Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Wed Dec 06, 2017 11:09 pm  

Tonga and Fiji are clearly the best hopes for developing a pool of international standard teams outside Aus, England and NZ. Samoa could also do a lot better than they showed at this world cup. As well as obviously getting them some games, one of the major changes would be to let players from those nations play Origin as well. Not capitalising on the success of Tonga with a rematch vs NZ sooner rather than later would be criminal and a massive loss for the sport in general.

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Thu Dec 07, 2017 1:09 am  

BrisbaneRhino wrote:

Tonga and Fiji are clearly the best hopes for developing a pool of international standard teams outside Aus, England and NZ. Samoa could also do a lot better than they showed at this world cup. As well as obviously getting them some games, one of the major changes would be to let players from those nations play Origin as well. Not capitalising on the success of Tonga with a rematch vs NZ sooner rather than later would be criminal and a massive loss for the sport in general.

Tonga v the Kiwis would involve 31 out of 34 players involved being born in New Zealand.......play that game anywhere more than 100kms away from South Auckland and you'll get a piddling crowd.......I was at the Kiwi v Tonga game and it was special, but don't be fooled into thinking that such a game carries any fiscal benefit to either broadcasters or sponsors...let alone enough for the NRL clubs to release them!

EDIT: That said.....Samoa v PNG and Tonga v Fiji may well have some merit as a double header, but again in Auckland.

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Thu Dec 07, 2017 7:55 am  

Call Me God wrote:

EDIT: That said.....Samoa v PNG and Tonga v Fiji may well have some merit as a double header, but again in Auckland.

You are better off with PNG vs Fiji (the battle of Melanesia) played in Port Moresby, and Tonga vs Samoa (the battle of Polynesia) played in Auckland. Those games will fill the respective stadiums. No need for a financially wasteful double header.

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:53 am  

I really hope that all the Tongan players from the WC stick with Tonga, otherwise, what was all that for? Was it all just a fake Tongan love-in from a load of Kiwis with Tongan heritage who would sling that away at the drop of a hat to play (or, in the fans' respect, support) for the Kiwis again in a test series? Or are they serious about changing the international rugby league landscape for good? Was all that furore, colour and passion real, was it worth it and is it sustainable? Are they going to stick with Tonga and their heritage and make it a four team elite from now on? The Kiwis had players missing in the WC who would have got straight into the starting XIII (not the ones who deferred), through suspension or injury or were, bizarrely, just not selected. With everyone back they'd be a force. As would Tonga if that squad stuck together. As well as England and Australia.

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Thu Dec 07, 2017 5:02 pm  

For them to have a chance of sticking with Tonga, Tonga need some fixtures. New Zealand are playing a 3 match test series against England, what are Tonga playing? I’d hope a mid season test against New Zealand and an end of season Pacific Cup between Tonga, Samoa, PNG and Another. But so far nothing has been announced other than the England and New Zealand test.

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:08 pm  

For a start, he wasn’t the best prop in the world. Before he was caught taking a banned Substance which put him in the same bracket of other losers like Zak Hardarker and rangi chase, he looked ordinary

Regards

King James

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:30 pm  

Psychedelic Casual wrote:

otherwise, what was all that for? W

It was because a few players were unhappy with the handling of "cocainegate", where the players were named in court as having purchased cocaine on the evening after the hammering by the Kangaroos.
Whilst neither Jesse Bromwich or Kevin Proctor were charged with an offence, they broke team rules and protocol and were dropped and not to be considered for selection for the RLWC.......both players understood why this action was taken and both accepted it publicly.

I don't rate Kidwell as a coach, but I 100% agree with his stance on this matter and I hope that Taumalolo is left to fester out of the International game and confined to 1 test match a year if Tonga are lucky.......his actions are as deplorable as those of the two players caught buying cocaine and if he was prepared to walk away from representing his country of birth then the turncoat should be left to rot!

The same way that the club game shouldn't run the game (but it does) Players need to understand that they are not bigger than the sport.....Taumololo didn't even tell Kidwell directly but instead did it through the media......I wouldn't want a rat like that in any team I support.....but no doubt he'll accept the praise for making Tonga a RL power for all of 4 weeks.....

BTW.....The Tongan Community always get behind their National Teams here, no matter what the sport....they really are a joy to behold!

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Fri Dec 08, 2017 2:03 am  

The smart money is on Wayne Bennett to be their coach come this time next year and he will know all there is to know about the England players, their strengths and weaknesses.

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Fri Dec 08, 2017 10:23 am  

Huddersfield1895 wrote:

The smart money is on Wayne Bennett to be their coach come this time next year and he will know all there is to know about the England players, their strengths and weaknesses.

On what do you base this extraordinary claim?

Re: Can New Zealand be a serious challenge to resurgent Engl : Sat Dec 09, 2017 8:43 pm  

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote: On what do you base this extraordinary claim? http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2017/11/iconic-coach-wayne-bennett-open-to-future-role-with-the-kiwis.html

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote: On what do you base this extraordinary claim? http://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2017/11/iconic-coach-wayne-bennett-open-to-future-role-with-the-kiwis.html