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A little over a year ago the Rugby League International Federation made the decision to change the player eligibility rules. The new rules allowed players, if not selected for the tier 1 countries of Australia, New Zealand and England, to elect to play for a Tier 2 country where there are family ties back to their grandparents.
While Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo arguably stepped outside these rules, the changes have led to one of the most exciting Rugby League World Cups played. If Tonga’s last-second try had been awarded against England, a Pacific Island nation would have been into the World Cup final for the first time. Put simply, the Tier 2 nations have made this World Cup into the spectacle it has been.
The eligibility rules should be here to stay, but one thing that needs to change is the number of Test matches between Tier 1 and Tier 2 nations. It’s just not enough to send Australia’s best of the rest to play Papua New Guinea once a year or to play each other during a World Cup.
If we’ve learnt one thing during the World Cup, it is that we need to see more of the likes of Tonga, Fiji, Lebanon and Papua New Guinea, where the highlights have come from. This can only strengthen international rugby league in the long run.
Most of the rugby league sporting public would have given Tonga a chance of winning some games at the World Cup after seeing the squad, but few would have predicted a come-from-behind victory against New Zealand and a close loss to England, watched at all times by fanatical Tongan fans. To hear them singing during the games is something that will long be remembered.
(NRL Photos/Shane Wenzlick)
In terms of singing, they were perhaps beaten only by Fiji. The Fiji Bati prematch hymn ‘Noqu Mas’ was a highlight of all their games. Having beaten some low-ranked nations in their pool games, their win over New Zealand in the quarter-finals was one built on resilience. They came up against a very strong Australian team in the semi-finals, but the post-game linking of arms between both teams and the singing of another hymn put Australia’s win into perspective. To the Bati, just being there meant more.
Of all the teams at the World Cup perhaps Lebanon were the biggest surprise. Having Mitchell Moses and Robbie Farah organising their backline helped, but they were very unlucky in their loss against Tonga and their game against England was closer than the scoreline suggested. Their performance also helped Brad Fittler being named the New South Wales State of Origin coach. The Lebanese supporters were also there in force, seemingly outnumbering Kangaroos supporters in their pool game.
Papua New Guinea were no match for England in their quarter-final, but their comfortable wins at home in front of huge crowds suggest that all the Tier 1 nations should play there.
Of course scheduling is the key. However, instead of playing the Four Nations outside of World Cup years, perhaps the various Tier 1 national organisations can look at two or three game tours against a combination of Tier 1 and Tier 2 countries.
We have seen a taste of what international rugby league can be. Now we just need to see more.
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