Kiwis could play more tests under new NRL blueprint

Kiwis could play more tests if NRL's blueprint for change goes ahead
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league

There could be more memorable nights ahead for the World No 1-ranked Kiwis in the years ahead.

The New Zealand Rugby League would be one of the main benefactors if the NRL's blueprint for changes to the structure of the season gets the green light.

The NRL's head of strategy, Shane Richardson, has spent the last four months secretly working on a plan for the future, which could result in a shorter NRL season, a stand-alone State of Origin window and a proper place in the calendar for test footy.

This is all music to the ears of NZRL chief executive Phil Holden and Rugby League International Federation boss David Collier.

Holden would be able to schedule Kiwis tests during the Origin window, while Collier needs shorter domestic seasons in England and Australia to allow space for more international competitions.

It is understood Richardson laid down a draft proposal before the ARL Commission in Brisbane before the Anzac Test and a more detailed plan will be handed down later in the year.

Holden hasn't seen Richardson's blueprint, but did discuss with him his thoughts on changes to the game and he feels the time is right for a push to increase the number of tests played.

The Australian TV ratings for the Anzac Test were massive, even though it was moved from a peak-time viewing spot because of the bad weather.

It was watched by the biggest Australian capital city audience for any football code this year, with 939,000 viewers tuning in, while there were another 272,000 viewers watching in New Zealand on Sky Sports and 34,000 who tuned into the free-to-air replay on Maori TV.

These figures highlight to Holden the huge appetite there is for international footy.

"It validated everything I've been saying for the last 18 months, that international football is really important," he said.

"If it gets the focus and care it deserves it's a fantastic product and we need to be playing more of it.

"What those numbers demonstrate is that there is significant commercial value in the World Cup and in international football overall.

"So we've got to look at a way to address that issue."

Also during the weekend of the Anzac Test, there was a meeting of the RLIF board where the World Cup was discussed and Holden says the balance needs to be found between compensating nations at the World Cup and resourcing the RLIF to run the game globally.

"We don't get anything at this point, no-one does," Holden said of the money World Cups make.

"So for the NZRL we need to build up a surplus as an organisation in that World Cup year."

"The RLIF needs more commercial money to drive the game and coordinate things more coherently than they've been done in the past.

"There's no doubt that the World Cup tournament will be successful [in 2017] in Australia and New Zealand, it's how we share in that success."

At those meetings in Brisbane, the newly-appointed Collier addressed the RLIF board with his proposal on how an international calendar might look after the next World Cup.

Collier is the first CEO the RLIF has had and his appointment means there is now someone solely focused on the game internationally, rather than juggling this job with running the game in New Zealand, Australia or England.

"David presented a framework for what the international calendar could look like from 2018 onward and that was a good base to start the conversations," Holden said.

"Everyone understands and accepts that international football is important, it needs some focus and space in the calendar.

"It was a significant step forward because someone independent was leading the conversation, it wasn't just us all talking to ourselves."