Rugby league has the potential for a reputable international competition. It would require foresight, sacrifice and humility, but it can be done.
Foresight because it would likely take 20 years before the international game would be truly competitive and sacrifice, as the RLIF would need to spend some funds that might otherwise go towards the league’s small heartland areas.
Most importantly humility, as there will be obvious comparisons to rugby union’s international game. However, the aim should not be to have bragging rights or, for that matter, to even compete with other sports like union and football, because there will likely be an unflattering result, particularly with numbers of contending counties and worldwide participation.
The aim should be a competitive, enthralling and, dare I say, marketable top-tier of the game that league deserves. The intention should undoubtedly be about establishing league’s international identity, not inspiring to copy another game’s.
An uncluttered simple quadrennial system for the international calendar that gives developing nations a chance to grow whilst also not being overtaxing on the elite players would be ideal. Here is one idea of how that may work:
Year One: Northern Hemisphere teams travel south for a tour.
Year Two: Two separate ‘Divisional’ Cup competitions: Northern Hemisphere – Great Britain, France, Celts (see below) and USA. Southern Hemisphere- Australia, New Zealand, PNG and Pacific Islands.
Year Three: Southern Hemisphere teams travel north for a tour.
Year Four: International Cup comprising 10 teams (two pools of five with semi-finals and grand final); four top teams, each from the North and South Divisions, plus two other qualifiers.
A few things must happen first. The game in England must stop its reliance on Aussies and Kiwis, especially in the key roles. A significant rise in the NRL’s salary cap would keep a lot more stars in the game, which is entirely crucial.
It would require the RLIF realising that composite teams could be an excellent option of developing the game. A Pacific Islands team would quickly be up to standard, and a Celts team comprising those of Irish, Scottish and Welsh heritage could do the same, with the right nurturing. Also, representative games during the season would need to be added to give these players the experience to excel at the top level.
In both the North and South there could be a carnival of rep games that would allow stand alone weekends for State of Origin games, as it would give broadcasters the extra games they desire to allow this to happen. For instance, in the South; Fiji, Samoa and Tonga could play each other once during this period. A Kiwi North Island vs South Island game or a Maoris vs NZ XIII game could be a hotly contested selection trial.
Also PNG vs a ‘QLD emerging players’ could accompany the City vs Country fixture as a warm up to the Origin matches. In the North, similar games could be organised as selection matches for the Celts, alongside a Northern Union versus Rest of England team fixture.
France versus USA and the lower ranked (or unranked) European teams could battle it for international credibility and possibly the right to play in the International Cup.
Of course this proposal is far from perfect, and would require the USA’s game to be invested in, which may ruffle some feathers. Currently RL has a very small base there, but increasing market share to even one to two per cent of such a large market would be hugely beneficial and could have cascading advantages across the game.
I hope someone in a position of power (and greater knowledge of international league’s intricacies) will take up the challenge.
This could be a base for a proposal that would work and prove very worthwhile in the long run for the game, and hopefully very rewarding for its stakeholders.
rugbyfuture
Roar Guru
Brazil through to japan
King of the Gorgonites
Roar Guru
why 2016? is that becuase of the massive profits that will be made from the 2015 WC?
rugbyfuture
Roar Guru
well i think theres a problem in that logic if something like this where to happen, you have to ask what the stakeholders would want, rugby would see no benefit from such a merge (even wit hmore players) what would be better would be a slight adjustment to rules after RWC2011 allowing for some more free flowing and consistent play (consistent being a key word) and then a slow integration of the competitions. though i don't think it'll happen From a business perspective, and you leagueys really can't deny this Rugby is going to get a huge boost post 2016 and i reckon between 2016 and 2026 rugby league will get into some trouble with a need for rugby in australia to get better and have more depth, integration would be best at this point, though the problem being the international authorities agreeing.
oikee
Guest
I think both games should merge, but not the way we all think. There should be 2 codes under the 1 banner. If you did this, and i mentioned along time ago now if you had crossover players it would work very well. Not only that, you would have 2 world cups, every 2 years. Rugby, and league would flourish worldwide and in Australia. You really need to keep both running, the more players involved the better, and both games require different body types. It would not make sense to shut rugby league down, you would lose a whole audience. You could then have 7's 9's 13's and 15's. All a little bit different, all with the best talent, and all with plenty of spotlight and room for stars and free cross-over. It makes sense, but we have not got a person who could pull-off quite a feat, or masterstroke deal. So we will keep argueing for the next 100 years..
oikee
Guest
This post all makes sense, and alot of work is being done to get islanders on board. You can see that rugby league is planning for the future with affilaite organisations for the islands right here in Australia, but also you have to remember that rugby union has already done this and has the scouts and islands playing rugby union. League needs to get more comps going and having coaches and trainers on the ground in these island nations. They are working towards this, i am not knocking the work rugby league has, or are doing. I am knocking the dinosaurs for being so short sighted all these years,.. Sinse superleague, we are only now back to where we were then. And the last t/v deal did not let us promote rugby league down south, when we should now have a audience, so next deal we will be starting at scratch, where we should have had 10 years of solid growth. This is why i keep saying we need a cleanout, if we are starting from scratch, lets do it with a bang, not a wimper.
oikee
Guest
Just saying it needs a cleanout, nothing more. The game has been held back by dinosaurs, everyone can see this, read my posts, if you disagree then we have a argument. The game itself is strong here, but the direction and running of the game leaves little to be desired.
Daren
Guest
Sounds like a GREAT idea except for the part about requiring foresight, sacrifice and humility the three fundamentals that the NRL has always lacked.
rugbyfuture
Roar Guru
too many stubborn people on both sides. leagueys would go on about playing a game with scrums and sequence Ruggers would go on about traditions and traitors.
King of the Gorgonites
Roar Guru
Oikee can you see the rugby codes uniting? what if RL and RU joined forces in Australia. with the talent of the NRL, Australia would have the strongest domestic league in the world. The catch is that the NRL will have to play rugby. but it wont be rugby as we know it. it will be rugby played at its purest. with the new blood will come new ideas. think the ABs, england of last week, and reds all rolled into one. that will be the rugby played week in week out. that will force the world to adpot that style. soon the world will be playing the new style of rugby, which resmelbles league. that way the rugby codes can fight afl in australia. league can have a new international persepctive, thanks to rugby. it requires some forward thinking, but why not. its time to combine.
Ted Skinner
Guest
How's the Reds' FTA audience going? http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/media/wow-rides-high-in-broncos-deal/story-e6frg996-1111117986683
kovana
Guest
Actually i think its about time to have a Unification of the codes. OR.. have the IRB become the ruling body of ALL codes.. Rugby Union AND rugby League.
kovana
Guest
oikee... What are you talking about.. You seem to be very pessimistic about RL future.. Just my opinion.. But as long as the NRL still stands.. RL is still viable in australia.
kovana
Guest
"show me a rugby union forum, facebooks, twitter that is dedicated to hating rugby union by rugby league fans and we’ll call it even??" You do have a point dave.. I have yet to see a website made by Rugby Union fans aimed squarely at HATING rugby league.
The Visitor
Guest
"The enemy are at the gates (AFL)". A positive article about the an international model for rugby league quickly turns into a fight against "the enemy at the gates". Pathetic.
code 13
Roar Guru
The NRL should be using the new Asia Pacific Federation to create pathways in the Pacific for players to make it to the NRL. As the richest League organisation, it could be venture spending a few million. In this way - not only would there be a larger pool of players for the NRL & NYC - but it would boost each of those nations respective international squads. Part of this starts with having liasons and scouts in places like Fiji NRL. These organisations should be rebranded and all become affiliates of the NRL in a pyramidal structure - part of that being a longer term plan to have the winners of the 2nd tier comps in Australasia and Pacific come together for a finals tournament that ends as a prelude to the NRL grand final. Also in the long term over the next 25-30 years, the NRL needs to not only expand West to Perth & Adelaide - but also to New Zealand's 2 next biggest centres plus work towards a structure that can create a stable PNG based side. By doing this, the NRL can draw on a juniors and adult player pool that is currently over 1,000,000 - but in 25 years time - may be approaching the 3-4 million mark.
oikee
Guest
I love watching the Warriors at Mount Smart Stadium on foxsports, great punchy beefy music, great entertaining crowds, a good commentatlor who shows plenty of excitement, unlike rabs now, who sounds totally bored. At least i get good value from our forward thinking overseas team. They pump out those rock numbers like a well oiled jukebox. Not to mention those tommy drums beating away. :) Brilliant.
oikee
Guest
I could nearly pull you up on that point, Rugby league dominates NSW and QLD. The game might dominate NSW, but i can tell you that it does not dominate QLD. The Brisbane Lions will be getting 43 thousand sold out crowds every game soon. The Gabba preceinct will make short work of this. With new highrise development at the Gabba, a new railway station right on their dootstep, and expat Victorians flooding into the area, they will soon be full. The QLD reds, with all their new prime sites now available for their members and guests, along with their running rugby, wont be long before they are covering the Bronc's nicely, they already had 1 crowd last year beat the Bronc's. Even the Brisbane Rorar look attractive, with their better than good performances and punchy attmospheres at the games, wont be long before the youth pick up on this, then we look at the broncos, no noise, no music, no entertainment, just a old 60's rodeo song and a horse who has a stroll around the feild if they score. My wife still rolls her eyes when i mention this and sing the Bonanza song, din din din din din dindidlin bonanza. Its laughable. So 60's. No music, no songs to pump up the crowd, just silience. Its like being at the libary. The dinosaurs have held the game back.
oikee
Guest
As i mentioned in my post springs, it's all truth. I can show you all the sites to back up what i have said. I am not a prophet, you dont even need to be a genious to see what has happened to the game in the past. All i keep showing you is what happens when a group of dropkicks run a sport and have so long embedded into a game a dinosaur mentallity.As i said, you hang around with dogs, you get flees. Join a gang, they will soon drag you down to their level and so on. Dont get the wrong impression of what i am trying to point out to you, but this game has for way to long, has been run by dinosaurs who have now finally started to show you, me, and the christains of how badly the sport has been run. Why do you think i keep cheering for a Commission, not only at club level, but also international level. You do realise its 2010, not the 60's. Our game is being run by sixties mentallity. Look no further than Bruno, he sat back because the club was making profit, he neglected memberships, he watched the Reds set up shop on the river while smoking his cigar. Even AFL has grand plans that we all can see, but rugby league does nothing, all they see is a 1 billion t/v deal, probably already working out their pay rises. Let a bull into a chinashop and expect a mess. Well we had a whole paddock of bulls in our shop. That is why i cant see a future for our game, unless we find a billionaire willing to step up to the plate, without restrictions, a bit like super league was trying to do, but our dinosaurs won that battle, now they can be proud of bringing the game to its knee's. The public supported the dinosaurs, this is why we should have went the other way. Sometimes things you dont like are the best for you. It is like a boss having to sack people, he is the boss and he makes the tough decisions, but better to move forward than not at all. It's funny how things pan out, it is really hard to see the future, but like many things, when it comes back to haunt you, that is when you feel the pain.Rugby league is now feeling the pain. 15 years after the super league war the game is suffering because we were afraid of change, well i wasn't, i voted for superleague. We are still not where superleague would have had the game after 2 years. We still have not got a commission. That has been 3 years now just trying to get this done, 2 and half years to change a cornerpost rule. 2 years to have a refferee boss sack himself and be replaced by the guy who made the biggest mistakes. NSW origin after 10 years now grabbing hold of QLD ideas, instead of moving forward themsleves..This whole game is backwards. Need i go on, cant you see a problem.
King of the Gorgonites
Roar Guru
he is no doomsday prophet. he is a realist. i think its time for the rugby codes to put this pityness behind us. the enemy are at the gates (AFL). we need to stick together to find this enemy. time to stick together.
Paul J
Guest
The NRL dominates in NSW/Qld due to a long history of domestic tribal rivalries. The NRL makes about 95% of the profit for rugby league. The NRL will be signing a new TV deal worth $800 million - $1 billion. While RL fans would like to see the Commission put more effort into the international game, they will always have the NRL as the main priority.