Talking Rugby League: What next for England after Samoa snub?
The Samoans have decided they won’t be coming, instead preferring to play again in the Pacific Championships next year, when Tonga will boost the numbers to seven teams, if all the nations that played this year participate again in 2024.
The Pacific Cup and the Pacific Bowl could function quite easily with seven teams, splitting them into two groups of four and three, for example, but it would be neater if they had eight teams, which means there would be a potential vacancy that England could fill.
The problem for England, however, is that the Pacific Cup and Bowl both played their opening games this year on the same weekend as our Grand Final. If that pattern is repeated next year, there is no way that England could fly out to the southern hemisphere to take part in that competition.
The only way we could realistically do it is if our Grand Final was moved to the same date as the NRL Grand Final, with the England squad flying down under almost immediately after that game.
That would probably mean our Super League season being reduced to 25 matches, which I would gladly favour, but I’m not sure the clubs would go for, given that they seem so determined to host 13 home games once again in 2024.
But let’s say they did!
Would it be worth it for the RFL to send England to the other side of the world?
That would depend on how the tournament groups would be formulated.
Samoa finished in bottom position in the Pacific Cup, while Papua New Guinea won the Bowl, suggesting that the Kumuls should be promoted into the Cup and the Samoans relegated into the Bowl.
So if England were to travel out there and they were placed in the Pacific Cup alongside New Zealand, Australia and PNG, I’m sure that would make for a great tournament, with the England team playing matches in Port Moresby and then perhaps Sydney and Auckland.
Games like that would certainly justify the trip and they would surely persuade the RFL and the Super League clubs to do whatever it takes to accommodate England.
Let’s see whether the RFL can exercise its authority to achieve this objective.
Panthers a breath of fresh air
Normally, when it comes to the World Club Challenge, we have to drag the NRL champions kicking and screaming to the door.
But this time, it seems to be Penrith Panthers, who won the NRL title for the third year in a row last year, making the running, insisting that they want to come to Wigan and proving their credentials by omitting themselves from the NRL’s Pre-Season Challenge, even though that tournament carries prize money of AU$100,000.
Instead, after being shocked by St Helens earlier this year when playing at home, they want to come to England to prove that they are the best club side in the world.
Of course our reaction should be to welcome them with open arms and Wigan will obviously do that.
St Helens did a wonderful job in beating the Panthers in February, supported by around 1,000 travelling supporters, and that made it all the more disappointing that the attendance at Penrith’s BlueBet Stadium was only 13,873, the lowest ever for a World Club Challenge match.
I don’t think there is any doubt that Wigan would be capable of filling the DW Stadium on February 24 next year.
And I hope they start selling tickets as soon as possible and that fans from all over the country will head to the DW Stadium to support them.
This will be another great opportunity for Wigan to establish the credentials of British Rugby League and I hope they can emulate their great rivals St Helens by overturning the Panthers.
However, I suspect Penrith’s challenge will be even more concentrated next year. There is no chance that they will underestimate their opposition this time.
Give Roger’s shirt to Mikey
Mikey Lewis had a brilliant series for England against Tonga, even though he had to make way for George Williams in the third Test.
He scored a brilliant debut try for his country in the first Test at St Helens and gave a memorable post-match interview to the BBC when he was named the Player of the Match, trying to suppress tears of pride.
He got that opportunity because of George Williams’ suspension and he made enough of an impact in the two games he played to feel unlucky in being dropped in favour of Williams for the last Test.
But he was an outstanding representative of the Hull KR club, as I’m sure all Robins’ fans would agree.
I would like to see the club recognise his achievement by awarding him the number six shirt next season.
That jersey was retired by Hull KR in 2016, following the death of Mikey’s great predecessor Roger Millward that year. Of course that shirt had been worn with such great distinction by Roger during his Hull KR career.
No Hull KR player has worn number six since then. Mikey wore number 20 in 2023, but it’s reasonable to suppose that he would have worn number six if the number hadn’t been retired.
But when a number is retired, should it remain retired forever?
In this case, I would suggest not.
If Roger Millward’s family were amenable, I would suggest that they should be invited to present Mikey Lewis with a special number six shirt next season, recognising his achievement in following in Roger’s footsteps so brilliantly, although if they were reluctant to do so I would respect their decision.
Nonetheless, I think it would be a great gesture by the club.
The last of the 90s generation
At the age of 42, Paul Sykes has just signed a new one-year contract with Dewsbury to play in the Championship in 2024.
What an achievement!
Paul made his debut in Super League as a 17-year-old for Bradford against Wakefield on July 2, 1999, coming off the bench to share in a 36-8 away victory.
In that match he played alongside some Bulls legends, including Henry Paul, Jamie Peacock, Leon Pryce, James Lowes and Steve McNamara. Those players all retired long ago, but Sykes plays on.
He is the last player still pursuing his trade as a professional player who made his debut in the 1990s.
It’s a remarkable achievement and I wish him all the luck in the world for a successful season in 2024.
