dont forget the atlantic cup that starts in a few weeks time with USA, Canda and Jamaica.

It doesn't throw a spanner in any work at all...you may have noticed I said tournament play and the point stands.





I have explained on this board before why the ANZAC Test remains a joke. For instance:



1. NZ - a country that splits its players between the ESL and the NRL traditionally - has been unable to pick players from the ESL for the Anzac Tests for most of that game's history;



2. An ANZAC Test hasn't been played in NZ for donkeys (the home ground advantage favours Australia by nearly a 100% margin);



3. Smaller teams need more time to prepare (little preparation time plays into the hands of the strongest nation).



etc.



ANZAC Tests clearly favour Australia: I can say this with authority as an Australian.



When NZ have time to prepare, as the stats show, they have been effectively level since 2005 - with each nation winning two tournaments each. And one of Australia's was over NZ in extra time!!! (2006 3N)



Australia - 2006 3N, 2009 4N

NZ - 2005 3N, 2008 RLWC



The only interesting point I hadn't considered was the NZ v GB/Eng stats, which again, confirm my comments on the closeness of the top 3.



Thanks for that.

without checking i'm pretty sure if you count just tournament games between us & NZ dating back to the 2004 tri nations...england/GB would still come out better that NZ??

So, we have established that we have had eight (icon_cool.gif nations playing internationals this month and that the top 3 are very close when a decent sample of say 5 years or so is considered.



Sounds like the international game is going under to me...



Not.



What international rugby league NEEDS is to be treated with the proper respect it has not been afforded since the Super League War...and this will only change with the correction of misinformation and greater exposure for our wonderful game.



And some major changes at RLIF level.

I like the 4 nations format; i really do but it is a bit.. i dunno.. a wet fish that after 2 weeks we're done for this years internationals. I liked the idea of playing PNG last tbf, i just wish now that we hadn't!

Again, this year's 4N format was poorly thought out (that was obvious from when the draw was announced).



Culprit - RLIF.

Am I correct in thinking it was the same as last year's? A round robin and final format?

It was.

But the last games werent dead rubber last year.

Well ours wasn't anyway.

For once I actually agree with you.



People keep harking on about promoting players from emerging nations to make the international game closer. If they players aren't good enough, they won't get played. Simple. It won't do anything except lower our own standards.

Because YOU keep typing them



I agree with you Old Dear......the game lacks exposure, but misinformation..I am not so sure about.



In the UK (and I am going on past years as I am no longer there) I doubt the European comp that Wales won would have got a mention in any of the national papers outside the M62 print editions. I doubt the Irish papers covered it much, the scotsman had no mention of it on-line and in wales it wouldn't have made much of a splash.....

If you temper this with the other lot and the Grand Slam tour of the AB's, I would expect every paper is all over the "international" at Twickenham this weekend. The Irish, Welsh and even the Scots will sell out their grounds for the AB's games and until an England team can (a) be cometative with the 2 southern Hemisphere teams and (b) sell out Wembley for an international, then the media whores will not cover the game......

I don't believe the misinformation stuff carries much water....as I doubt there is a secret agenda on a global scale to undermine league.....I can't speak for Australia, where League rules.....but the attendances over the next few weeks for kick and clap would point to International League not needing any lies to damage it........it's doing fine on its own.

if we ignore the last 10 meeting between PNG and australia the stats show :



average score aus 0

average score PNG 0