Denver test still under fire

If this year’s Denver test is a failure or there’s a serious injury to one of the players, the NZRL can kiss goodbye to the final two years of their contract.

The promoter of the June 23 game at Mile High Stadium in Denver, Jason Moore, has signed a three-year deal with the NZRL and England’s RFL.

But The Australian newspaper has reported that a letter has been sent to the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF), the RFL and the NZRL, signed by NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg, South Sydney CEO Blake Solly and players union boss Ian Prendergast, have all said they could not support the Denver test if it stayed in June.

Begrudgingly, they have accepted this year’s test will go ahead, although it’s not yet known what sort of pressure will be put on the players to make themselves unavailable.

The tests will provide the NZRL with valuable income over the next three years, but chair Reon Edwards admits the first one needs to be a success.

‘‘It’s always been a three-year view for us,’’ Edwards said.

‘‘The communication from the clubs over the last couple of days has been no different to what it’s been over the last four months from the NRL clubs.

‘‘We had a good meeting with the clubs in the Gold Coast and we presented to the 16 clubs, we educated them on the process and steps will be taken around player welfare.

‘‘The RLPA came out and said they had a level of comfort around what we were doing. But at the end of the day the clubs accept it’s going ahead.

‘‘They may not necessarily support it and that’s always been there stance and that mirrors what’s been in the letter which has surfaced in the last couple of days.’’