New Zealand coach Michael Maguire has called for the Pacific Cup to extend beyond its current format, adamant the international football calendar must grow.
Australia and New Zealand will face off in Saturday’s Pacific Cup final in Hamilton, ending what has largely been a low-profile end-of-season tournament.
Papua New Guinea and Fiji will then face off in the final of the second-tier Pacific Bowl final on Sunday, to be played in Port Moresby.
The Pacific Championship had only three round-robin matches in each division, with each of the six nations – Samoa and the Cook Islands were also involved – playing two games before a decider.
Both competitions have had their final set for the past two weeks, with the Kangaroos and Kiwis, along with PNG and Fiji, playing dead rubbers last week.
There is no final in the women’s competition, with teams playing an uneven number of games and Australia and New Zealand winning one each against each other.
Maguire believes the competition must expand if it is to thrive.
Tonga will likely return to the men’s Pacific Cup next year, offering a fourth team and a chance for all sides to play a third match before the finals.
Any chance of mid-year fixtures – as has been the case in the past – is unlikely given the cluttered rugby league schedule and removal of Sunday night State of Origin.
“We’re always crying out for representative footy,” Maguire said.
“If we could have it longer (it would be good). Hopefully we could have four or five games next year, that adds to what the international game is all about.
“We need to hold the international game to a higher level, right across rugby league.
“For the Kiwis it is very, very special (and) no doubt for the other nations. This is the only representative football a Kiwi can play.”
(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
No Kangaroos matches have been played in the strongholds of Sydney, Brisbane or Auckland in the tournament.
New Zealand played once in Auckland, against Samoa – who were dramatically weakened for the competition and beaten 38-12 by Australia and 50-0 by the Kiwis.
Australia coach Mal Meninga insisted there was still a strong motivation for his Kangaroos come Saturday night’s final.
“It’s of huge relevance,” Meninga said. “Off the back of that success in the World Cup we want to stay No.1 in the world.
“We know New Zealand is one of our greatest threats. We want to win the Pacific Championship as the inaugural one. We want our name on the trophy.”
Pat Carrigan is expected to be fit to play for the Kangaroos, despite battling a cork throughout the week.
Meninga has given Australia’s players a light build up, well aware they are suffering from fatigue some eight months after the start of the NRL season. “It’s such a long year,” he said.
“You have to be really mindful of the players and all the bumps and bruises they get. How tired and mentally drained they get after a long season.”
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
You are saying that it is ridiculously long, I am saying that it is not ridiculous by comparing it to our nearest equivalent competition. The Pommes seem to manage their "long" season and still schedule at least as many internationals as we do. What I am saying is that instead of jumping on the "season is too long" bandwagon, we ought to consider what other ways there are of managing it.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
You're making comparisons, I'm not. I'm simply saying the NRL domestic season is way too long. It makes it difficult to schedule rep footy and give guys decent breaks at the end of the year before they're back into it again
woodart
Roar Rookie
lack of international league is why the games growth has stopped.club league is sooo boring.
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
The ridiculously long domestic season is 3 rounds shorter than the English Superleague season. On top of that, the Pomme clubs have to play in the Challenge Cup for however many rounds their team manages to survive plus if they miss a round due to bad weather or coming over here to play in the WCC, they have to make those games up by playing extra games during the season. In the ESL, it is not unheard of for the more successful clubs to play 3 games in less than 12 days. Playing Friday night and then the following Monday over Easter is common. By comparison, our season is anything but ridiculously long.
Phil McKraken
Roar Rookie
Need to bring back the old League tours. Firstly with the British Lions touring Australia with perhaps a number of warm up games against WA, NSW Country and QLD Country and the NRL Premiers from the year before. That concept would draw the crowds even in Sydney. And then during Origin maybe take an Aussie PM 13 to play Fiji in Fiji the National Stadium Gold 18,000 and they would sell it out, likewise in Tonga and Samoa. Sold out 10,000 to 12,000 stadiums with atmosphere to match would be great for the game and great to get traction in those island nations.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
In effect Maguire's saying the NRL needs to break the stranglehold Clubs have over their players ie what games they play, etc. In return, the NRL and the other Boards need to work out a compromise so players can play rep footy and not be completely burned out, thanks to ridiculously long domestic seasons. Best of luck with that, Madge.
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
I haven't seen any but maybe that is because I am in Victoria.
andrew
Roar Rookie
Ch9 has been televising the games.
Dionysus
Roar Rookie
It seems pretty incredible to me that this competition hasn't had better tv coverage. No FTA and hardly a mention in any news reports. The media would be better focused on this comp and a bit less on on possible player movements and Lattrell's court case.
Steven Harris
No problem with more rep footy except it can't be loaded on the same group of top tier players..id hate to see the day players are rested during the season like super rugby.