2023 Pacific Championships

[Workington Man]

This tournament looks great!

Is the Final a cross pool affair? Or could the finalists be from the same pool?

[Eddie]

9 minutes ago, Workington Man said:

This tournament looks great!

Is the Final a cross pool affair? Or could the finalists be from the same pool?

I think it’s two comps with three teams in each, an A comp and a B comp. 

[Workington Man]

2 minutes ago, Eddie said:

I think it’s two comps with three teams in each, an A comp and a B comp. 

Thanks. That's what I thought. So, the B Comp is like a lower tier championship? The 2 finalists will come from the A group? 

[Mathius Hellwege]

Two finals

[Eddie]

26 minutes ago, Workington Man said:

Thanks. That's what I thought. So, the B Comp is like a lower tier championship? The 2 finalists will come from the A group? 

Two different comps I think, so two finals. 

[Odsal Outlaw]

Looking at the fixtures it’s Aus, NZ, Samoa in the Pacific Cup and PNG, Fiji, Cook Islands in the Pacific Bowl

[Odsal Outlaw]

13 hours ago, The 4 of Us said:

Another angle https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/pacific-championships-another-big-step-as-png-closes-in-on-18th-nrl-licence-20230816-p5dx1h.html

Interesting this article also states that in 2024 Australia and Fiji will cohost the tournament

[Pulga]

46 minutes ago, Odsal Outlaw said:

Interesting this article also states that in 2024 Australia and Fiji will cohost the tournament

Yep, the PM said the same thing.

 

 

 

 

[Adelaide Tiger]

5 hours ago, Odsal Outlaw said:

Looking at the fixtures it’s Aus, NZ, Samoa in the Pacific Cup and PNG, Fiji, Cook Islands in the Pacific Bowl

…… and England v France with a begging bowl!

[Mathius Hellwege]

7 hours ago, Pulga said:

Yep, the PM said the same thing.

 

 

 

 

So again two tournsments

omly remaining question is if Samoa will tour in 2024. probably not after seeing Tonga play before at least one empty M62-stadium

[George Watt]

21 hours ago, Dirkgee said:

The Women's World Cup right now is insanely popular. More TV ratings than every NRL, AFL grand final, State of Origin, 2003 Union Final.

The only things that beat it still is Hewitts Aus Open match with 5.7 million, and Cathy Freeman in Sydney 2000 Olympics with 8.8 million.

But given it's a Aus v Eng semi final tonight, that could take down Hewitt's record. 

Incredible viewing figures as over 11 million watched the match!

[sam4731]

Will we get P&R between the two groups I wonder? Might be tricky with the return of Tonga and the potential tour of Samoa. Would be nice for either Fiji or PNG to have a tilt at the top 2 though.

[Mojo]

Going to be interesting if a few of the Heritage players in the kangaroos will commit to Samoa. Tino during the last world cup refused to commit for life to the kangaroos because he wanted to do what Josh Papali'i did and go back to Samoa. Payne Haas also supported Samoa during the world cup.

1 Joseph Suaali'i

2 Hamiso-Tabuai Fidow

3 Izack Tago

4 Stephen Critchon

5 Brian To'o

6 Josh Schuster

7 Jarome Luai

8 Junior Paulo

9 Jazz Tevaga

10 Payne Haas

11 Luciano Leilua

12 Jeremiah Nanai

13 Tino Fa'asuamaleaui

 

14 Erin Clark

15 Josh Papali'i

16 Spencer Leniu

17 Connely Lemuelu

[GeordieSaint]

6 hours ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

…… and England v France with a begging bowl!

Whilst that’s fairly funny, the reality for the sport up here is very different. We don’t have the same geopolitical risks you lot have down there nor the national appeal for governments to invest. The joys of being a niche, not national sport. 

We absolutely need some foresight and strategic thinking though. As I suspect England will be left on its own when the Championships grow. 

[Tommygilf]

14 hours ago, Sports Prophet said:

There we have it. A schedule of 13 post season international RL games taking place in the SH in 2023.

What were people saying about the NRL not caring about international RL?

Its never been not caring, its been not caring or being actively obstructive when they don't have control.

What a surprise they can use their massive clout to organise a tournament between 6 of the 10 best mens RL teams in the world when they are running the show and can limit it to 4 weeks and possibly only 2 games post season. 

Baby steps I suppose.

[Adelaide Tiger]

50 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

Whilst that’s fairly funny, the reality for the sport up here is very different. We don’t have the same geopolitical risks you lot have down there nor the national appeal for governments to invest. The joys of being a niche, not national sport. 

We absolutely need some foresight and strategic thinking though. As I suspect England will be left on its own when the Championships grow. 

Ayup GeordieSaint, I spent the first 42 years of my life in Cas so I fully understand how RL is perceived and portrayed in the UK.  However, in Oz the Politicians are very wary about the increasing sphere of influence of the Chinese in the region and supporting RL in PNG is a shrewd move.

Many on here, including myself, have made suggestions about how to create and grow an annual NH tournament but it will need time to establish itself, and time is something that RL never appreciates.

[Jim from Oz]

12 hours ago, Odsal Outlaw said:

Interesting this article also states that in 2024 Australia and Fiji will cohost the tournament

I am guessing this means Australia will host the Pacific cup and Fiji will host the Pacific shield… The Pacific cup will be Australia, New Zealand and Tonga, the Pacific shield will be Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Cook Islands… With Samoa to tour the UK… All of the above is pure speculation of course!

[GeordieSaint]

11 minutes ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

Ayup GeordieSaint, I spent the first 42 years of my life in Cas so I fully understand how RL is perceived and portrayed in the UK.  However, in Oz the Politicians are very wary about the increasing sphere of influence of the Chinese in the region and supporting RL in PNG is a shrewd move.

Many on here, including myself, have made suggestions about how to create and grow an annual NH tournament but it will need time to establish itself, and time is something that RL never appreciates.

Aye - I did know that; brain fart lol! 

Rightly the Oz govt are all over the geopolitical threat posed by China. See AUKUS and the FVEY engagement increases… so full supportive of the more soft power approaches which RL could be a key element . 

You’ve hit the nail on the head with your final statement. We lack any form of strategic patience in the NH. I appreciate we have very little funding but it’s incompetence on a massive scale up here. 

[Big Picture]

2 hours ago, Adelaide Tiger said:

Ayup GeordieSaint, I spent the first 42 years of my life in Cas so I fully understand how RL is perceived and portrayed in the UK.  However, in Oz the Politicians are very wary about the increasing sphere of influence of the Chinese in the region and supporting RL in PNG is a shrewd move.

Many on here, including myself, have made suggestions about how to create and grow an annual NH tournament but it will need time to establish itself, and time is something that RL never appreciates.

That's because with a base comprised of smallish, unfashionable, evonomically disadvantaged towns, English RL doesn't have what it would take to change anything.  That base is simply too small and too poor to support anything bigger than what the game has now, simple as that.

The idea that IMG can somehow turn that proverbial sow's ear into a silk purse is deluded.

[Havenlad80]

18 hours ago, GeordieSaint said:

The Australians.

Well they would say that wouldn’t they being a client state of Washington.

[Sports Prophet]

3 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Its never been not caring, its been not caring or being actively obstructive when they don't have control.

What a surprise they can use their massive clout to organise a tournament between 6 of the 10 best mens RL teams in the world when they are running the show and can limit it to 4 weeks and possibly only 2 games post season. 

Baby steps I suppose.

If not the NRL or the Australian game, which other organisation apart from the RFL has the minimum required clout to organise such a series outside a WC?

As I said in another thread, apart from Denver, which internationals have the NRL been actively obstructive with?

[Spidey]

15 minutes ago, Sports Prophet said:

If not the NRL or the Australian game, which other organisation apart from the RFL has the minimum required clout to organise such a series outside a WC?

As I said in another thread, apart from Denver, which internationals have the NRL been actively obstructive with?

The 2021 World Cup

[Havenlad80]

5 hours ago, Mojo said:

Going to be interesting if a few of the Heritage players in the kangaroos will commit to Samoa. Tino during the last world cup refused to commit for life to the kangaroos because he wanted to do what Josh Papali'i did and go back to Samoa. Payne Haas also supported Samoa during the world cup.

1 Joseph Suaali'i

2 Hamiso-Tabuai Fidow

3 Izack Tago

4 Stephen Critchon

5 Brian To'o

6 Josh Schuster

7 Jarome Luai

8 Junior Paulo

9 Jazz Tevaga

10 Payne Haas

11 Luciano Leilua

12 Jeremiah Nanai

13 Tino Fa'asuamaleaui

 

14 Erin Clark

15 Josh Papali'i

16 Spencer Leniu

17 Connely Lemuelu

Don’t players have to sit out internationals for 12-24 months if they want to switch nations?

[Mathius Hellwege]

Nobody dared to challenge the NRL

and after their revenge for Denver nobody will dare it the next decades

 

They killed internationals before the season and the mid-season window.

They promote now a four-week window after the season in the SH, and hopefully in the NH (Lebanon, heritage players for many european countries)

[Workington Man]

1 hour ago, Mathius Hellwege said:

Nobody dared to challenge the NRL

and after their revenge for Denver nobody will dare it the next decades

 

They killed internationals before the season and the mid-season window.

They promote now a four-week window after the season in the SH, and hopefully in the NH (Lebanon, heritage players for many european countries)

A strange way to look at it. It looks to me like they are promoting a vibrant 6 team competition among their neighbours within the Pacific. 

Additionally they are sending a Tonga team (basically an NRL selection) to England for 3 games. They could have tried to keep Tonga back to join a (stronger) Pacific Championship, and sent another nation instead. 

By comparison, I don't see the RFL doing anything even remotely like this to engage their neighbouring countries.