Foran disappointed with Rep round axing
Kieran Foran says it’s “disappointing” the ARLC has chosen to scrap representative round but the NRL’s CEO says international football remains a high priority.
Manly veteran Kieran Foran admits the Australian Rugby League Commission’s decision to scrap the representative round Test window from next year’s calendar is “disappointing”.
Foran played his 23rd Test for New Zealand on Saturday, when the NRL went on hiatus for the weekend to give Pacific Tests and State of Origin matches the full attention of the rugby league audience.
The Kiwis’ win over Tonga was both the first professional match of rugby league in New Zealand and the first Test match between two Oceania sides since 2019.
Samoa and the Cook Islands squared off in a Test match of their own as part of representative round, while Papua New Guinea upset Fiji and the New Zealand women’s side defeated Tonga.
The weekend concluded with the second State of Origin match in Perth on Sunday night.
Foran said it was a privilege to have the chance to play for his country again.
“To be back out there representing your country, it doesn’t get any bigger than that,” he said.
“It was great to be back in camp with the boys.
“It’s been a long time.”
But players won’t have the chance to line up in a similar Test window next year. From 2023, the second State of Origin game will shift back to a Wednesday night and the mid-season Test matches will be scrapped.
“We saw on the weekend just how much it meant to the players to represent their countries,” Foran said.
“To not be able to find space for it in the calendar is disappointing.”
NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo insisted international football remained a high priority and said the ARLC hoped to introduce a more extensive Test program at the conclusion of the 2023 NRL season.
“The Commission are 100 per cent committed to international football,” Abdo said.
“What we’re doing is thinking strategically around the construct of the season and having an international window in October or November.
“Instead of having just a single round, we can start to think about tours, tournaments and regular content each and every year as opposed to just doing a one-off (round). That’s incredibly exciting.”
New Zealand back-rower Isaiah Papali’i said he would take any opportunity to play for his country.
“Whether that comes in the middle of the year, the start of the year or at the end, I’m open to the opportunity whenever it arises,” he said.
But Foran was unsure whether shifting the representative round to the end of the year was the answer.
“It’s just about trying to find the right time,” he said.
“Obviously with Origin going back to Wednesday nights next season it makes it pretty difficult to have a standalone rep weekend.
“The World Cup at the end of the year is a great opportunity for players to represent their country but during the season, it would be great to have something like what we had on the weekend.”
Foran said he hoped to have the chance to add to his Test caps in October, when the Kiwis travel to England to compete for World Cup glory.
“Hopefully I can be a part of it at the end of the year,” he said.
By: Jasper Bruce, AAP
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to comments