Tier 1B Series

[siv]

Do we need a 4 way series during SOO for England, NZ, next best 2 Pacifuc nations e.g. Tonga and Fiji during SOO

For the right to play Australia

 

[Springs09]

Nothing should be for the right to play Australia

I'd rather see 3-match series during Origin. It's a bit hard to fit 4-Nations or Pacific Cup type tournaments in 3 weeks.

Can have annual series like NZ v Eng, Ton v Sam, PNG v Fij etc or mix it up each year, just need to organise the fixtures at the start of each WC cycle and not in April each year.

Could have:
Year 1
Eng v NZ
Ton v Sam
PNG v Fij

Year 2
NZ v Ton
Eng v Fra
Sam v Fij
PNG v CI

Year 3
Eng v Ton
NZ v Sam
PNG v Fra
Fij v CI

Year 4
Fij v NZ
PNG v Ton
Sam v Eng

etc.

 

[wain]

Definitely think Tonga v Samoa needs to play 3 games every year at Origin time.
Id play 1 game in Aus (alternate between Syd/Bris), 1 game in NZ (alternate cities) and 1 game in either Tonga/Samoa.

I think its important to take it to their countries and grow it, and playing a game in each of Aus/NZ will ensure the games will make money and then the third game is to grow the game on the islands.

 

[wain]

Nothing should be for the right to play Australia

etc.

agreed!

 

[Storm13]

Need to piss England off, as all these good teams in the southern hemisphere, is making excuses for them to not play northern hemisphere teams.

 

[Clarkent]

Definitely think Tonga v Samoa needs to play 3 games every year at Origin time.
Id play 1 game in Aus (alternate between Syd/Bris), 1 game in NZ (alternate cities) and 1 game in either Tonga/Samoa.

I think its important to take it to their countries and grow it, and playing a game in each of Aus/NZ will ensure the games will make money and then the third game is to grow the game on the islands.

Agree the Samoa vs Tonga has that SOO rivalry if not more... Having this series consistently will commit more players to the island nations especially Samoa

 

[adamkungl]

England aren't coming out hear mid-year.
It's more effort and cost than it's worth. Time for England to invest in their own neighbours and encourage some decent opposition in their own backyard.

If we ever get a 3 rep-weekend block to play with..
There are a lot of different possible formats. But i'd aim to mirror State of Origin with the Pacific, but with some twists so all nations participate. Keep it separate to other tournaments, keep the Oceania Cup for end of year.

best of 3 series for the Polynesian Cup:
NZ v Tonga
and Polynesian Shield:
Samoa v Cook Islands
with Pro-Rel between Cup and Shield

+ best of 3 for Melanesian Cup:
PNG v Fiji
with potential for expansion down the track (Vanuatu, Solomon Islands)

 

[Storm13]

England aren't coming out hear mid-year.
It's more effort and cost than it's worth. Time for England to invest in their own neighbours and encourage some decent opposition in their own backyard.

England could easily become irrelevant, if the continued rise of the Pacific nations keeps improving like it has. They really need to get the likes of France and Wales up to scratch.

 

[siv]

In the Northern hemisphere there is a huge gap between England and then next best side

Ireland is slowly improving as is Italy and Greece

While Wales, France and Scotland are in a downward slide

They actually need a Wales, Ireland, Scotland & England 4 nations playing annually

Italy, France & Spain should also play annually

While Greece, Malta, Serbia, Turkey & Lebanon should do something together

 

[adamkungl]

I know it's a controversial idea. But considering the available options for quality England opposition, it might be time for a mid year England V Celtic Nations series.

If they can throw together a GB side with 99% England players, why not give the other 3 nations a fair shot to prove their players worth.

The NH nations aren't going to beat their SH counterparts on pure talent now - the gap is getting wider.
One way to close it is to get the jump on them and play together more often as a team. Prioritise the international program over their endless club games.
England and France would have a far better chance having 3 or 4 mid-season games under their belt every year before taking on a fresh Aus/NZ/Tonga in October

 

[Perth Tiger]

England aren't coming out hear mid-year.
It's more effort and cost than it's worth. Time for England to invest in their own neighbours and encourage some decent opposition in their own backyard.

If we ever get a 3 rep-weekend block to play with..
There are a lot of different possible formats. But i'd aim to mirror State of Origin with the Pacific, but with some twists so all nations participate. Keep it separate to other tournaments, keep the Oceania Cup for end of year.

best of 3 series for the Polynesian Cup:
NZ v Tonga
and Polynesian Shield:
Samoa v Cook Islands
with Pro-Rel between Cup and Shield

+ best of 3 for Melanesian Cup:
PNG v Fiji
with potential for expansion down the track (Vanuatu, Solomon Islands)

I would rather play 4 nations comps in a proposed 3 week mid year break.

Pacific Cup with NZ, Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. Play each other once. the only draw back is no chance of a final. But there would be opportunities to continue the rivalries in end of season comps.

Pacific Bowl with Cooks, USA, Canada anyone else who can get a decent team together with promotion/regulation to the Cup.

I really feel that a nation like the USA, if they were involved in regular annual competition that had meaning, would develop much faster than the hap hazard nature of their participation in internationals at the moment. It would take 10 plus years and we know RL doesn't like to stick to any development plans, but compared to Italy in the Union 6 nations, I reckon the USA would develop at a much faster rate.

You could mirror the same format in Europe as well with Cup Bowl and Shield formats.

 

[welshmagpie]

In the Northern hemisphere there is a huge gap between England and then next best side

Ireland is slowly improving as is Italy and Greece

While Wales, France and Scotland are in a downward slide

They actually need a Wales, Ireland, Scotland & England 4 nations playing annually

Italy, France & Spain should also play annually

While Greece, Malta, Serbia, Turkey & Lebanon should do something together

Wales are in a downward slide? Are we? We’re on track in 2020 to have our highest number of players playing in Super League players since 2011.

 

[Pommy]

Wales are in a downward slide? Are we? We’re on track in 2020 to have our highest number of players playing in Super League players since 2011.

I think people just look at the 80s/90s see there’s no code swappers anymore due to professionalism and base their opinion on that.

 

[siv]

Wales are in a downward slide? Are we? We’re on track in 2020 to have our highest number of players playing in Super League players since 2011.

At the moment Wales and France are on par. Happy if Wales have bottomed out but a lot of work to go

I want to see them to be able to challenge England again

When was the last time Wales even played England ?

And when was the last time Wales beat England, Australia or NZ ?

 

[welshmagpie]

At the moment Wales and France are on par. Happy if Wales have bottomed out but a lot of work to go

I want to see them to be able to challenge England again

When was the last time Wales even played England ?

And when was the last time Wales beat England, Australia or NZ ?

2011 regarding England.

Way before my lifetime for the latter.

 

[jim_57]

At the moment Wales and France are on par. Happy if Wales have bottomed out but a lot of work to go

I want to see them to be able to challenge England again

When was the last time Wales even played England ?

And when was the last time Wales beat England, Australia or NZ ?

Wales has one advantage over France in that there are less barriers to cross moving to England at a younger age to play for English SL clubs. France have their own club that most players seem to waste away at behind temporary fix Australians.

It would be good to see Wales one day have a test team full of Super League (&NRL) players with 75% welsh born, I think that is achievable in the not too distant future.