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Rep rugby league needs the full three rounds

The world's best will be on display at the RLWC in 2017. Can England improve their international chances? (AFP PHOTO / GLYN KIRK)
Roar Pro
10th May, 2016
31

If anything can be taken away from the recent representative weekend, it’s that one-off Tests are wasted on Australia and New Zealand.

What should have been a pulsating, fast-paced and intense Test dissolved into one of the worst 80 minutes of football we’ve witnessed for quite some time.

Both teams laboured in attack, Johnathan Thurston had an uncharacteristic off night with the boot, and the Kiwis gave the Kangaroos’ defence an early mark.

Now, there were obviously reasons for this.

New Zealand were fielding an understrength team. No Issac Luke, no Kieran Foran and no Simon Mannering – just to name a few.

And the Roos weren’t exactly in fine form either. In fact, Phil Gould went so far as to say the current line-up was well below our best.

Coach Mal Meninga fired back, stating “Gus has never played Test match footy.”

To be fair to Gould, he had a point. While the team Australia fielded was probably close to their best, it won’t be for long.

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Paul Gallen put in a titanic effort, but has hinted the end-of-season Four Nations will be his last foray in green and gold.

Thurston, Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith are all nearing the end of the careers as well.

Gould’s dismay at the thought of this line-up carrying Australia to next year’s World Cup is valid. The other nations are constantly improving.

We all know just how deadly New Zealand can be, especially at the pointy end of tournaments.

And England now have enough players plying their trade Down Under to mount a real challenge, not to mention the return of Sam Burgess.

But back to the point, should one-off Test matches stay?

Yes and no.

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The Pacific Test matches showed how they can work.

Samoa, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Fiji don’t have the resources to host series and tournaments. So it was fantastic to hear of the end-of-season Test in Apia between Samoa and the Bati.

This is exactly what happens in rugby union, and is the model league needs to follow.

But like union, Australia and New Zealand deserve so much more than a one-off bout.

They need the full three rounds, preferably at season’s end. Not only will it provide the players something more to play for, it will entice fans and give the international game the coverage and stage it deserves.

This is the pinnacle of the game after all.

State of Origin is fantastic and a great commercial benefit to the game, but other nations are improving and the passion they feel for their country makes Sate of Origin look like a schoolyard fight.

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It’s time Australia found that passion again.

An actual series with our neighbours and a re-born Ashes series with England should do the trick.

The Four Nations has been a great stepping stone, but the World Cup should be the only tournament where we meet everyone.

Say what you will about union, but they get a lot of things right. So while it’s fantastic the NRL is promoting the international game, they must take that next step.

Just like Gould’s take on the Kangaroos, there comes a time.

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