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RLIF: Pacific Championship split in two conferences - GB tour only NZ 2019

Abicus

By Abicus
in The General Rugby League Forum

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Abicus

Abicus

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"INTERNATIONAL rugby league is set for a shake-up with Australia, New Zealand and Tonga on the verge of taking part in a historic tri-nation series which would see the last-placed country relegated to play other Pacific nations.

The Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) will present the proposal at a conference of the Asia Pacific Rugby League Confederation in Auckland on Friday.

The Daily Telegraph has learnt the RLIF’s plan includes:

- Australia, New Zealand and Tonga to be grouped in one conference.

- Samoa, PNG and Fiji to play in another conference.

- A mid year Test between New Zealand and Tonga during the State of Origin period.

- A mid-year Test between two of Samoa, PNG and Fiji.

- Australia to play New Zealand and Tonga at the end of next year.

- Samoa, PNG and Fiji to have played each other once before the end of 2019.

- The winner will be decided on a round-robin style points system.

- The bottom placed team in the Australia, New Zealand and Tonga pool will be dropped down while the first-placed team in the Samoa, PNG and Fiji conference will be promoted the next time the tournaments are held.

Representatives from all the nations including Australia will consider the proposal which could potentially see either the Kangaroos or Kiwis relegated as Tonga continues to grow as an international powerhouse

RLIF chief executive Nigel Wood said this was the first element of a five year international calendar.

“Most people would agree international rugby league is capable of doing more,” Wood said. “Right now represents a terrific opportunity to work with all the stakeholders in the game. What today is about is the Pacific Island nations reviewing the potential “Oceania Cup” to see if that meets their needs.

“There is a lot of consultation which still needs to happen. We know we have to go back and speak to clubs.
"It’s about taking advantage of an opportunity most people should happen in rugby league and deliver an international calendar which is compelling.
“The game is ready to talk about what international rugby league could look like. This is the first part of the consultation process.”

It is understood a Great Britain side will tour New Zealand next year but are not expected to play in Australia.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thoughts:

  • Cook Islands, Lebanon forgotten
  • Would lock in at least three weeks of International Matches in Souther Hemisphere (State of Origin weekend, a fortnight at end of season)
  • A lot of faith placed into Tonga. Their depth to compete against Aus/NZ is shaky at best. If they are smashed by Australia this weekend, there will be concerns.
  • This proposal by the RLIF to the APRL is similar to the NRL's strategy to focus on the Pacific Islands to develop the game.
  • Great Britain touring only NZ is a disaster waiting to happen.
  • England (as a nation) is left with no quality opposition to play. 

 

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Abicus

Abicus

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I mean, this is the sorta stuff which should have been happening after the 2017 World Cup - It's all great to see and I'm generally supportive.

Great Britain should simply not worry about next year if they can't play Australia. Play as GB when Australia tour in 2020 if it is that important.

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17 stone giant

17 stone giant

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17 minutes ago, Abicus said:

Thoughts:

  • Cook Islands, Lebanon forgotten

I suppose they could maybe have made it two groups of four, with one up and one down - 1 Aus, NZ, Tonga, PNG and 2 Samoa, Fiji, Cook Islands, Lebanon.

Having four nations does have some advantages, such as no gap weeks, meaning it's fairer for each team. But you could argue it makes the NZ vs Tonga game less significant, because you'd imagine that Tonga would only need to beat PNG in order to avoid relegation. Then again, if one of NZ and Tonga gets relegated - which I'd imagine is very likely - there wouldn't be that game anyway the following year.

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Oliver Clothesoff

Oliver Clothesoff

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It’s a really good idea that from the Southern Hemisphere sides. You’ll get competitive games between similar ranked nations and with a winner and promotion and relegation, it’s got a number of interesting aspects to it. 

However, England are left out in the cold. The Northern Hemisphere Nations aren’t good enough or competitive enough and we’ll suffer if we ever get the privilege of facing Australia again, when our most competitive game will be a blowout against an awful France side. 

It’s a shame that this can’t/won’t include England, as it would work, I feel. 

You could have four conferences of three (based on the world rankings) with promotion and relegation between the four leagues and an overall winner to be decided from the top conference.

Conference A - Australia, England, New Zealand. 

Conference B -  Tonga, Fiji, Samoa

Conference C - Scotland, France, Lebanon. 

Conference D - PNG, Ireland, Wales. 

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welshmagpie

welshmagpie

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After some further thought...

 

Year 1

Euro Cup: 6 teams

Pacific Cup: 6 teams

Americas Cup: 4 teams

AsiaAfrica Cup: 3 teams

- Shield & Bowl competitions beneath these.

Year 2&3

4team Federation Cup 

(Euro Cup 1&2, Pacific 1&2)

4 team Federation Shield

(EC 3rd, PC 3rd, Americas 1st, Asia Africa 1st)

Remaining teams in WCQ with winners of shield and bowl competitions. 

Year 4

World Cup

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B rad

B rad

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They always come out with something a bit weird when there are obvious solutions in front of them don't they. Still I happy to see the Pacific Nations getting a decent run. Its about time.

GB is going to tour NZ and the Pacific I think I heard.

Is this an annual tournament? (other then WC years obviously). Or are these games specifically the 2nd group played over a number of years.

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Rupert Prince

Rupert Prince

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1 hour ago, 17 stone giant said:

I suppose they could maybe have made it two groups of four, with one up and one down - 1 Aus, NZ, Tonga, PNG and 2 Samoa, Fiji, Cook Islands, Lebanon.

Having four nations does have some advantages, such as no gap weeks, meaning it's fairer for each team. But you could argue it makes the NZ vs Tonga game less significant, because you'd imagine that Tonga would only need to beat PNG in order to avoid relegation. Then again, if one of NZ and Tonga gets relegated - which I'd imagine is very likely - there wouldn't be that game anyway the following year.

Lebanon linked with the Pacific Islands?

??

Yes I know that all Lebanon players come from Australia, via their grandmothers,   but really... this is ridiculous. 

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17 stone giant

17 stone giant

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1 hour ago, Rupert Prince said:

Lebanon linked with the Pacific Islands?

??

Yes I know that all Lebanon players come from Australia, via their grandmothers,   but really... this is ridiculous. 

I only put them in because the original poster mentioned about Lebanon and the Cook Islands being forgotten about. I wanted to show that I was remembering them. :)

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yipyee

yipyee

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3 hours ago, Abicus said:

Thoughts:

  • Cook Islands, Lebanon forgotten
  • A lot of faith placed into Tonga. Their depth to compete against Aus/NZ is shaky at best. If they are smashed by Australia this weekend, there will be concerns.
  • England (as a nation) is left with no quality opposition to play. 

Lebanon are not SH

Cook islands have probably not expressed an interest to play at this level

 

Someone had to be in the top group and at the moment it is Tonga... these reams will only improve playing against the best

 

England will have to develop NH opposition just as Aus have in the SH!

They could start with regular test between France and England lock it in every year 

There is then Scotland who drew with NZ and wasn't they level with England at half time? 

Lebanon of course and finally Italy who beat England not that long ago? 

Jamaica haven't really been tested and could provide meaningful opposition in a B league (or C) along with US and Canada...

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17 stone giant

17 stone giant

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1 hour ago, B rad said:

And this report sounds different again 

Tonga, New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa would each face each other in a round-robin format, meaning at least three games for each nation.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/tongas-test-schedule-set-to-increase-in-season-2019/news-story/dd184d39e30b54f29683207fb5c42338

No mention of Australia

Actually, Australia are mentioned, because it says: "It is believed a Kangaroos tour of Great Britain will also be held next year, as will an International Nines tournament including minnow nations."

I think that's referring to 2019 anyway. It says "next year" anyway.

I guess we'll have to wait until they've had the meeting on Friday, before we learn what is actually being proposed.

 

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Man of Kent

Man of Kent

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4 hours ago, B rad said:

And this report sounds different again 

Tonga, New Zealand, Fiji and Samoa would each face each other in a round-robin format, meaning at least three games for each nation.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/tongas-test-schedule-set-to-increase-in-season-2019/news-story/dd184d39e30b54f29683207fb5c42338

No mention of Australia

Blimey. That’s completely different to the RLIF/Wood plan (relegation!) set out in the Daily Telegraph.

This one sounds more like the renegade NRL proposals (and therefore possibly more likely schedule) we heard a few months ago https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/07/12/nrl-proposes-return-of-kangaroos-tours-of-great-britain/ 

Confusion reigns!

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The Dude

The Dude

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Group 1

Australia,  Fiji, and Samoa

Group 2

New zealand, Tonga, and PNG

Play each team once in your group. Then top in each group for 1st and 2nd. 2nd in each group for 3rd and 4th. Last in each group for 5th in each group for 5th and 6th. Every team plays 3 games.

Next year group 1 is 1st, 4th, and 5th

Group 2 is 2nd, 3rd, and 6th.

 

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Kris

Kris

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It would be OK if it had fixtures for the likes of Cook Islands and Niue etc as well but as usual we let them out of the box when its convenient 

As for GB, NZ are willing as are any other SH team, Australia seem to want to avoid GB/England and that’s a terrible indictment of their international policy - they wish to lead expansion in their own guise not ours

Said it before and would say it again we need to forget Aus altogether and let them come to us, beat everyone else as we will do and carry on making the point that they are shirking and not facing the real threat that is GB - and after watching them against NZ i would be wary of playing England now as well

We need to develop what we have in the NH and make the SH come to us so a meaningful international calendar in the NH would raise a lot of teams profiles around us if England were in those comps with GB playing NZ/other pacific nations, a reverse of the Knights in PNG and England at home

And a pointed statement about Aus during out needs to be made

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