..9s pre season,13s post season

Not a bad idea spud. anyone know when the club nines contract with Auckland expires?

 

[adamkungl]

LA or NY RL9s Mid or Oct 2019 hopefully

 

[geordie_saint]

Cos its only a 2 day comp,it lends itself to pre season...having it post season as well as tours/4nations in 2019 will have the RLPA screaming player burn out..

and we need to,ideally,keep the 9s & 13s "seasons" seperate..9s pre season,13s post season

You'll have club coaches screaming blue murder as per Cunningham here in the UK if it's international teams and not club sides though. I'm all for more internationals but striking a balance is key and I am not sure pre-season is the best option; their non-engagement will see a sub-standard event, which is good for nobody.

 

[roughyedspud]

As the saying goes...tough sh1t,the growth of the game is far more important than what keiron thinks

 

[geordie_saint]

As the saying goes...tough sh1t,the growth of the game is far more important than what keiron thinks

I agree but he won't be the only one. People are quite open about the power of the clubs in Australia over what their players actually attend or not and it'll be no different over here. The clubs really don't give a scooby about developing the sport and they'll kick and scream (And win) if their pre-season plans are disrupted for such a tournament. I genuinely want it to happen but I'd be amazed if it happened pre-season.

 

[roughyedspud]

its gonna be pre season..