GB Lions RU to tour Fiji and Tonga

[langpark]

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/rugby-australia-planning-to-include-fiji-tonga-in-2025-lions-tour/

This is what we should be doing! Ideally the kangaroos should do it, as they are a bigger drawcard in the region. 

[DoubleD]

18 minutes ago, langpark said:

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/rugby-australia-planning-to-include-fiji-tonga-in-2025-lions-tour/

This is what we should be doing! Ideally the kangaroos should do it, as they are a bigger drawcard in the region. 

This should probably be on cross code but Oz Union are desperate. They know their regional sides are awful and people would not be interested in watching the Lions steam roll them, so they're trying to introduce more attractive games. I can see the draw with Fiji but Tonga are awful at union, so can't see many watching that. Regardless, there's huge pressure to reduce the number of Lions games - the union calendar is already packed, I would expect the number of games they play to reduce rather than go back up to what they were.

In terms of RL though, isn't this what GB Lions did in 2019? That was ill fated. The kangaroos play the Pacific Test series which I prefer to this

[langpark]

Yes but for all the noise about the "rise of Tonga" etc. They have not actually played a game on Tongan soil for the last 25 or so years. Games in Campbelltown are not the same thing. 

[gingerjon]

2 hours ago, DoubleD said:

This should probably be on cross code but Oz Union are desperate. They know their regional sides are awful and people would not be interested in watching the Lions steam roll them, so they're trying to introduce more attractive games. I can see the draw with Fiji but Tonga are awful at union, so can't see many watching that. Regardless, there's huge pressure to reduce the number of Lions games - the union calendar is already packed, I would expect the number of games they play to reduce rather than go back up to what they were.

In terms of RL though, isn't this what GB Lions did in 2019? That was ill fated. The kangaroos play the Pacific Test series which I prefer to this

Could be an ARU attempt to snaffle some of the Australian Pacific development money which currently gets channelled via the NRL?

[DoubleD]

32 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Could be an ARU attempt to snaffle some of the Australian Pacific development money which currently gets channelled via the NRL?

Yeah I’d imagine money is the root cause of it. As well, they’ll know that the provincial Australian sides just aren’t a big draw anymore and they’ll struggle to sell tickets for those games vs the Lions

[17 stone giant]

12 hours ago, langpark said:

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/rugby-australia-planning-to-include-fiji-tonga-in-2025-lions-tour/

I think that's a smart move. I'd certainly be more interested in watching those games than I am Lions vs club teams.

[The Future is League]

On 11/08/2021 at 00:52, gingerjon said:

Could be an ARU attempt to snaffle some of the Australian Pacific development money which currently gets channelled via the NRL?

They could indeed and the insular NRL would only have themselves to blame

[The Future is League]

On 10/08/2021 at 22:10, langpark said:

Yes but for all the noise about the "rise of Tonga" etc. They have not actually played a game on Tongan soil for the last 25 or so years. Games in Campbelltown are not the same thing. 

You won't spread the Rugby League word in Tonga by playing games involving Tonga in Campbelltown.