In February of 2015, six teams – three from Australia’s NRL and three from the UK Super League – will compete in a revamped version of the traditional World Club Challenge.
Other than not being held, the only other variation of this club challenge concept, where the champions of each league play each other for a quasi-ultimate glory was in 1997, during rugby league’s infamous civil war.
The breakaway Super League organised what at the time was the closest attempt at a true world club challenge, pitting all of the Super League-aligned rugby league clubs from the UK and Australia and New Zealand against each other.
The massive logistics costs, the terrible timing during a savage intra-code war and the one-sided results almost sounded the death knell for rugby league’s dormant champions’ tournament for a number of years after.
Once the concept was reintroduced, the traditional format was followed where the grand final winners from each of rugby league’s two professional leagues competed.
Now, the format has been updated. While the two premiers will still battle it out, four more teams will be added, providing two exhibition matches prior to that main event.
In World Club Series 2015, Game 1 will feature the Warrington Wolves taking on the St. George-Illawarra Dragons, Game 2 will see the Wigan Warriors up against the Brisbane Broncos.
The final match, the highlight of the series, will see two of rugby league’s most historic clubs take each other on – NRL premiers South Sydney and Super League champions St Helens.
Whether it is known as the World Club Challenge or the World Club Series, the basic premise of forging greater competitive links between the world’s only two professional rugby league competitions is a winner, particularly in the long term.
From within the dark patches of apathy, international club rugby league seems to be finally finding its place in the sun.
Placing each competition within a much grander global framework may just be the ticket in helping to secure rugby league’s international future.
The 20
Guest
Firstly I believe that lack of player depth is a MYTH. Instead I believe that the game lacks quality coaches and administrators.So expand comp to 20 teams with West Coast Pirates, Western Corridor Bid,C.Q Bid and either a South Island team based in Dunedin or Invercargill or Wellington bid if they can get a rectangular stadium built.Every team plays each other once and then every team plays a certain team twice for eg .Souths v Roosters twice ,Broncos v Western Corridor twice ,Cowboys v C.Q. twice ,Warriors v Storm twice,Dragons v Raiders twice etc.That gives you 10 home and away games,it gives you a rivalry to build up,it gives you an even draw,it gives you a draw where every games means something because it won't be undermined by Origin because that will be moved to Sunday night in 3 stand alone rep rounds that includes Tonga v Samoa playing 3 times on a Friday or Saturday night giving more Origin type rivalry games and N.Z playing against Fiji ,P.N.G and Cook Islands on consecutive weekends.This gives quality T.V content for the broadcasters,it gives the N.Z team a similar type of intense series Mid season,it gives the island nations an opportunity to grow their game on and off the field and hopefully it will persuade Islander kids to choose their Heritage over Origin .Also the World Club Challenge should include All NRL teams going over to the U.K and France and playing one game against the team that finished in the same position on the ladder /finals series in Super League. eg. 16th place Cronulla would play who ever finished 2nd in Keystone Press Championship,20th Nrl team would play 8th finisher in English 2nd division etc. Introduce 4 year cycle for end of season Internationals .1st Year World Cup -Nth Hemisphere,2nd Year Rest Year, 3rd Year Lions Tour Down Under 2 Tests v Australia,2 Tests v N.Z-Sth Hemisphere,4th Year 5 Nations including winners of European and Pacific Cup-Nth Hemisphere. 5th Year World Cup-Sth Hemisphere. etc etc.
Swamprat
Guest
Self survival is behind the decision of many of the Aussies to opt out of this 4 Nations. Being in the equivalent of a car crash every week over a season is a lot to ask. Sam Burgess and SBW have gone to the dark side now to prolong their careers. Recovery time is non negotiable with body trauma . That's why there is no International Rugby League. The NRL bleeds its greatest resource , the players , beyond use.
Glenn Innes
Guest
Swamprat - The players are bigger,so what? size is relative.The hits are more violent, got any emperical evidence to back that up,scientific studies comparing impacts from different eras or you just think that because the media tells you so?I guess blokes like Dave Gillespie. Steve Folkes or Terry Randall (to name a few) were just weak arm tacklers Go grab some video of eighties origin games. Also back in the seventies it was catch and kill your own, high shots, flying elbows, etc etc were all in a days work, the modern game is actually softer.The big hits have actually gone out of the game, shoulder charges are banned and it is all about holding guys up and wrestling them to slow the play the ball these days.
Swamprat
Guest
Mr Innes obviously plays a hard game albeit from the couch . Players are bigger now and hits are more violent. It's rediculous to suggest the amount of games he does.
Glenn Innes
Guest
In fact my guess is back in the old semi pro days rather than wanting less games the players were begging for more because it meant more money in their pockets. That is something modern players need to remember. want to play less games fine, but don't expect to be paid the same money.In any vocation the less work you do the less money you earn
nerval
Guest
Steve Mascord has answered your first question The Magic Man many times over: it's because they wanted to be there. Many other NRL clubs didn't. It's as simple as that.
Glenn Innes
Guest
The Barry do you realise how many games Rugby League players used to play.Take the great Australian winger Brian Bevan for eg between 1946 and 1964 while playing in England he played 670 games. The English season used to be pretty much on a par with Soccer, you had a League season that ran from September to May, a county Cup, a Challenge cup, and other knockout tournaments like the BBC floodlit trophy and later on the regal trophy, then internationals on top of that. Even in Australia back in the sixties in Brisbane we had the Bulimba Cup a triangular series between Brisbane Ipswich and Toowoomba, players would play Bulimba Cup Saturday and then club Football on the Sunday, the elite players also played for Queensland and sometimes even Australia Even in more modern times elite players would play State of origin, followed by an in season three match test series a midweek knockout cup comp and then sometimes head to England to play over there during the off season (or head off on a twenty game roo tour).Maybe clubs these days burn players out by flogging them too hard in training because they play significantly less football than elite players used to play
The Barry
Roar Guru
Parra problem is that it's physically challenging but entirely possible to play a combo of 38 EPL games, half a dozen local cup games, a euro league and a dozen internationals within12 months.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Wasn't that super league?
The Barry
Roar Guru
Not really if you have to travel for 20 hours to the other side of the planet into 1 degree weather, play one game then fly back for another 20 hours into the middle of February in Australia. I'd rather take the team bus to scone / wagga / CF / dubbo / etc.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I like that idea.
Parra
Guest
I would mirror the football international game - World Cup and euro cup - and focus on club football. You can't have both which rugby league is trying to do.
Parra
Guest
Imagine a shortened NRL and superleague season with the top four teams from each league then competing in another finals series to win international club of the year. Essentially a champions league. Imagine the ratings and exposure for the game. I'd watch every match.
Jaime O'Donnell
Guest
Well done The Magic Man, that's a top idea. I'd certainly support that, but then again I'd support any rugby League game :). I'd also love to see the premiers from the US there to (Philli flight)
Swamprat
Guest
"If the Broncos and Dragons take strong squads" is just my point . Waste of time if they don't Isnt it , or am I missing something. I will be watching Souths v St Helens maybe but what's the freaking point of the whole thing?
The eye
Guest
If the Broncos and Dragons take strong squads over English fans would welcome the chance to gauge the strength of their own league against the best in the world..they do well,as expected,and flames will be fanned..more to gain than lose
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
That's not a Mickey Mouse idea.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Thanks for the nice words. I think the current structure is just a testing of the waters. Anything that can improve the international footprint of the game is a positive move in my view, even if it is a case of trial and error. And yes, the English style is much more entertaining and dramatic, I think.
Swamprat
Guest
Pretty much sounds like one of those daft Ideas that rugby league comes up with. It will happen once and then go away. The NRL will not allow any meaningful International club competition compete with them. Players have a physical limit to how many games they can play in 12 months.
Robbo_76
Guest
As a Broncos fan living in UK, i'm happy with this! An unexpected bonus!!!!