Rugby League Four Nations 2010 Preview
Papua New Guinea Break Into the Big Time Down Under
Nov 2, 2009
The tournament in 2010 will take place mainly in Australia, although the organisers are yet to decide where and if any games will be held in Papua New Guinea or New Zealand. Australia held the Rugby League World Cup in 2008, which was a modest success and are confident in their ability to make a profit and put on a show.
Once again the governments of New South Wales and Queensland will be fighting over the right to host the event, especially the final.
Papua New Guinea
Exciting times for this benighted nation. Rugby league is their number one sport but they have lacked the infrastructure and finances to make that count. Now plenty of players are making a serious living in Super League and the NRL and the national team is starting to compete. It might turn out that the decision to put them into the group of death in the Rugby League World Cup 2008 was the turning point.
They are eager for the challenge, full of confidence and have a nation of six million people behind them. The key will be if the organisers will make the decent decision and give them some home games. They will feel confident they can beat England and give the other two a run for their money.
Australia
The Kangaroos are suddenly finding life as the number one team a lot more uncomfortable. New Zealand have shown time and time again that they are not invincible. The old cliché that even the biggest nation can only put thirteen players in the field is relevant here. They will be at home for the most part although it is possible that they may end playing PNG in Port Moresby. Home advantage makes them favourites, just ahead of New Zealand.
New Zealand
The current world champions are sparkling at the moment. Full of confidence they are a big, physical and skilful team. They have lost the sense of being a younger brother to the Australians and the All Blacks. In many ways they are replicating the attitude of the Australian rugby union team, the Wallabies. The players want to be there. They are playing the sport they have chosen and having to fight against the bigger code has made them mentally tough.
New Zealand rugby league is being re-organised, re-financed and have proven they are a tournament winning team. Even this far out they could be considered the favourites for the Rugby League World Cup 2013 in the UK. Benji Marshall is the best half back in the world at the moment
England
England are the side in most turmoil at the moment. The Super League is not producing the intense football that the national side needs. However they have some very exciting and fearless players coming through at the moment. Sam Tomkins and Kyle Eastmond are superstars in the making. It could be argued that the best thing they could do is to have a serious stint in the NRL, the toughest rugby comp in the world.
The forwards are still competitive and in many ways it is the lack of confidence rather then ability that is their problem. English rugby league desperately needs a deeper pool of players and in the future expansion in places like London may provide that. More importantly they need the intense competition of the Australian State of Origin series to prepare players for test footy.
Rugby League European and Pacific Cups
PNG are in the Four Nations because they won the recent Pacific Cup. Next year the European cup will provide a qualifier for the Four Nations in 2011. Rugby league has at last the structure in place to provide development, interest and sponsorship for the international game. Teams like Wales and Serbia are producing their own home grown players in serious numbers.
Alongside the World Cup the Four Nations is proving its worth in creating a meaningful and profitable international structure. Patience is needed but it seems possible that the future is very bright for test rugby league football. Something that is long overdo.
Source:
Rugby League International Federation
 |
