One of the highlights of the World Cup has been the performances of some of the developing nations in the northern hemisphere. Whilst some would argue they aren’t good enough for regular tests against England right now, especially without their NRL and SL stars, they do need more games and to be exposed to a higher level of RL.

So how do we do that?

I think some concepts like the exiles, like any celtic rep sides, or a euro side are quite damaging to international RL and relegate the international sides they encompass.

My idea is a new midweek competition to be played mainly on Tuesdays and Wednesdays Starting on New Years Day and ending May Day bank holiday. There is a slot that has been left at both Sky and ITV from the champions league which needs filling

We would start with 24 teams, top 8 SL, top 4 championship, top 4 french elite and Domestic Select 17s from Italy, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Canada, Jamaica, USA, South Africa with others added as and when it is possible.

Initially 6 groups of 4 play each other once, top two of each group go through, in to 2 groups of 6 who play each other once, top 4 of each go through to knock out stages quarters, semi, final. This gives us a maximum of 12 games per side.

The Select 17s would be the best 17 from the domestic competitions of those nations (inc Crusaders and Scorpions for Wales) So all would be playing in the domestic comp of the nation they were playing for. It needs to be stressed these wouldn’t be national sides, but select sides from those domestic comps.

As a development and evening up measure, SL clubs would only be able to select players who had come through their academy, were signed before 21 or had been with the club longer than 6 continuous years.

This would give the cream of each developing nations competition the chance to test their arm against at least one SL club, aswell as measure their progress against each other and the top championship and French elite clubs. It would be a good reward for the best lower league clubs as well as another bit of silverware for the SL clubs to go for.

As for the extra games, well the very elite, international SL players probably wouldn’t need to play every game, some of the games would replace the friendlies and warm up games, I would also put in a rule that no player can play more than 30 club games a year not including play-offs and leave it to the clubs to rotate their squads correctly.

You wouldn't get that on premier sports never mind ITV.

Could you imagine Warrington 2nd team playing a USA select on a Tuesday night you would be lucky to get a four figure gate

If we assume there are no upsets then out of the 12 games the winner would play, 7 would be against SL sides, 2 against championship sides, 2 against Elite sides and 1 against a developing nation.

The poorest sides would only be in the competition for 3 weeks, if they were getting their s handed to them (which may very well be the case, it may very well not) then its not difficult to not televise that game. It would be pretty easy to guarantee that each match day had at least one game between teams of a similar level. If it isn’t SL playing SL or the top of the Championship, it can be the top of the championship v the top of Elite one.

World 9s every two years with the top 20 teams in the rankings competing and with a different host every time. The Aussies may whinge about more matches, but they wouldn't have to play all their stars and it helps the smaller nations play on the big stage and we wouldn't see huge thrashings.

Or even a Euro 9s with 16 teams.

seeing as any GB tour would be a bit pointless currently (and Celtic inclusions would only decrease the quality of the england team bar danny brough) i'd like to build on the potential of the US ( and Canada down the line) and have a four year cycle of:

1. WC
2. 4N Oceania Aus/NZ/Eng/Fiji* with the pacific cup 4N running parallel (double headers possibly) of Samoa, Tonga, PNG, Cook Islands
3. 4N Americas Aus/Nz/Eng/USA* with an 'Atlantic' tri-nations of Canada, Jamaica and South Africa
4. 4N Europe Aus/NZ/Eng/Sco* with the European cup 4N of France, Wales, Italy and Ireland

*chosen as highest ranked in the last WC

i'd have at least one game hosted by the qualifying 'fourth team' in the 4N and think having double headers with the tier 2 comps curtain raising the 4N would hopefully give the heritage and full time players that tend to pick and choose more reason to play when its in big stadiums and (ideally) on tv in some capacity. The tier 2 comps would run every year and when not hosting a 4N would operate with one extra team eg. Euro 5N

I'm rather tired after a long shift so i hope that made sense..

But having them play SL academy teams elevates their standing?



Let's ask the governing bodies of these nations what they want and what the RFL might be able to do to help them. If they can get together amongst themselves and find some common ground and ways of collaborating, then that is a starting point.

The RFL should facilitate and offer support, not write the blueprint and expect everyone to fall in line. Especially if they've been taking the same powerful mind-altering drugs that I fear somebody has slipped in your tea, Smokester.



If, for example, Italy want to go on tour and play PNG and some Queensland Cup teams, while Ireland and Scotland fancy a Home and Away 2-test series against each other, and Wales can persuade a New Zealand Māori XVII to come over for a game, then that's up to them. Or perhaps they do just want the English to organise them and tell them what to do - foreigners do so like that after all!

They are free to do what they want, we would be extending an invitation not making a demand. If they had a better way of doing it they of course would be free to do so.