At the start of 2020 the rugby league world was looking at the first Kangaroos tour since 1994, with the added bonus of playing in Canada before England.
But the year is less than six months old and the tour is in danger due to the COVID-19 pandemic. With the idea of the tour being scrapped, there’s now a major question mark over the idea of Australia making the trip to play Super League’s Toronto Wolfpack in Toronto at BMO Field as a tour tune-up.
Yes, the chance that this game may not happen this year is real, but please do not scrap this game; postpone it as part of the tour or as a separate thing.
In less than a decade we’ve gone from having no sides North America to there being three playing some of the highest-standard international rugby league systems, with Super League’s Wolfpack but also the Ottawa Aces and a New York club set to enter England’s RFL League 1 in 2021.
(NRL Photos/Grant Trouville)
This is growth that the game has to build upon. We can’t see that stunted by ripping up plans to bring one of the world’s best teams into a country that could help take the sport to heights never before known.
I’m not saying to play this game without fans this autumn if it’s not safe to have a crowd. What’s the point if a new market to the sport can’t see the best of the game in person? Maybe the game can happen in 2021 or 2022 if enough travel restrictions are lifted.
Whatever you do, do not wash your hands of this historic moment. Yes, scheduling will not be easy between Super League and NRL’s altered calendars due to both leagues being on a suspension, doubly so with the World Cup coming up, but there has to be a way to get this done.
Yes, The World Cup is important and has to have its space to happen – I’m not advocating to change that any more than it already has been – but what if either in 2021 or 2022 we look at changing the schedule of both the NRL’s and Super League’s Magic Round and Magic Weekend to allow this game to happen? What if for one year we pause State of Origin for Toronto and Australia to happen?
We need to look at the jet lag and time adjustments for travelling to North America and back, but for the long term this has the potential to be a true ‘I remember when’ moment for the game.
I know some readers will roll their eyes at both suggestions, but how can we look at growth without ever doing something new?
(Richard Lautens/Toronto Star via Getty Images)
North America has taken to the game like fish to water, and to pull out on those plans would be detrimental. The Toronto Wolfpack over their first three seasons of existence has averaged well over 6000 fans to Lamport Stadium in a very crowded sports city.
The potential TWP vs Australia game could also be more than solely a game at BMO Field. Why not have Wolfpack and Australian players helping run youth camps with Ontario players beforehand? Have autograph sessions so fans can close and personal with the likes of a Josh Addo-Carr, Damien Cook or Latrell Mitchell?
I’ve talked about before on The Roar about being able to watch these stars on TV in Canada, but think about what it can do if we can get these players in front of elementary, junior high and high school players in the Toronto area?
Players shouldn’t be the only ones experiencing Canadian culture. This is a chance for various Nine, Fox, Sky Sports and Free Sports shows to broadcast from various locales across Toronto before and after the game to show an audience in both Australia and the UK what the largest city in Canada is like.
Cross-promotion with the other local Toronto teams could be at play with a game like this. How big would it be to have Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka of the Toronto Raptors doing a promo for this game? What about Toronto Maple Leafs young star Auston Matthews promoting the game on the team’s Twitter account, which has close to two million followers? You can’t tell me this wouldn’t have some impact.
The NBA, NHL, NFL, and MLB have taken steps for years to get their product out to different markets around the world, including like Asia, Europe, and Australia, as they see how important it is to reach these areas beyond their borders to grow as global entities.
The tune-up game has to be a priority in the growth of rugby league’s future. Not making Round Zero in California happen was a major blow, now not converting on a city that’s run with the ball as an expansion market wouldn’t be good.
Our timelines have been altered in every sporting aspect, but if there’s a window for this to happen, it must be full steam ahead to a possible new era of the sport.
In brief
Guest
I honestly can’t recall making this comment lol ???? who stole my name??
In brief
Guest
In a way people need to define their terms- the TWP is growing a brand and market in the same way the NFL might do without necessarily growing participation- as per rugby model. So a different approach against which success is measured differently..
In brief
Guest
Not sure what you’re smoking but here’s a reality check: there are no junior or high school rugby league players in Ontario. The TWP is ???? imports - there is no fledgling league Comp, no grassroots game.
Anon1
Guest
The World Club Challenge is held in February, while the Wolfpack doesn't hold games in Ontario until May or June. Unless you're planning to face TWP in England or France, a "warm up" again them in Canada doesn't work.
Nick
Roar Guru
My guess is that Australia will resume domestic travel in June, and NZ will kick off the trans tasman travel bubble in mid-July. Singapore, HK, Taiwan, Korea, China and the UAE will follow shortly after with extreme restrictions on who can fly. (i.e no "third party" citizens/residents will be allowed on the plane) and zero third country travel. Declarations that you've not been anywhere else in the past two weeks, and cannot board without a medical certificate obtained within the past 24 hours showing you are virus free. I.e so flights between Singapore and Australia will be limited to Singaporean or Australian residents only. Europe hopefully by Christmas, and the USA in 2021. It won't be Scotty placing the burden on the travelling passenger...it will be the airlines that gets him to place the pressure.
Paul
Roar Guru
I suspect the pressure to get all airlines into the air worldwide, at least in some limited form, will increase significantly from June onwards. I suspect Scotty will want to place the burden of proving health back on the travelling passenger before they depart from another country, rather than forcing them to wait 14 days once they arrive.
matth
Roar Guru
I could see Australia opening up internally but being very strong on borders for a long time. It's our one natural line of defence.
Walter Black
Guest
I think that the opening up of travel will start on a country by country basis. Australia may be one of the early leaders here but the USA could well be into next year before anything like normal resumes that is unless their leadership decides on another "heads in the sand" approach.
Paul
Roar Guru
I'm far more hopeful about travel without the need to quarantine Matt. I certainly think by the time the T20 WC starts in October, people will be travelling from a lot of countries without a lot of the restrictions. You're right though from a League point of view, the Club challenge would be a great time to play a game in Canada
matth
Roar Guru
Maybe next year's world club challenge could include a warm up game by the Australian NRL champions in Toronto. That's probably the earliest I can see any team being able to travel without having to quarantine on return.
Walter Black
Guest
We have made more progress in North America in the last 5 years than we have done in the previous 100. Whilst the fish to water quote might be an exaggeration, there is a very nice photo on the Wolfpack website of a Toronto home game taken 3 years ago and one 12 months ago. What is striking is the crowd. Maybe 1000 people in the first one and an almost full stadium in the second one. Not exactly taking over North America - No but its a start and if we can get back to live sport at the end of May and that starts getting broadcast over there, we just might start seeing some acceleration of interest. The author is correct, it is easy to become focused on minutia in times like this when what we should be doing is thinking of the future.
Paul
Roar Guru
I think you make some excellent points Avry and I totally agree on the broad premise that this game needs to go ahead when it's safe to do so. This year looks like a given the likelihood the current Australian season will extend into the summer months, but that doesn't mean something can't be done next season. Governments around the world will be looking for opportunities to wake up their tourism industries following this crisis, but this won;t be a quick process, given the huge numbers of unemployed world wide. People are already missing their live sport and I'm thinking they'd turn up, simply because it's a live game. Further more, a game or two in Canada would be a great opportunity for the NRL to spread the message about top quality Rugby League as well as helping to stamp some legitimacy on the game in Toronto.
Nat
Roar Guru
Unforunately mate, you can call it postponed or cancelled but it won't be happening in the next 12 months. I get the sentiment, it would be a cracking time to build on the good work in getting thise clubs established and potential exposure by the NRL is 'lockdown' times. However, our (Aust) situation with the virus is significantly different to Nth America and it will be a while before they want to come out to a game again. I think we can count our lucky stars IF the game gets back up here rather than concern ourselves with a tour at the moment.
max power
Guest
"North America has taken to the game like fish to water" - nice story bereft of truth. couple of photo ops and get a kid to handle the steeden and we will take over North America - all too easy