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When the Australian team was picked on Tuesday, the first place my eyes went to on the team sheet were the wing positions – frustratingly, Semi Radradra’s name was there.
Having one of the most popular players in the represent Australia might seem like a no-brainer for the selectors after Semi declared his allegiance, but it is an absolute tragedy for international rugby league.
Some may not know this, but there are more games than Australia vs New Zealand and City vs Country this coming representative weekend.
On Saturday at Pirtek Stadium, in front of what is expected to be a large crowd, there will be a triple header as the Under-20 Australian and New Zealand sides do their thing, before Fiji take on Papua New Guinea, and Samoa face Tonga.
Last year, when the matches were played on the Gold Coast, it was one of the most passionate days of the season. The sides ran at each other full bore for 80 minutes, with much more than just bragging rights between Pacific neighbours on the line. These rivalries run deep, and the passion showed last year – despite many players having NRL clubs to return to. They had no fear of injury, and pushed through the barriers of pain.
The crowd got into the games, and the pre-match rituals of each team were moving.
So, with all the emotion of playing for his home nation, why would Semi turn his back on Fiji for the green and gold? It just doesn’t add up.
The supporters in the Pacific nations should be a driving reason to represent them. Rugby league is huge in these countries, but players shying away from playing for them is hurting the game.
For someone who has always been about improving rugby league in Fiji, it makes no sense that Semi would take the away excitement of playing for his country of birth and put it in a Kangaroos jumper.
Now I’m not stupid, I understand money would have been a driving factor – and this is where I implore the International Rugby League Federation (IRLF) to change their eligibility laws. But what’s done is done, and that line has been written a million times by writers, commenters and everyone remotely interested in rugby league so let’s not go there.
My appeal goes directly to Semi Radradra, and every other player who has turned their back on a country of birth to chase money on offer playing for the big nations like Australia and New Zealand.
Let’s face facts here – there is no truly ‘international game’ in rugby league right now. It consists of Australia, New Zealand and England. That’s it. No ifs or buts about it. In the same breath, these Pacific Island nations are growing, expanding the game and rapidly improving.
Samoa were invited to take part in the 2014 Four Nations and while they lost all three of their matches, they went close to beating England and New Zealand, and certainly didn’t disgrace themselves against a Kangaroos outfit featuring Cooper Cronk, Cameron Smith and Greg Inglis.
Marika Koroibete is another winger to come out of Fiji in recent years, and to think of Radradra and Koroibete in the same side is such an exciting prospect.
The case of Radradra is not an isolated one either, which is a worry. There have been so many cases of players turning their back on countries for a shot at playing for the New Zealand or Australian side – and more often than not, it has to do with State of Origin. Being able to test yourself on the biggest stage of them all.
It is clear that there needs to be either a rule change, or major attitude change in the international rugby league setup. The next World Cup is only just over 12 months away, and it would be a lot more competitive if players were lining up for their country of birth, instead of holding out for a shot at representing the big countries.
It’s more than just the IRLF or players attitudes, though. It comes down to the big teams’ governing bodies. The ARL, for example, and its selectors or coach have gone ahead and destroyed the international game time and time again. It is time for them to make a stand and say, “Yes, he could improve the team, but what is the point of getting to a three-team World Cup again?”
For those bodies, the World Cup could be a money pit waiting to happen. There is enough talent littered throughout the Pacific Islands to make them a genuine threat for the crown – except all that talent runs out wearing Kangaroos or Kiwis jerseys.
The bottom line is this: for rugby league to ever become successful on a global stage, it must expand past Australia, New Zealand and England.
End of story.