The NRL are proposing an overhaul of the international calendar which will include the first Kangaroos Tour of Great Britain since 2003 next year and the introduction of more Pacific Tests.
As part of a schedule revealed by the NRL and Australian rugby league Commission on Thursday, there will be more opportunities for Test matches in both June and at the end of the season between 2019 and 2022.
Crucially, the proposed annual Denver Test between England and New Zealand is not included with the Kiwis playing Pacific nations during the representative round for the next two seasons.
The plan will be introduced to the rugby league International Federation in Singapore later this month, with the idea to grow the global game off the back of last year’s World Cup success.
“Until now there has not been enough structure around the international game and the game has missed some real opportunities to showcase rugby league outside of Australia,” ARLC chairman Peter Beattie said.
“We are presenting a four-year calendar which can be repeated and replicated in future cycles to give the international game more certainty and exposure.
“Those tournaments and events will be book-ended by a World Cup every four years.”
Included in the plan are a new Oceania Cup to be played during next year’s representative round and at the end of the season between New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa and Fiji.
Those matches will be played in both western Sydney and New Zealand.
Two separate Four Nations tournaments will also be played in 2020, with Australia, New Zealand, Tonga and Samoa to play an Oceania Polynesian competition and England, France, Fiji and Papua New Guinea to feature in a European-based version.
“A key to this proposal is we are giving emerging nations a chance to become genuine competitors with tier-one nations,” Beattie said.
“But we will do it by confining tournaments to fixed windows to ensure the wellbeing of our players.”
Australia will continue to play New Zealand annually while work has began to kick off a new international Nines tournament at the end of next year.
Meanwhile, the ARLC said negotiations were ongoing for an end-of-year Test between Australia and Tonga in 2018, as well as the planned round zero to kick off next year’s NRL season in the United States.
Damo
Guest
Damo
Guest
GB are due to next year and this was already agreed in the RLIF's 4 year schedule which was previously agreed by the NRL. Now the NRL change their mind. The NRL and their attitude seriously holds back the international game.
Damo
Guest
Someone should tell the NRL that they don't run the international game and its the RLIF. The NRL already agreed to the RLIF's 4 year schedule only last year and now they want to once again change things to suit themselves. This proposal totally ignores and undermines things like the Denver Tests and arranges matches like England v France which are nothing to do with the NRL or Australia. The NRL should keep its nose out and support the RLIF and stop trying to be the governing body for World Rugby League.
Rock to bone
Guest
Can the British lions tour Australasia anything soon?
Renegade
Roar Guru
Fiji had Australia, England and Ireland in their pool in 2013.... had to beat NZ last WC. PNG would not have beaten NZ. Fiji have not had a full strength team in the mid-season tests... that’s pretty obvious and last year PNG played Cook Islands. Check the world rankings for further proof.
Jacko
Guest
I would like to see a PNG vs Tonga game. PNG has played 3 years consecutively against Fiji and won all. Tonga against Samoa the same. Need to change.
Johnno
Guest
wow thats a step up from the Presidents's XIII. But then again isn't playing the president's 13 enough as they will win anyway and still provide a good standard game for the Kumuls and give the emerging Roos B side a chance to press there rep claims..
Rock of Ages
Guest
I would bet my last dollar, PNG can beat Fiji, Samoa and Fiji (beat them 3x times over last 3 years consecutively). Would also give Tonga a run for its money. You take out Tamolo and Fifita, the Tongan side is not so strong. They havent got the spine and halfs to do anything without their big men. PNG on the other hand have well drilled halfs, good outside backs and very workaholic forward pack that wont give in. Its pleasing to note that the Kanagaroos will play a test match against PNG in October 2018 in Port Moresby.
Leslie.
Guest
Renegade, I agree but they have been allocated weak opponents in their pools draws that allows them to easily qualify for quarter and semi final. In last year's World Cup Fiji beat a NZ side that was decimated by withdrawals of high profile players which obviously weaken the side. If Fiji had been drawn in the same pool as PNG in last year's tournament, I doubt they (Fiji) would have reach the semi final. On the same token, can the organizers of the annual representative round draw PNG against either Tonga or Samoa instead of Fiji all the time as is been the case for the past few years. In this way, we really gauge who is the strongest rugby league playing nation among the 4.
Johnno
Guest
So do Samoa, and Fiji always get spanked by Australia.
Johnno
Guest
Bring back 4 nations style tournament is ridiculous. It was boring and stale and was got rid of by 2016. What they should do is aheva 2016 Oceania or pacific cup brought in and have PNG/Cook Islands/USA in it and play it every 4 years, with the other teams in pacific eg Aust/NZ/Fiji/Samoa/Tonga. And as for sending PNG to europe for a 4N's and not stay in oceania is ridiculous...
Fred
Guest
They've won 5 of their last 6 games, the only loss being against world number 2 England
Jacko macho
Guest
Kumuls are not taken seriously. Kumuls flop against bigger teams.
Fred
Guest
PNG has beaten Fiji the last two times They've met
Renegade
Roar Guru
Fiji have made the WC semis in three straight tournaments.... don’t think PNG have been anywhere near as good.
Fred
Guest
PNG seems to have got a raw deal. They've been a far better team than Samoa or even Fiji in recent years, they got bumper home crowds in the World Cup, and the Hunters have lit up the Queensland Cup. And with a far bigger population, they offer more potential for growth than Tonga or Samoa. They deserve better.
Leslie
Guest
Why PNG was not included in the Oceania Cup? Kumuls beat Fiji who boast 11 NRL based players in last month's representative round and of course the previous year as well. What else do the Kumuls need to achieved to be given the respect they deserve?
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
Cool story
KingOfTheGorgonites
Guest
Dreaming
Justin Kearney
Roar Rookie
This isn’t perfect but there is a lot to like about it!