NRL considering Ashes tour and dedicated Oct / Nov International window

[THE RED ROOSTER]

https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/plans-confirmed-for-game-in-usa-manly-sea-eagles-ashes-tour/ba938161-66b7-4722-b989-ac6d751d09b4

[Barley Mow]

Is it me, or is this just restating what they've said earlier in the year?

And again we hear "Creating a dedicated international window in October-November is critical". Is that not what we already have and have had for a long time?

[Spidey]

Oh. They’re interested again?  

[Damien]

I feel like all of this news has been on monthly release for the past year. All words, no action.

[rlno1]

1 minute ago, Spidey said:

Oh. They’re interested again?  

Yes as long as they are in control and make all the money.

[The 4 of Us]

At least they’re talking.

It may be restating what they have said already, but perhaps people are listening now? 

[Damien]

1 minute ago, Barley Mow said:

Is it me, or is this just restating what they've said earlier in the year?

And again we hear "Creating a dedicated international window in October-November is critical". Is that not what we already have and have had for a long time?

We have always had it but the NRL are trying to pretend it has never existed to justify scrapping mid season internationals. Oh look what we now have, well we had that anyway.

[Spidey]

Id much rather have a Four Nations with England, Tonga, PNG & New Zealand, let the Aussies wait a bit

[Young Blood]

Nah have Samoa Tonga Fiji PNG Cook Islands NZ play in Oceania Cup  2 groups of three. 

Australia tour England 

Have France Lebanon Greece Italy in an Mediterranean Cup. 

[Damien]

The IRL also had meetings over a few days before the World Cup with representatives from all over. Australian representatives were there. That is where the format of international RL over the next 5 years should be being discussed and decided, not by the NRL or ARL Commission.

Edited October 26, 2022 by Damien

[UTK]

The quote doesn't really look that hopeful for England tours, in fact it pretty much reaffirms the Oceanic Cup is the priority:

"We want to foster what we see in the southern hemisphere a great opportunity to connect with communities across Australia, New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and PNG."

"Our focus is on how we foster rugby league in this part of the world. Obviously, we want to see rugby league thrive in the northern hemisphere, England and France and surrounding countries. A tour is a possibility and all of that is going around what the next five years looks like."

 

[GeordieSaint]

1 minute ago, UTK said:

The quote doesn't really look that hopeful for England tours, in fact it pretty much reaffirms the Oceanic Cup is the priority.

The NRL will stitch it up. Any Oceania Cup will be hosted by them with the majority of the funds going to them. It’ll mean players don’t travel long distances and it will allow nations to develop more players for the NRL. I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes place twice in each 4yr cycle moving forward, which will leave scraps for England and the northern hemisphere.

[UTK]

29 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

The NRL will stitch it up. Any Oceania Cup will be hosted by them with the majority of the funds going to them. It’ll mean players don’t travel long distances and it will allow nations to develop more players for the NRL. I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes place twice in each 4yr cycle moving forward, which will leave scraps for England and the northern hemisphere.

As long as it happens I don't really have a problem with that, none of the Island Nations have the money to host this sort of thing so it is really a necessary evil to get them playing. The NRL clearly sees these Internationals as a key offering to grow in the NZ market in particular which is getting primed to be the 18th team, finally they have a motivation that can commit them to putting up more Internationals locally which is a good outcome.

"Scraps" for England is them reaping the rewards of doing nothing to support their own backyard for decades, hopefully this changes with some of the French connections suggested in initial IMG involvement but it's no ones fault but England  that a regional competition of any credence doesn't exist in Europe. Tours should occur and I'm sure they will both with teams coming to the NH and England coming down south but the priority for the Asia-Pacific region is establishing regular Internationals for SH consumers to the point that they are reliable profit-earning exercises.

[JimBronco]

I've always wondered why Rugby League isn't big in the States, considering how quick the game is and with it being so physical. 

As for an Ashes type series each year...that would be awesome. Really hope it happens. 

Edited October 26, 2022 by JimBronco

[Sports Prophet]

Notice the NRL’s objective to focus on the health of the sport in the Pacific?

The RFL must focus its growth around the NH and stop focusing its attention on what the NRL can do to help increase the exposure of the sport there.

A combined strategy with the French would be a great start. 

The ball is in your court.

[gingerjon]

1 minute ago, Sports Prophet said:

Notice the NRL’s objective to focus on the health of the sport in the Pacific?

The RFL must focus its growth around the NH and stop focusing its attention on what the NRL can do to help increase the exposure of the sport there.

A combined strategy with the French would be a great start. 

The ball is in your court.

Just as well there's already a confirmed European Championship for next year then.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

1 hour ago, Spidey said:

Id much rather have a Four Nations with England, Tonga, PNG & New Zealand, let the Aussies wait a bit

That would be a great 4 nations now....maybe even try a 5 nations with France 

Wishful thinking maybe but we can dream

[Jughead]

I was really looking forward to the Ashes returning in 2020 and I’d like to see it return. That period in the early 2000’s was great. 

[Damien]

1 hour ago, GeordieSaint said:

The NRL will stitch it up. Any Oceania Cup will be hosted by them with the majority of the funds going to them. It’ll mean players don’t travel long distances and it will allow nations to develop more players for the NRL. I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes place twice in each 4yr cycle moving forward, which will leave scraps for England and the northern hemisphere.

The NRL want the PI nations to beholden to them, just as they have done their upmost for the NZRL to be. The last thing the NRL would want is for Tonga or Samoa to tour the UK and earn some real money that would then give them funds to plough their own path.

[crashmon]

We need to grow the NH.  France is the initial way forward.  We need to be playing France every year, and not made up teams.

I would love to see tours in Oct / November but the first thing we need to do is stop the combined nations mid season farce, and get games vs France going mid season

[The Rocket]

49 minutes ago, UTK said:

As long as it happens I don't really have a problem with that, none of the Island Nations have the money to host this sort of thing so it is really a necessary evil to get them playing. The NRL clearly sees these Internationals as a key offering to grow in the NZ market in particular which is getting primed to be the 18th team, finally they have a motivation that can commit them to putting up more Internationals locally which is a good outcome.

"Scraps" for England is them reaping the rewards of doing nothing to support their own backyard for decades, hopefully this changes with some of the French connections suggested in initial IMG involvement but it's no ones fault but England  that a regional competition of any credence doesn't exist in Europe. Tours should occur and I'm sure they will both with teams coming to the NH and England coming down south but the priority for the Asia-Pacific region is establishing regular Internationals for SH consumers to the point that they are reliable profit-earning exercises.

I still think there`ll be a good chance that England will be invited down to attend. Especially if they show that they are competitive with Oz and N.Z. at the current W.C.

[redjonn]

1 minute ago, ShropshireBull said:

My thoughts when I saw IMGs plan was begging Australia is not a plan. Oceanic Cup is perfect for all SH nations. Players don’t have to travel, there is promotion and relegation , annual games so every player knows that if he sticks his hand up he is getting three guaranteed games. Annual Kiwi vs Australia. 

Yep agree and bearing in mind if such Oceanic competition takes place gives England or France an opportunity to tour and play those teams as part of warm-up game's. Given a number of England players in NRL.

Also an opportunity to invite one or two of those teams to tour here if they could make it financially attractive enough. As someone says we could play France each year all-be-it without the NRL players. 

Their is potential to have more regular competitive games for England however route it takes.

 

 

[The Rocket]

3 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

Harsh but fair. NRL Aus don’t need us any more so what are RFL going to do about it?

I`m not 100 % convinced with that. The mid-year Tests and W.C. results so far show there is still a sizeable gap between the Tier One and Tier Two nations, although admittedly the jury is still out on Tonga. The quickest way for an end-of season SH tournament to come to an abrupt end would be for predictable results.

If England can show themselves to be competitive and be able to beat Oz and N.Z. then they could be a handy addition.

I still think a three-Test series against N.Z. is the most likely though, with the other P.I. countries playing each other in either their home nation or maybe N.Z.

 

 

[Wellsy4HullFC]

33 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

My thoughts when I saw IMGs plan was begging Australia is not a plan. Oceanic Cup is perfect for all SH nations. Players don’t have to travel, there is promotion and relegation , annual games so every player knows that if he sticks his hand up he is getting three guaranteed games. Annual Kiwi vs Australia. 

Reckon they'll let us play? If we ask nicely...

[Big Picture]

2 hours ago, JimBronco said:

I've always wondered why Rugby League isn't big in the States, considering how quick the game is and with it being so physical. 

As for an Ashes type series each year...that would be awesome. Really hope it happens. 

One of the problems with RL now is that it's probably too quick for most North Americans and it's much too easy for teams to advance the ball with far too many easy metres.  You can't sell that to an audience raised with gridiron where there's so such thing as an easy yard.