What's next internationally?

[The Lad]

With teams not knowing who they are facing next year it is hard to look past the terrible planning of the international fixtures. what kind of competition is there going to be?, when will the top teams play each other next?. There needs to be leagues in place that will guarantee fixtures. This is just my idea;

A European league with  France, Greece, Italy,  Scotland, Ireland and Wales  

A Pacific league with Samoa,  Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Cook Islands 

The winner of each league plays with England, Australia and New Zealand the following year

GB Lions tour Australia or New Zealand every four years with a Tonga or Samoa game to bookend the tour

This gives the top European and Pacific teams a yearly game against each other and a chance to play the top teams every two years. With a good test match game every four years.

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

1 minute ago, The Lad said:

European league with  France, Greece, Italy,  Scotland, Ireland and Wales  

A Pacific league with Samoa,  Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Cook Islands 

The winner of each league plays with England, Australia and New Zealand the following year

Unfortunately, I don't think that England are a shoe-in for that sort of comp anymore. I can foresee a comp with Aus, NZ, Samoa and Tonga, with England not being invited to the party.

England need to focus on developing northern hemisphere competitions and not being reliant on the southern hemisphere teams for meaningful competition, because I don't think they need us anymore.

 

[Tex Evans Thigh]

What next? Hmmm let me see. I reckon a few weeks of players and coaches asking for more internationals, NRL and SL paying lip service to it and saying they support international RL but then being blockers rather than supporters. The toothless IRL eventually get their significantly modified 10 year plan approved by the Australian domestic league and we’re off to the races with a game between Cook Islands and NZ as curtain raiser to origin 3 and then a pacific cup at the end of the season that somehow doesn’t have Tonga v Samoa and PNG excluded entirely. All games played Tuesday morning at Leichardt Oval.

Meanwhile England play France at Warrington in front of 2000 people and win 70-0. Everyone complains that it’s a waste of time and it gets scrapped in 2024 in favor of a game between England and England Knights. Ireland, Wales and Scotland play a tournament with League 1 squads in a park in Cumbria because it’s near Scotland. 

GB come back for a 2024 tour with Schofield and Hanley as coaches but Australia refuse to play and we lose to NSW country select. 

Excitement builds for 2025, which is farcically organized in front of tiny crowds and Australia, despite looking like the worst Australia squad in living memory beat NZ 36-12. Calls for more internationals follow and repeat ad infinitum.

[Big Picture]

4 hours ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

Unfortunately, I don't think that England are a shoe-in for that sort of comp anymore. I can foresee a comp with Aus, NZ, Samoa and Tonga, with England not being invited to the party.

England need to focus on developing northern hemisphere competitions and not being reliant on the southern hemisphere teams for meaningful competition, because I don't think they need us anymore.

I think you can add PNG and Fiji to that southern hemisphere comp too.

You're right, the southern hemisphere countries don't need England any more.

[Dirkgee]

4 hours ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

What next? Hmmm let me see. I reckon a few weeks of players and coaches asking for more internationals, NRL and SL paying lip service to it and saying they support international RL but then being blockers rather than supporters. The toothless IRL eventually get their significantly modified 10 year plan approved by the Australian domestic league and we’re off to the races with a game between Cook Islands and NZ as curtain raiser to origin 3 and then a pacific cup at the end of the season that somehow doesn’t have Tonga v Samoa and PNG excluded entirely. All games played Tuesday morning at Leichardt Oval.

Meanwhile England play France at Warrington in front of 2000 people and win 70-0. Everyone complains that it’s a waste of time and it gets scrapped in 2024 in favor of a game between England and England Knights. Ireland, Wales and Scotland play a tournament with League 1 squads in a park in Cumbria because it’s near Scotland. 

GB come back for a 2024 tour with Schofield and Hanley as coaches but Australia refuse to play and we lose to NSW country select. 

Excitement builds for 2025, which is farcically organized in front of tiny crowds and Australia, despite looking like the worst Australia squad in living memory beat NZ 36-12. Calls for more internationals follow and repeat ad infinitum.

Are you a time traveler? That seems extremely plausible 

[iangidds]

6 hours ago, RugbyLeagueGeek said:

Unfortunately, I don't think that England are a shoe-in for that sort of comp anymore. I can foresee a comp with Aus, NZ, Samoa and Tonga, with England not being invited to the party.

England need to focus on developing northern hemisphere competitions and not being reliant on the southern hemisphere teams for meaningful competition, because I don't think they need us anymore.

We need them more than ever , they are heading off down a hopefully prosperous route, developing Northern hemisphere comps would be pointless and further damage our game . Wales , Ireland and Scotland im afraid need scrapping   ; there is no desire , teams of note , intrest from the public etc etc.

We have to drag ourselves up and get France moving forward and that means by looking at the big picture with the big boys.

C

[Anita Bath]

What a last two weeks of a tournament……competitive teams playing top class rugby in front of excited fans….brilliant.

My hope is that we can see the same players playing for the same teams in three years time, If we want to build on this we need to be able to market the star players and the teams they will be playing for.  Non of this waiting until Australia decide who to pick.

My fear is some of the stars in this tournament will be playing for different teams next time round…that is nonsense.  Can you imagine a football world cup where you dont know which team Kane, Ronaldo or Benzema will be playing for.

[The Partisan]

England will adopt the Kangaroos strategy that ultimately led to them winning the final.

 

 

That being no international games played for three years

 

For me ....

Qualifying Rounds 

Two or three four nations type competitions in different locations pre 2025 for the qualifiers would be nice

For those qualified already due to being in Quarter finals of 2021

Australia, England, Samoa, Tonga in Australia

PNG, Fiji, New Zealand in PNG and NZ. 

Hosts France to play England and/or Wales in a 3 test series.  

 

 

 

 

 

[NW10LDN]

The ERL has a plan for a comp set out. It's okay. Aus/NZ will focus on developing their own backyard and maybe have the occasional tour to the NH. Tours are fine but even union wants to move away from that model in favour of a nations league format. I'd like to see any international window see the release of NRL players so the likes of Lebanon could come north. Let Jamaica play in England as well because it doesn't look like the US/Canada will be providing any decent competition for them anytime soon. I'd like to see it set up similar to union but with promotion and relegation.

A: England, France, Lebanon, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales and Jamaica.

B: Jamaica, Greece, Serbia, Spain, Norway, Netherlands.

Next level can be a split regional comp divided into north and south. So Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, ect in the north. And Turkey, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Albania in the south.

[JM2010]

36 minutes ago, NW10LDN said:

The ERL has a plan for a comp set out. It's okay. Aus/NZ will focus on developing their own backyard and maybe have the occasional tour to the NH. Tours are fine but even union wants to move away from that model in favour of a nations league format. I'd like to see any international window see the release of NRL players so the likes of Lebanon could come north. Let Jamaica play in England as well because it doesn't look like the US/Canada will be providing any decent competition for them anytime soon. I'd like to see it set up similar to union but with promotion and relegation.

A: England, France, Lebanon, Ireland, Italy, Scotland, Wales and Jamaica.

B: Jamaica, Greece, Serbia, Spain, Norway, Netherlands.

Next level can be a split regional comp divided into north and south. So Germany, Czech Republic, Poland, ect in the north. And Turkey, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Albania in the south.

You've put Jamaica in both groups. At least they'll get plenty of games.

I like the idea and would replace the second Jamaica with Nigeria.

Play them at the end of the season with at least 2 mid season tests thrown in too and that's as good as we're going to get without the SH teams 

 

[Dovster]

If RL is seriously wanting to go forward from this world cup they should adopt an International League over the next two years. All play home and away. Division 1 - Australia, Samoa. New Zealand, Engalnd, Fiji & Tonga. Division 2 PNG, Cooks, France, Wales, Italy & Lebenon. This would guarentee each country 5 home and 5 away games. Other games could be added to increase the number of games.

 

[Jughead]

Probably March/April we will hear the end of season plans that’ll be safe and conservative at places like Bolton, Elland Road and Hul. 

[crashmon]

10 hours ago, The Lad said:

With teams not knowing who they are facing next year it is hard to look past the terrible planning of the international fixtures. what kind of competition is there going to be?, when will the top teams play each other next?. There needs to be leagues in place that will guarantee fixtures. This is just my idea;

A European league with  France, Greece, Italy,  Scotland, Ireland and Wales  

A Pacific league with Samoa,  Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Cook Islands 

The winner of each league plays with England, Australia and New Zealand the following year

GB Lions tour Australia or New Zealand every four years with a Tonga or Samoa game to bookend the tour

This gives the top European and Pacific teams a yearly game against each other and a chance to play the top teams every two years. With a good test match game every four years.

I'll be amazed if any SH team comes up to tour england next year. I'll also be amazed in the Aussie play more than 1 game next year but we will see.

Eng will need to travel to SH if they want SH tests, and that would mean probably only PNG to be honest.
 

The biggest misss of all is we have a large number of non RL fans in the London semi, who had a great time, but who now will not see another England game live until 2024 if we are lucky with NZ / Tonga or Samoa come on tour. They won't travel to warrington. A proper england game needs to be in London

We wont see the aussies over here until the next England world cup so thats in at least 9-10 years

[GeordieSaint]

The key to a proper international scene is Origin IMO - and playing it 3wks on the bounce. That would open a window in the SH for an international window, which should be mirrored up here in the NH. The Oct-Nov period is then a global window. 

I appreciate it's not viable due to the attitude of the NRL clubs. But I suspect the players would want it, the organisational bodies would want it, and we fans certainly want it.

[doc]

10 hours ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

What next? Hmmm let me see. I reckon a few weeks of players and coaches asking for more internationals, NRL and SL paying lip service to it and saying they support international RL but then being blockers rather than supporters. The toothless IRL eventually get their significantly modified 10 year plan approved by the Australian domestic league and we’re off to the races with a game between Cook Islands and NZ as curtain raiser to origin 3 and then a pacific cup at the end of the season that somehow doesn’t have Tonga v Samoa and PNG excluded entirely. All games played Tuesday morning at Leichardt Oval.

Meanwhile England play France at Warrington in front of 2000 people and win 70-0. Everyone complains that it’s a waste of time and it gets scrapped in 2024 in favor of a game between England and England Knights. Ireland, Wales and Scotland play a tournament with League 1 squads in a park in Cumbria because it’s near Scotland. 

GB come back for a 2024 tour with Schofield and Hanley as coaches but Australia refuse to play and we lose to NSW country select. 

Excitement builds for 2025, which is farcically organized in front of tiny crowds and Australia, despite looking like the worst Australia squad in living memory beat NZ 36-12. Calls for more internationals follow and repeat ad infinitum.

Sorry, is this the RLWC sarcasm thread?

[meast]

14 hours ago, Tex Evans Thigh said:

What next? Hmmm let me see. I reckon a few weeks of players and coaches asking for more internationals, NRL and SL paying lip service to it and saying they support international RL but then being blockers rather than supporters. The toothless IRL eventually get their significantly modified 10 year plan approved by the Australian domestic league and we’re off to the races with a game between Cook Islands and NZ as curtain raiser to origin 3 and then a pacific cup at the end of the season that somehow doesn’t have Tonga v Samoa and PNG excluded entirely. All games played Tuesday morning at Leichardt Oval.

Meanwhile England play France at Warrington in front of 2000 people and win 70-0. Everyone complains that it’s a waste of time and it gets scrapped in 2024 in favor of a game between England and England Knights. Ireland, Wales and Scotland play a tournament with League 1 squads in a park in Cumbria because it’s near Scotland. 

GB come back for a 2024 tour with Schofield and Hanley as coaches but Australia refuse to play and we lose to NSW country select. 

Excitement builds for 2025, which is farcically organized in front of tiny crowds and Australia, despite looking like the worst Australia squad in living memory beat NZ 36-12. Calls for more internationals follow and repeat ad infinitum.

Sad, but so so unfortunately so close to the truth.

[westlondonfan]

7 hours ago, crashmon said:

I'll be amazed if any SH team comes up to tour england next year. I'll also be amazed in the Aussie play more than 1 game next year but we will see.

Eng will need to travel to SH if they want SH tests, and that would mean probably only PNG to be honest.
 

The biggest misss of all is we have a large number of non RL fans in the London semi, who had a great time, but who now will not see another England game live until 2024 if we are lucky with NZ / Tonga or Samoa come on tour. They won't travel to warrington. A proper england game needs to be in London

We wont see the aussies over here until the next England world cup so thats in at least 9-10 years

In Toronto we had a large number of fans who may also never see a top level RL match again. This just seems to be the nature of RL. The rise of Tonga and Samoa has been great for the World Cup. In my view to really take the international game forward on a long term basis I think Toulouse in the Super League with perhaps a scheme to get some young French players experience in Australia or New Zealand as well and a PNG team in the NRL is the way forward. Wales was a possibility once but that ship has probably sailed.

[Anita Bath]

when did Tonga and Somoa last play a game ‘at home’?

[kdizl]

Dream Calendar at the moment for 2023 is:

2 test france/england series including mens, womens and wheelchair. April, Bastille day

Lebanon v france post season series (H/A)

Home Nations series including England (WC qualifiers)

Wheelchair Euros (Home Nations group A, Mediteranean Group B)

England V Lebanon in London

6 Nation Pacific Championship (1 home game for Samoa, Fiji, Tonga)

WC Qualifiers

[Farmduck]

42 minutes ago, Anita Bath said:

when did Tonga and Somoa last play a game ‘at home’?

Samoa played Fiji in Apia in 2016

Tonga played Fiji in Nuku'alofa in 2007

I think the crowd in Apia was 4,000

[MatthewWoody]

5 minutes ago, Farmduck said:

Samoa played Fiji in Apia in 2016

Tonga played Fiji in Nuku'alofa in 2007

I think the crowd in Apia was 4,000

I think they'd have a very better crowd now. Especially after the World Cup.

[Exiled Wiganer]

England could have a great home series against any of the other top 5 teams. It was suggested to Samoa’s coach after the final that they might come back again, That might have had no basis in fact, but I would be happy to watch them again over here. It’s potentially horrific for NH league. It’s no so much that the NRL doesn’t need us, it’s that we need them, but no one seems interested. 

[Big Picture]

50 minutes ago, MatthewWoody said:

I think they'd have a very better crowd now. Especially after the World Cup.

I'm not sure about that.  Apia's a small town with only a bit over 37,000 population.  Even 4,000 is more than 10% of that.

[Casually]

Leave the NRL as is, Aussies won't let that be touched.

Have an international window at the end of the club season, featuring:

Pacific Cup, 6-team comp with Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, PNG, NZ, Cook Islands

European Cup, 6-team comp with England Knights, France, Wales, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon

2nd tier with Greece, Serbia, Scotland, Jamaica, Spain, Netherlands

Promotion/relegation between the European tiers 

Have these run years 1 and 3 after WC. Have a GB Lions tour 2 years from the WC, a 3 game series alternating between Aus and NZ, with midweek games versus Pacific teams 

[RugbyLeagueGeek]

31 minutes ago, Casually said:

Leave the NRL as is, Aussies won't let that be touched.

Have an international window at the end of the club season, featuring:

Pacific Cup, 6-team comp with Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, PNG, NZ, Cook Islands

European Cup, 6-team comp with England Knights, France, Wales, Ireland, Italy, Lebanon

2nd tier with Greece, Serbia, Scotland, Jamaica, Spain, Netherlands

Promotion/relegation between the European tiers 

Have these run years 1 and 3 after WC. Have a GB Lions tour 2 years from the WC, a 3 game series alternating between Aus and NZ, with midweek games versus Pacific teams 

England Knights being in the European comp makes it instantly commercially unviable - no UK broadcaster will show it if it isn't the full England team. And it devalues the competition for those other countries, so they'll be less likely to get a strong team out. This type of European competition has been run for years (albeit more 4 nations, rather than 6), and without England these competitions never get any mainstream profile at all.