Samoa, Tonga Tests in pipeline

SAMOA and Tonga have held high-level talks about playing Tests against each other in their respective homelands next season as the International Rugby League puts the finishing touches on a 10-year plan designed to capitalise on the success of the World Cup.

RLIF boss Troy Grant has also held talks with the heads of global sports giant IMG as he seeks their support for an international calendar that will help foster the sport’s growth.

IMG recently bought a stake in the English Super League with designs on growing rugby league in Europe. At the heart of that plan was a desire to foster the international game.

Grant was tightlipped on the outcome of those talks but it is understood that the International Rugby League is piecing together a plan for the next decade that would include regular Test matches for the Kangaroos, England, New Zealand and the Pacific Island nations.

The first year of that decade-long cycle would be next year, with plans to potentially hold a Test match in either Samoa or Tonga – or both – with the aim of building on their successes at the World Cup.

That would come with the backing of the respective camps after Samoa coach Matt Parish revealed he and Tonga coach Kristian Woolf had held talks about playing matches in their respective nations.

“Kristian and I have been talking for a couple of years now about one of the things we would both like to do is play a Test in Tonga and a Test in Samoa against one another,” Parish said.

“I would like to think that one day it might happen. That would be unreal for Tonga and Samoa (to play next year).

“I can’t imagine how crazy that would be and how unreal it would be. Not only that, I am sure that both sets of players would love to do that.”