We need to move to a consistent 5 nations

[Brother Fesol]

Let's be honest. Much as we all love international footy theocracy challenge is convincing the Australian and English public that we need a 5 nations. It's hard to convince origin loving people like Gould who thinks origin is the be all and end all. But if the arl can convince the nrl it will work

 

[roughyedspud]

at the end of the day it should'nt have anything to do with the ARL,NRL,NZRL,RFL or any other national governing body....its international sport that should be run by a independent international governing body

 

[roughyedspud]

i've had a crack at another schedule from 2013 onwards


2013
- RLWC - NH (northern hemishere)

2014
- 4 NATIONS SH (southern hemisphere) aus,nz,eng + highest ranking pacific side from the 2013 RLWC (PNG for arguments sake)

- EUROPEAN CUP - 8 teams,(wales,france,scotland,ireland,italy,serbia,russia,lebanon) winner qualifies for 4nations in 2015

- PACIFIC CUP - 4teams (tonga,fiji,samoa,cooks) or 6 teams (add usa & canada?)

2015
- 4 NATIONS NH - eng,aus,nz + european cup winners

- PACIFIC CUP - 6 teams (png,tonga,samoa,fiji,cooks,usa) winners qualifies for 2016 4nations.

- EUROPEAN CUP - 8 teams, replace the team playing in the 4nations with canada,south africa or Jamaica

2016
- 4 NATIONS SH - aus,nz,eng + pacific cup winners

- FEDERATION SHIELD NH - 10 teams, the ones minus the 4nations teams that don't have to qualify for the RLWC in 2017

-RLWCQ

2017
- RLWC SH

2018
- 6NATIONS NH 5 teams, aus,nz,eng + 1 european & 1 pacific team permanently elected based on the previous 3-4 years performance....the 6th team is the next best european team from the world cup in 2017 not already elected.

- PACIFIC CUP - 6 teams, (with canada permanently replacing the pacific team elected to join the 6 nations) winners play in 2019 6 nations

- EUROPEAN CUP - 8 teams

2019
- 6 NATIONS SH

- EUROPEAN CUP - 8teams , winners play in 2020 6 nations

- PACIFIC CUP - 6 teams

2020
-6 NATIONS NH

- FEDERATION SHIELD - 8 teams

-RLWCQ

2021
- RLWC NH





christ i go dizzy typing that out lol

 

[biggestbroncosfan]

I'd really like to see South Africa push for inclusion in the 4 Nations. The South Africans go well with english sports such as rugby union, cricket, football and I have always wondered why they don't take rugby league seriously. We must get the NRL on tv over there and NRL clubs must look at bringing games over there as well as continuing to sign South African RU youngsters. I would really like to see them up to the standard that Australia, NZ and England but that would take at least another 20 years.

 

[hutch]

I like your schedule spud, I would just love to see an ashes series between gb and aus every 4 years. I love the 4 nations, I just think that reviving the old series would be unbelievable. Lions tour then kangaroo tour, a player would only ever really hope to play in 2 series in their career. I know it takes the focus off the other countries for that year, I guess I just miss em! It'll never happen though, so no need to worry!

 

[DINGb@T]

If you're playing 8 teams you mi'aswell add a few more and have a World Cup.

And if you go to 5 nations then you take away what is perhaps the most important part of the 4 nations which is the chance for smaller nations to participate in the qualifying process. The Pac and Euro cups work because there's a genuine prize at the end. There's no prize if the top 5 play and the rest don't even bother.

And the longer tournament will be a problem. Especially if it creates more 'who cares' games. At Wembley we're going to have Aus vs Eng after Kiwis vs Wales. And Aus will play Kiwis before we leave the southern hemisphere. That's just to get a decent crowd to these games.

Adding in another minnow would lead to a bye. That would see a round with the home team sitting on the sidelines. Can you imagine a tournament in England where Aus, NZ, France and PNG play each other? It won't be pretty.

 

[Mullins!!!]

Dingb@t has a good point. I agree i like it the way it is!!

 

[Panadol]

Hmmm I would like to suggest introducing a Champions Trophy for rugby league and run every 4 years in between World Cups. My version of a champions trophy would be a 6 nations comp, with three nations from the northern hemisphere and 3 nations from the southern hemisphere.

Have each hemisphere do a Tri-series during the club season (Makes the Anzac test more meaningful?) then the south visit the north for 3 weeks in the international season (to play 3 matches against the other) . The top two nations stay for the 4th week to conduct the Champions trophy final, and force the last placed north and south hemisphere teams to qualify back into the champions trophy in four years time.

Gives minnow nations regular exposure over 2 years, and something to aspire to

 

[Eels Dude]

Some people have short memories. It was only a few years ago the off season consisted of one off tests against against NZ or a tri series against them. The fact that we have a proper 4 Nations tournament annually should be applauded not complained about.

 

[Hollywood Jesus]

Aus, NZ and England always in.

Pac Cup and Euro Cup winners make 4 and 5. Play each other once, top two making the final = 6 weeks.

On a stand-alone rep weekend during the season, Pac and Euro Cup winners play the team previously in the 5 Nations. Winner goes through to 5 Nations at the end of the year, loser back to Pac/Euro Cup.

Maybe the Atlantic Cup winner to play bottom ranked Euro/Pac Cup team (switching each time?) if that's feasible.

 

[roughyedspud]

If you're playing 8 teams you mi'aswell add a few more and have a World Cup.

.

8 teams?....you on about the european cup which has 8 teams every time its played or my federation shield which would have 8 teams in 2020?


they both have 8 teams cos that the number of teams available...other teams will either be in the 4/6nations or RLWCQ


so we would'nt be able to "add a few more and have a world cup" also...one the european cup...and ones the federation shield....different comps!

 

[WireMan]

Dingb@t has a good point. I agree i like it the way it is!!

I don't like the way it currently is, but as me and Roughy have had a nice debate about the merits of a rival comp to the World Cup i'll leave that alone.


But if insist on a another comp..

Until we are in the position that we can have a tri/4 nations series in the north and a different one in the south then the current 4 nations is the best we have. The smaller nations have something to play for, the bigger nations don't play to many games. IMO if we have an 8 team comp that include the bigger nations then it actually is the World Cup.

 

[LordLeague]

Whatever the schedule over the next 8 years, I would like to see them squeeze in

1. An Ashes series at least every 4 years. This trophy has been played for since about 1930. RL needs to keep it's traditions alive - not just another VB test!!

2. An annual series Kangaroos V Kiwis. Anzac test and end of season test can be combined with the prize being the Bill Kelly Cup or Trans Tasman Cup. Whatever the prize, it should be contested yearly and marketed to keep continuity to create a history and pride in winning the cup. e.g Beldisloe/Ashes etc. To often RL sells out the names of it's trophies and promotes test matches as "The VB test" or "Bundaberg Tests". This strips the contests of their history and leaves the public baffled as to the purpose of the match.

Lord League

 

[hutch]

Whatever the schedule over the next 8 years, I would like to see them squeeze in

1. An Ashes series at least every 4 years. This trophy has been played for since about 1930. RL needs to keep it's traditions alive - not just another VB test!!

2. An annual series Kangaroos V Kiwis. Anzac test and end of season test can be combined with the prize being the Bill Kelly Cup or Trans Tasman Cup. Whatever the prize, it should be contested yearly and marketed to keep continuity to create a history and pride in winning the cup. e.g Beldisloe/Ashes etc. To often RL sells out the names of it's trophies and promotes test matches as "The VB test" or "Bundaberg Tests". This strips the contests of their history and leaves the public baffled as to the purpose of the match.

Lord League

Great points!