Where should the Mid Year & Oceanic Tests be played in 2020?

[Burns]

Question in the Thread Title.

We know that:

• New Zealand, Tonga and Fiji are in Pool A.
• Samoa, Cook Islands and PNG are in Pool B.
• The above must all play at least 2 Tests next year for the Oceanic Cup.

We also know that New Zealand have expressed an interest to play PNG in Port Moresby, as well as a match against Samoa.

Meanwhile, Samoa want to also play against New Zealand AND Tonga.

To complicate matters, England have expressed an interest in playing a Mid Year Test against New Zealand, Samoa, Fiji or the Cook Islands.

My question for us forum nerds - how does the above happen? We have multiple nations wanting to play multiple Test. This is great!

But how does it work at the end of the season? Is it financially possible? Are we doomed for a Triple Header at Campbelltown in June?

 

[roughyedspud]

Tonga v nz mid season should be at bankwest...

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Leave the Oceania Competition matches til the end of the season and play friendlies during rep round.

PNG v Fiji in Port Moresby
Tonga v Samoa / NZ v England double header at Eden Park
Cook Islands v Lebanon at Belmore


End of Season
Week 1:
Tonga v Fiji (Oceania Cup) in Hamilton
Australia v New Zealand (one-off test) at North QLD Stadium
PNG v Samoa (Oceania Shield) in Port Moresby
France v England (one-off test) in Perpignan

Week 2:
England v Australia (Ashes) at University of Bolton Stadium
New Zealand v Tonga (Oceania Cup) / Samoa v Fiji (one-off test) at Eden Park
PNG v Cook Islands (Oceania Shield) in Port Moresby
Ireland v France (Euro Cup) in Dublin
Wales v Scotland (Euro Cup) in Wrexham

Week 3:
England v Australia (Ashes) at Headingly
Fiji v New Zealand (Oceania Cup) in Suva
Samoa v Cook Islands (Oceania Shield) at Mt Smart Stadium
PNG v Tonga (one-off test) in Port Moresby
Scotland v Ireland (Euro Cup) in Edinburgh
France v Wales (Euro Cup) in Toulouse

Week 4:
Engalnd v Australia (Ashes) at Tottenham
Ireland v Wales (Euro Cup) in Dublin
Scotland v France (Euro Cup) in Edinburgh

Week 5:
Euro Cup Winners v Australia (one-off test)

 

[Springs09]

Alright, I'd go:

Mid-Year:
PNG v NZ - Port Moresby
Tonga v Samoa - Auckland
England v Fiji - England, Suva or Bankwest

Post-Season
Week 1
OC - NZ v Fiji - Whangerei
OS - Samoa v Cook Islands - Apia

Week 2
NZ v Samoa - Hamilton
OC - Tonga v Fiji - Sydney
OS - PNG v Cook Islands - Port Moresby

Week 3
OC - NZ v Tonga - Auckland
OS - Samoa v PNG - Townsville

I'd also add in NZ v Australia before week 1 of the OC, plus have the teams with 'byes' play each other during their weeks off, even though that's confusing for fans - the whole tournament is anyway.

 

[yakstorm]

NZ v England to me is becoming a bit what Australia v NZ was a few years back, a fixture that feels like it is a bit overdone. Considering how few Internationals that teams play, the fact that 6 of the Kiwi's 9 Tests have been against England / GB is too much.

As such, to mix it up, I would like to see as the Mid-Year matches:

• Tonga v England
• New Zealand v Samoa

Both should be independent matches, not a double header. NZ v Samoa with SBW would sell out Hamilton or Mt Smart easily, whilst Tonga v England would get large crowds in Hamilton, Mt Smart or Bankwest.

You then just need to give matches to PNG, Fiji, Cook Islands. Ideally PNG should host a match, but if that for whatever reason can't be done, they should consider taking it to the new stadium in Townsville.

From a TV perspective you could have:

• New Zealand v Samoa - Auckland : 3pm Local / 1pm Sydney
• Cook Islands v Invitational - Port Moresby : 2pm Local / 3pm Sydney
• PNG v Fiji - Port Moresby : 4pm Local / 5pm Sydney
• Tonga v England - Sydney : 7pm Local / 7pm Sydney

Would keep the broadcasters happy, only 'poor timeslot' is NZ v Samoa being a bit early, but maybe you could flip the Cook Islands match and play Orchids v someone head to head when NZ v Samoa is on.

 

[Burns]

I like the above Yak, but could see it being flipped with those main fixtures, i.e. NZ v Tonga, Samoa v England.

That said I like the ideas floated above that Oceanic Cup games should be played only at the end of the season.

Maybe could do:

Samoa v Tonga (I just rewatched highlights from 2018 Pacific Test - the scenes).
NZ v PNG
England v Fiji

 

[taste2taste]

Is it financial viable to play tests in Fiji or Tonga ?
I'm guessing tickets would have to cost less than $5 for the punters to be able to afford it.
The recent crowd for Fiji V Prime ministers XIII was a bit of a concern for Fiji hosting games.

 

[Burns]

Is it financial viable to play tests in Fiji or Tonga ?
I'm guessing tickets would have to cost less than $5 for the punters to be able to afford it.
The recent crowd for Fiji V Prime ministers XIII was a bit of a concern for Fiji hosting games.

PMXIII isn’t an indication of anything. It was only Fiji locals without the attraction of Sivo etc.

That said, they’ll be unlikely to host games anyway. Maybe a double header in Suva or something.

 

[jim_57]

I like the idea of leaving the Oceania Cup until post season to pad it out a bit. Give everyone a game in the mid-season break including the likes of Lebanon, Italy (mostly aus based), Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Niue etc.

Hopefully the Northern Hemisphere can get some games together too.

 

[paulmac]

As well as an Oceania Cup & Shield there is a 6 nation Euro Cup & Shield next year.
OCEANIA CUP
NZ, Tonga, Fiji
OCEANIA SHIELD
Samoa, PNG, Cook Is
EURO CUP
Pool A - England, Italy, France
Pool B - Ireland, Wales, Scotland
EURO SHIELD
Pool A - Greece, Malta, Spain
Pool B - Serbia, Norway, Russia

So my fixtures would look like this

Mid season - Saturday (all times AEST)
3pm NZ v Fiji @Rotorua - Benjis last test & near his home town (OC)
5:30pm PNG v Cook Is @BankWest (OS)
7:30pm Tonga v Samoa @Bankwest (friendly)
11:30pm Wales v Scotland @Cardiff (EC)
Sunday
01:30am Serbia v Russia @Belgrade (ES)
2pm Greece v Malta @Kogarah (ES)
4pm Italy v England @Kogarah (EC)

Post season week one Oct 10-11
PNG v Aus PM XIII @Pt Moresby
Ireland v Wales @Dublin (EC)
France v Italy @Avignon (EC)
Russia v Norway @Moscow (ES)
Malta v Spain @Valetta (ES)


Post season week two Oct 17-18

NZ v Aus @Christchurch (friendly)
Tonga v Fiji @Suncorp (OC)
Samoa v PNG@Suncorp (OS)
France v England @Toulouse (EC)
Scotland v Ireland @Edinburgh (EC)
Norway v Serbia @Oslo (ES)
Spain v Greece @Valencia (ES)


Post season week three Oct 24-25
Euro Cup final @Headingley
Euro Shield final @Headingley
NZ v Tonga @Eden Park
Samoa v Cook Is @Eden Park
France v Aus @Perpignan

Ashes
Eng v Aus @Bolton Oct 31
Eng v Aus @LEEDS Nov 6
Eng v Aus @Tottenham Nov 13

 

[yakstorm]

Is it financial viable to play tests in Fiji or Tonga ?
I'm guessing tickets would have to cost less than $5 for the punters to be able to afford it.
The recent crowd for Fiji V Prime ministers XIII was a bit of a concern for Fiji hosting games.

The crowd in Fiji should be put down to nothing more than letting an organisation which has zero experience or resources to market an event being left in charge.

The FNRL runs on minimal resources and of them they are all focused on Administration of Rugby League competitions, officials, development, etc.

They have zero 'events' and zero people experienced in promoting an event.

Throw in the fact the match was on a Friday (if you've ever been to Fiji you know that it takes forever to get anywhere) plus featured only local Fijians (minimal drawcard) and was being televised nationally, this is why the crowd was what it was.

It is far from a reflection of the growing popularity of League in the country.

Now whether matches in the Pacific could be profitable, I'd say, based upon the amount of government money floating about, both by Pacific governments wanting to buy events and the Australian Government wanting to keep China out, then it would be possible to run a profitable event in one of the Pacific nations.

 

[Perth Red]

After the failure of Denver I cant see SL clubs being keen to let their stars travel to Southern hemisphere for a one off test match mid SL season.

England should play France if they are going to play anyone mid season, in France.

As for the rest, well as the NRL under writes these mid season games and Fox want to cover them I'd be very surprised if they arent in NZ or Sydney.

 

[siv]

Ireland and Scotland deserve a crack at England before France

The current version of France need to prove they can beat Spain, Italy and Germany

 

[Burns]

England firming to play someone next year in June.

What’s up with Fiji but? Are they going to play no one again?

 

[adamkungl]

NZ v Tonga @ Auckland
England v Fiji + Samoa v Lebanon + Italy v Malta @ Bankwest
PNG v Cook Islands @ Port Moresby

 

[Burns]

UK press reporting that England v Samoa in Australia is likely. Possibly with SBW playing for Samoa.

 

[adamkungl]

Meh.
Who does this benefit?
Sydney fans aren't interested in England v Samoa (almost certain double/triple header at Campbeltown)
and Samoa are arguably no better opposition than Scotland - the worst of England's neighbours.

Bennett is a mess.

 

[kiwileaguefan]

At Mt Smart double header:

Samoa vs England
NZ vs Tonga

 

[adamkungl]

At Mt Smart double header:

Samoa vs England
NZ vs Tonga

Not the worst idea.
Although Samoa v England might sell on its own in Auckland

 

[Burns]

Not the worst idea.
Although Samoa v England might sell on its own in Auckland

NZ v Tonga can sell out its own though, so totally agree. Is there another ground they can play at?