26 replies to this topic

[Mortis]

A few years back, I went to Cougar park to watch New Zealand "A" playing a NL2 rep side. It was a crappy night but the rugby on display wasn't too bad considering. This makes me think why we don't invite pacific islands teams or even other European teams to tour here and play a NL1 and NL2 rep side more often. They could even play one or all of the Celtic nations and even a Cumbria select team. I know tours can be very expensive but surely there are businesses out there who would either wholly sponsor a team or be a minor sponsor. Maybe just sponsor one player and have the company name on the programme and announced over the tannoy at matches. What are your views on this and please, I know I'm asking a lot on here but please, do try to keep your comments positive?

[marklaspalmas]

Fev played PNG on a tour back in 1987. It was great fun.

Money's the stumbling block, innit? Tours are expensive so you need the crowds to pay for them.

[sandgrownun]

Completely agree ,I have been thinking about this for along time as our game seems to neglect the "Lesser" nations.Tours from Russia ,Italy,Lenbanon,Tonga,Canada,USA, Samoa or Pacific Isles select etc should be on the agenda every year.
Surely several select teams from the Championship divisions-cumbria-lancs-yorks-other nations plus a couple v super league clubs and then a game v Wales/Ireland/Scotland/and England.The tour would not have to play all the home nations but I am sure a tour of between 8-10 games each for at least 3 nations per year is workable.
This could be done around Grand final time as most clubs seasons will have been finished for 2-3 weeks ,giving time to train together,and spread over a month after the normal league season has finished.
This is just a rough idea but I'm sure something along these lines should be put in place.Hopefully,on terestrial TV [bbc,itv 3or 4]or shared with cable or sky

[AndyCapp]

Money.
Half of the series played by the so called big three barely make a profit.

[Futtocks]

Money.
Half of the series played by the so called big three barely make a profit.

Yep, subsidy and/or sponsorship is the only way we could get PNG, Tonga etc. over here, unfortunately.

[Odsal Outlaw]

I think it would be good to have some of the pacific islands over, the more international RL is played the more credibility it will get.

Was it the Federation Shield that was contested a few years ago, I think between England, Samoa and Tonga?? That was over here and was pretty good.

[AndyCapp]

Yep, subsidy and/or sponsorship is the only way we could get PNG, Tonga etc. over here, unfortunately.

But you will be lucky to get Sponsorship without media exposure.
Who wants to throw money at something with no return?
Maybe the big Australian Mining companies that are invested heavily into PNG as a PR exercise?

[ricardo07]

A few years back, I went to Cougar park to watch New Zealand "A" playing a NL2 rep side. It was a crappy night but the rugby on display wasn't too bad considering. This makes me think why we don't invite pacific islands teams or even other European teams to tour here and play a NL1 and NL2 rep side more often. They could even play one or all of the Celtic nations and even a Cumbria select team. I know tours can be very expensive but surely there are businesses out there who would either wholly sponsor a team or be a minor sponsor. Maybe just sponsor one player and have the company name on the programme and announced over the tannoy at matches. What are your views on this and please, I know I'm asking a lot on here but please, do try to keep your comments positive?

Totally agree that these tours are an excellent idea. I have long held the belief that pacific tours should be a priority. There is something particularly exciting about the way the islanders play. PNG are probably strong enough to tour on their own but why not invite a combined team which may have the best of Samoa, Tonga, Fiji, Cook Isles etc. Great publicity especially if BBC involved. It is not necessary tp play the top teams if they are not deemed strong enough. Could easily play championship clubs, regional e.g. Cumbria or even select teams Championship 1 or 2 as an example.

The RFL should seriously looking at supporting these tours even if they are forecast initially to make a loss.
If planned correctly they should be seen as an investment in developing a wider international game.

[T Dub]

Was it the Federation Shield that was contested a few years ago, I think between England, Samoa and Tonga?? That was over here and was pretty good.

Yes, although those games doubled up as World Cup qualifiers

[T Dub]

A few years back, I went to Cougar park to watch New Zealand "A" playing a NL2 rep side.

Hey Mick.
I was at that game too.
Although NL2 supporters didnt turn out in too great a number to support their divisions rep side - about a thousand and a few hundred, I recall.
As I recall Peter Roe coached NL2 to a great win on a dank night - wasn't the NZ'A' coach Ged Stokes?

[T Dub]

try to keep your comments positive?

I would pay anything to see PNG play a full strength GB/England

[Methven Hornet]

I seem to remember a Maori side touring Britain sometime in the eighties, playing district sides made up of BARLA players. IIRC districts had to bid for games: they had to bear some of the costs but kept any surplus (if there was one). Could that be a basis for funding part of the tour - getting clubs/leagues/districts/counties, depending on the standard of the touring, to bid to put on games - in conjunction with whatever sponsorship/tv/international development monies are available?

Or should we use any money available to ensure that regular games and tournaments go ahead nearer to home - is it worth flying Pacific Island nations half-way across the world to play a few games here when they don't have an annual PI competition?

Perhaps we could start with short tours from European nations, a bit like Italy with Wales this week. It was planned that Italy would play Wales & the Welsh U-23; could this sort of thing be replicated, and even extended to a 3-game, week-long tour? Italy play the U-23s one weekend, the full team the next and maybe give the squad members a run out against the Welsh League side?

[thirteenthman]

Was it the Federation Shield that was contested a few years ago, I think between England, Samoa and Tonga?? That was over here and was pretty good.

I remember going to the final at Widnes between England and Tonga. England were coached by Paul Cullen and Tonga by Jim Dymock (I think). One of the more memorable matches I've been to, if only for the fighting that broke out at the back end of the game. I think Tonga had a few sin-binned or sent off, including one bloke who wasn't even supposed to be on the field at the time.

The more tours that can be organised the better, but the biggest problem is the finances. I suppose it's a question of balancing resources between each countries domestic game and tours, which may help raise the profile of the game. Making sure there is a well set up domestic structure should always be the main priority.

[marklaspalmas]

Queensland once made a tour. That was popular.

[shrek]

The RFL should seriously looking at supporting these tours even if they are forecast initially to make a loss.
If planned correctly they should be seen as an investment in developing a wider international game.

I'd agree, we should be looking to put some money aside from TV deals, or agreeing as part of TV deals that money is included for these tours to take place and get some publicity. I know the RFL ran at a profit last year, but it was a small one, we should be looking to increase this to free up funds to help kick start things like this.

In the grand scheme of things how much really is it going to cost? Fetch 24 lads over plus coaches, maybe costing 2k a head not allowing for any selected that might already be here, there not massive numbers.

[TheConverted]

I often wonder why there are not many league internationals

Couldnt a tournament similar to the RU six nations be arranged, it might be a start and being international people would want to watch it?

[thirteenthman]

I often wonder why there are not many league internationals

Couldnt a tournament similar to the RU six nations be arranged, it might be a start and being international people would want to watch it?

The biggest problem with organising more internationals is the lack of space in the season. In RL the club game is king, and SL and the NRL rule the roost. Look at SL - it starts in February and finishes in October - throw in a month's worth of internationals on the end and the top players are only getting an off-season of a couple of months. I'm a firm believer that the international game is the way to increase awareness and media coverage of the game.

[Methven Hornet]

I often wonder why there are not many league internationals

Couldnt a tournament similar to the RU six nations be arranged, it might be a start and being international people would want to watch it?

I suppose we have - the 4 nations between the four strongest nations in the world. Given the finances, and space in the calendar, you could easily imagine it becoming the five nations with both a European and Pacific qualifier.

[Methven Hornet]

Queensland once made a tour. That was popular.

And should have been repeated!

[Keith T]

A couple of years ago James Pickering and Jim Dimmock brought a Fijian touring team over and played a few games. They were based around Rochdale and played one game at Workington. The weather wasn't brilliant though but I think they got about 2,000 up at Town.