Internationals Kiwis v England Annual 3 test Series

[Brother Faisal]

Hey guys, theres obviously alot of talk going on about the game and a potential rivalry between us and England.

If there becomes a 3 week window available with Origin is it possible to have a 3 week NZ v England test series.

Look the Australians are only getting stronger with there origin making them better for the end of year four nations, Soon they will have the DCE Thurston Inglis Smith Spine going all because they play together 3 times a year.

So why not build a rivalry internationally that helps both teams prepare for the end of year, helps our combos, takes any of the questionable kiwis out of it because if they choose aus then they will miss out on the kiwis v england and we keep our best because we have something to oppose it.

Is it a pipe dream, does it benefit the game, was that type of calibre game a once in a lifetime, do people really care?

 

[Defence]

I think it would be great- gotta get them to have a 3 week origin series first tho- guess that all comes down to broadcasting rights $$

 

[Sup42]

You would have to get Dean Lonergan onto it.

He's about the only ideas man in league that goes by the who dares wins $$$$

You need someone like Dean to see profit in it and a way to exploit it to the liking of those underbelly Aussies.

It would be Awesome. Kangaroos to play the Winner.

 

[mt.wellington]

You'd have to do what Union do and suspend the domestic competition for a couple weeks for the International games. Im all for it. Thats one huge advantage that the Aussie players have over the rest of the world and thats the steel they gain by playing big games in Origin. If we can replicate that and bring the same intensity that we saw during the last semi we will all be in for a treat...

 

[Tonbridge (Swanley)]

it won't happen unless the suspend the ESL and NRL for a "test window".

I think we need to play tests every year, home or away. Make a regular thing so players and club get "used" to it.

 

[lolcaeks]

I agree with the window

Origin
KIwis vs Eng
France vs Italy
Pacific nations and the USA play eachother

or something like that

can only be good for the game

but we all know its about tv sponsorship so its going to be hard

 

[drake83]

What ever happened to a nz origin series?

 

[Harlz]

Sent this thread to my mate at work, his reply was:

Yeap why not? this is what I was saying, Australia has Origin weeks, and everyone is like we should have one to? Lol what for and how? We don’t have the passion that Qld and NSW have for each other. Then earlier this year we saw Tonga V Samoa and everyone was like damn make it annual! Well instead of trying to create something that doesn’t exist and probably wont work in a State of O nz series, how about we play England? It would work, even if the Bulk of that team comes out of the NRL so what. Would bring a lot of people to the gates, and it doesn’t interfere with the the NRL as it would be played during State of O.


It’s a no brainer, and I’m not sure why they hadn’t seen it along time ago. I guess that 1 point game woke up the promoters in NZ. Idiots.

 

[Apus]

Love the idea. The Kiwis (and league in general) definitely need more tests, and playing the likes of England on a consistent basis would be fantastic for both countries.

 

[gREVUS]

I would only go for this if they move (it has been discussed) Origin to after the regular season is over. My concern is that for England and Kiwi player, one or the other would have to fly half way round the world for a 3 week tournament and then be back in time to roll out onto the pitch come the following weekend. Sorry but that's not fair to the clubs or the players. However move it to the end of season - abandon the Anzac test (which is no longer held on Anzac day) and get some pacific island brotherhood going and show that RL goes Club, Representative, International.

 

[Brother Faisal]

To those who maybe know how the all black players did against the French in this years mid season 3 test series. How did they come up after that going back to super 12?

It would be the only way to compare the effect mid season internationals actually effect clubs.

 

[mode81]

I think it would be a great idea, strength and nucleus of the England team is already based in the NRL anyway

1.Sam Tomkins - Warriors
2.
3.Jack Reed - Broncos
4.
5.
6.Gareth Widdop - Storm
7.
8.James Graham - Bulldogs
9.
10.Sam Burgess - Rabbitohs
11.Lee Mossop - Eels
12.
13.
George Burgess - Rabbitohs
Luke Burgess - Rabbitohs
Tom Burgess - Rabbitohs

We saw the benefits for the England players in the semi who play in the NRL, how influential they were, you would only have to integrate a few of the ESL based players, acclimatise a few days then we'll see what happens and go from there, have to follow up on this momentum from the World Cup

 

[Paleaaesina2the20]

Are we proceeding on the assumption that they are going to allocate a period of time where the NRL is stopped for 3 weeks so they can play origin? Having absolutely no idea how far along this idea is, I see a whole bunch of problems with it, let me start off by saying I am for it, but....
Problems:
1) The current player/NRL and superleague agreements would need to be amended.
2) You are going to extend the season by three weeks which creates more problems:
a) Increased chance of player injury due to burnout (those playing in origin/internationals).
b) A time lapse where about 80% of the players don't play for a period of 3 weeks which as we have seen in the last week of headlines, people who are not involved get their face in the paper for the wrong reasons.
c) Change the TV rights deal.
3) The anticipation of 3 weeks build up for EACH origin game at the moment is very deliberate.
4) Playing the game on Wednesday nights mean that TV has absolutely no competition from other sports, moving it to the weekend will mean competing with the 'casual viewer' who may prefer Union or AFL.
5) After a 3 week origin/international campaign the toll on the body would be higher than normal, leading to more player resting and injuries, diluting the quality of the NRL.
6) In a world cup year, they would have to play until Christmas then start pre-season training without a break.
7) Rugby Union players have started taking sabaticals due to the length of seasons now.

These are just what I came up with off the cuff, how much weight they carry is clearly up for debate. My point is that its very easy to sit back and say "what a bunch of idiots they should have seen how successful this would be", but at what cost? They would likely have to shrink the regular season of the NRL, which reduces individual team incomes, who is picking up the bill for that? Also it means less Warriors games for fans to watch etc, the list goes on.

 

[gREVUS]

This is why I like an after the regular season match up. It would be easy enough to start the season 1 week earlier, then its only your international players who would be competing, real injuries can be rested but we wouldn't have this bullshit of nope wont release him for a kiwi international as he needs his beauty sleep. To the majority of players this would have no effect on their year at all, keeping the standard of the NRL and ESL high. The elite could then compete and once international duties are over they get a break even if the majority of the team do have to start preseason training. Again at this stage its mainly fitness so wouldn't be needed for them anyway

 

[eudebrito]

To those who maybe know how the all black players did against the French in this years mid season 3 test series. How did they come up after that going back to super 12?

It would be the only way to compare the effect mid season internationals actually effect clubs.

None of the teams complained about it in the media, but because the super franchises and the All Blacks are owned by the same body, they generally don't have much to say. If player X got battered in the test series, they just have to take it. Everything is set up for the benefit of the top team, which is an advantage over the likes of france where the national body has to negotiate for the release of players from the privately owned clubs, resulting in less preparation time etc, etc.

There was some statements that 3-4 weeks was too long a break between super 12 games and they lost their rhythm, momentum, etc. Some of the teams had freindly games to try and keep sharp.

From memory the crusaders generally had one of the higher contingents of All Blacks and they went on a bit of a winning run after the test series, the blues had less players and they went into a downwide spiral - but i doubt it was related.

TBH it might be kind of a drag having 3 or 4 weeks with no club footy, i kind of like seeing the journeymen and rookies get a game for the NRL clubs when the stars are on rep duty. Would need to pack those standalone weekends with every kind of rep game possible to compensate.

 

[Brother Faisal]

None of the teams complained about it in the media, but because the super franchises and the All Blacks are owned by the same body, they generally don't have much to say. If player X got battered in the test series, they just have to take it. Everything is set up for the benefit of the top team, which is an advantage over the likes of france where the national body has to negotiate for the release of players from the privately owned clubs, resulting in less preparation time etc, etc.

There was some statements that 3-4 weeks was too long a break between super 12 games and they lost their rhythm, momentum, etc. Some of the teams had freindly games to try and keep sharp.

From memory the crusaders generally had one of the higher contingents of All Blacks and they went on a bit of a winning run after the test series, the blues had less players and they went into a downwide spiral - but i doubt it was related.

TBH it might be kind of a drag having 3 or 4 weeks with no club footy, i kind of like seeing the journeymen and rookies get a game for the NRL clubs when the stars are on rep duty. Would need to pack those standalone weekends with every kind of rep game possible to compensate.

Thanks for that. I think that's kind of the thing isn't it that the nzru control all 5 franchises. I suppose that has benefitted the all blacks immensely and also organizing an international schedule seeing that all franchises are on board to support the international game. I suppose it's the opposite to how the nrl is set up with clubs being the ones in charge. In that case it will be extremely hard to get any window available for international football.

 

[mt.wellington]

None of the teams complained about it in the media, but because the super franchises and the All Blacks are owned by the same body, they generally don't have much to say. If player X got battered in the test series, they just have to take it. Everything is set up for the benefit of the top team, which is an advantage over the likes of france where the national body has to negotiate for the release of players from the privately owned clubs, resulting in less preparation time etc, etc.

There was some statements that 3-4 weeks was too long a break between super 12 games and they lost their rhythm, momentum, etc. Some of the teams had freindly games to try and keep sharp.

From memory the crusaders generally had one of the higher contingents of All Blacks and they went on a bit of a winning run after the test series, the blues had less players and they went into a downwide spiral - but i doubt it was related.

TBH it might be kind of a drag having 3 or 4 weeks with no club footy, i kind of like seeing the journeymen and rookies get a game for the NRL clubs when the stars are on rep duty. Would need to pack those standalone weekends with every kind of rep game possible to compensate.

...and lets not forget that the IRB rule Union with an iron fist. What they say goes. The RLIF on the other hand is a dog with no teeth, fight or bark...

 

[Slash Razor]

yea would be good idea, I would have it setup maybe something like this, I would maybe have a month an a half set aside for SOO (which they do now) SOO are played on Wednesdays so you could have your Eng vs NZ tests played maybe Friday nights of the same weeks as SOO as for the NRL games, half the comp will play one weekend the other half has a bye and same the following week until each club has had 2 byes, then all rep footy would have played so where back to club footy, and of course a pacific cup could be play as well maybe as curtain raisers for the test or stand alone test played on maybe a Sunday...

prob never happen but I like the idea of NZ, Eng and the Pacific Islands getting more game time then the ozzies that would make Australia very nervous...