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Dear Davo Smithy. Last week the Rugby League International Federation met in Canberra and proposed that the 2015 World Club Challenge format be altered.
The changes are to incorporate a three game structure, consisting of:
• NRL winners versus SL winners – the existing WCC match
• NRL runners up versus SL runners up
• NRL third highest team versus SL third highest team
Although these two additional games would replace pre-season trial matches, I do have to ask – what do they prove?
If you win will you be able to lay claim that you’re the best runner up in the world?
I doubt it’s all that prestigious…
For what it’s worth I believe in the World Club Challenge concept. I would however rather see the winners play-off game moved back to October-November and played in the country that is hosting the end of season international tournament.
By doing this the game would be played on a high off the back of a premiership win while clubs still have their full rosters and with minimised travelling costs.
Let’s be honest – rugby league doesn’t have soccer’s global footprint.
But what it does have provides an extra tier of competition that makes it unique in the Australian landscape.
The game needs to take all these forms – nines, club (NRL), State of Origin, All Stars, International Test matches and club internationals – and make them as strong as possible.
So let’s examine the concept of international club football and what we want to achieve from it. In 1997 the Australian Super League ran an expanded WCC featuring 22 clubs over 10 weeks across two hemispheres.
And they wonder why it lost money…
I’m not talking about going to those lengths. Rather than bastardise the existing challenge game let’s revisit that other competition – the World Club Championship. In effect it could be a world cup for clubs played only once every four years featuring the best teams of that era.
In lieu of the existing RLIF proposal I suggest that in 2015 we invite eight teams only:
• Three Australian NRL clubs
• Three English SL clubs
• New Zealand Warriors
• French Catalans Dragons
The games would be held in February with teams involved playing in the Championship instead of pre-season trials.
Matches would be hosted by Australia and New Zealand only.
To increase attendances for travelling fans we must ensure the maximum number of games can be scheduled in advance so I would suggest that two pools of four teams are used – so 12 pool games in all – played across three weekends.
Double headers would be used to ensure that each venue has at least one local club involved. On the fourth weekend the two pool winners would play off in the World Club Championship final.
Every game matters and every team is playing for the same trophy.
By scheduling the tournament in 2015 right in the middle of the World Cup cycle it minimises the impact on international Test football.
Similarly playing it once every four years puts the competition on a pedestal and prevents it from becoming over killed.
To select the NRL and SL clubs to be involved, RLIF should only invite the best performing clubs from the previous four year period.
This would mean inviting WCC, Challenge Cup and grand final winners.
This means there would be no ridiculous ‘third place’ teams.
Later, for example in 2019/2023/2027, the championship could be expanded.
There may be another French or Welsh Super League team or a second New Zealand or Papua New Guinea NRL club.
All of them would merit inclusion.
Similarly the proposed French professional competition may be of high enough quality to enter, likewise with any other league around the world.
If we’re serious about promoting the game internationally then a World Club Championship would be a worthy goal for developing leagues to aspire towards.
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