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At last a competitive fourth nation has emerged in international league, showcased by Samoa’s shake-up of a lacklustre England and nail-biting loss to New Zealand.
With a squad that can be described as the best of the rest after New Zealand and Australia scraped the cream from the top, one wonders how the pedestrian Samoan attack would have fared had Anthony Milford played.
But that loss is in the past, the future is securing the current playing group long-term.
The likes of Tim Lafai, who has openly expressed a desire to represent Australia, or Daniel Vidot, who has been mentioned as a Maroons selection possibility, need not be lost to Samoa.
Samoa’s improvement in the Four Nations can be attributed to the much-improved schedule in the last two years. With two Pacific Test matches and a World Cup campaign under their belts, the squad has played far more top-class Test rugby league together than is the norm.
The RLIF and NRL need a strategic plan to encourage a similar schedule and continuity in the squad for Samoa. This could be achieved by allowing each NRL club a salary cap-exempt player who fulfils international duties outside the top three nations.
Next year any player named in the squads for either this year’s Pacific Test or Four Nations should be registered in a club’s top 25, but their contract should be salary cap exempt (some kind of salary roof would need to be set).
This scenario could have many positive outcomes for the smaller nations, their players, NRL clubs, and international rugby league.
Firstly, clubs would encourage young fringe players who are eligible for a smaller nation to declare their allegiance so the club could take advantage of the cap exemption.
Secondly, players would see a career advantage in this scheme as being aligned to a smaller nation would give up and comers a value increase to the clubs.
Thirdly, clubs and the NRL would have to encourage the international game to take advantage of the scheme.
Fourthly, the cap could be spread among the 24 remaining players, increasing the code’s ability to keep its stars.
To be signed onto this scheme a player’s international alliance would be a lifelong commitment, and after this year’s international season players who represent a top-three nation would not be eligible to take up the scheme.
The scheme could be grown and tinkered to further encourage supporting the international game.
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