Outgoing New Zealand Rugby League chief executive Greg Peters has outlined the major roadblock preventing the expansion of the international game.
Peters yesterday resigned after eight years at the helm of NZRL, during which he oversaw a doubling in the number of grassroots players in New Zealand. He will remain in charge while the selection of a new chief executive takes place.
The ex-Sanzar CEO also helped to re-establish regular tests for the Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns, with the Pacific Championship selling out games involving Mate Ma’a Tonga and Toa Samoa at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart and Eden Park.
However, the international calendar is currently granted only a few weeks across October and November, meaning the Kiwis have played just three tests in each of the past two years. State of Origin takes priority in the middle of the year.
Peters told Newstalk ZB’s Sportstalk he wants to see more test rugby league.
“I’d like to see, you know, six, seven weeks, eight weeks of international football, which we can do. And I think you’re getting to the stage now where that could be a reality in the next few years.”
However, Peters said the NRL – which operates from February to October – is preventing test expansion.
“That’s not critical of them. It’s just that their whole season is full up. Look at it. We had a Warriors sellout in Napier a couple of weekends back. We had the All Stars on Sunday nearly sold out. Then we had the announcement about State of Origin, then we have Vegas, and we’re only just at the beginning of March.
“There’s quite a big season now, and to find that window is when the money equation is driven out of clubs, broadcasting deals and clubs pay the players, which we fully respect; it gets harder for the international game.
“But I think broadcasters, media partners and sponsors are now seeing the value in that international game, and it’s capturing hearts and minds across the world. Look at the Ashes series in the UK last year and our own game against Tonga at Eden Park, amazing spectacles for the sport.”
Peters said there is momentum behind international rugby league that will continue.
“It’s like a great freight train coming down the track now, with the players advocating for it big time. They’re big time into wanting to play for their country, wanting to play for their culture and the international game.
“They don’t do that for money. The money’s nothing, nothing compared to State of Origin either. But they do it for the love of the jersey and the love of their culture. Even if you did want to stop it, you wouldn’t be able to now because it’s just coming down the train track at a fast rate of knots, and we’ve got to embrace it and get on that train and make it the best it possibly can be.”
With the Rugby League World Cup taking place in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea later this year, the Pacific Championships will pause until 2027.
The Kangaroos were absent from last year’s edition due to a three-match series with England, but Peters said they will be back next year.
“We haven’t sat down with them and talked about what that looks like yet, but they’ll be back in that, and as I say, the players want to play in it and the Tongans and Samoans are powers and forces to be reckoned with now. Isn’t that great? You’ve got more teams that can win the World Cup as well.”
Nathan Limm has been a journalist with Newstalk ZB and the NZ Herald since 2020. He covered the Netball World Cup in Cape Town in 2023, hosts The Big League Podcast and commentates rugby and netball for Gold Sport.