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Home / Sport / League

NZRL snubbed over Anzac Test dumping

NZ Herald
10 Aug, 2015 05:25 AM4 mins to read

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Manu Vatuvei celebrates a try during the Anzac test match against the Kangaroos. Photo / Getty

Manu Vatuvei celebrates a try during the Anzac test match against the Kangaroos. Photo / Getty

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The National Rugby League scrapped the Anzac Test without consulting the New Zealand Rugby League, announced the change without informing their Kiwi counterparts and, incredibly, did not even return the New Zealand governing body's calls when it attempted to seek clarification today.

As of 4.50pm the NZRL had heard nothing from the NRL about a television schedule from 2018 that effectively kills off the Anzac Test - a crucial revenue driver for the New Zealand game.

"This news today has taken us a little by surprise," NZRL chief executive Phil Holden admitted in a conference call with reporters this afternoon.

Holden said it was still not clear whether Australian players would be available for a mid-season test against the Kiwis and “everybody was jumping to conclusions”.

"We haven't physically had an opportunity to speak to anybody so I don't know and no-one else knows either."

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However, NRL boss David Smith confirmed that Australian players would only be available for test duty at the completion of the NRL season at a press conference in Sydney this morning.

Holden confirmed his attempts to seek clarification from the NRL about the status of the Anzac Test had been ignored.

"We have obviously reached out to them to try to seek some clarity but to date we haven't had a response."

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Asked how disappointed he was to have not even received a courtesy call from the NRL Mr Holden said there was "still time on the clock" for that to happen due to the time difference between the countries.

The match between the Kiwis and Kangaroos will be axed when the NRL's new television deal comes into effect in 2018, the NRL confirmed this morning.

A release from the NRL trumpeting a $A925 million deal with free-to-air broadcaster Channel 9 states the second State of Origin match each season will be played on a Sunday, with International Rugby League " given a new priority" and "played in a dedicated window after the NRL Premiership season".

The new State of Origin schedule will see the second match in each series being played on a Sunday night as part of a stand alone weekend of representative football, which will also feature Pacific Nation Tests, the release states.

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That could see the Kiwis taking on a Pacific Nation such as Samoa or Tonga instead of the Kangaroos.

The NRL's deal with Channel 9 - the biggest in Australia free-to-air television history - will see the season trimmed from 26 to 25 weeks.

NRL chief executive David Smith said the changes would mean less disruption to the Telstra Premiership with only one split round each year.

"In other words, we are preserving Origin as a marquee event of the year while minimising disruption to the Premiership," he said.

The deal represents a windfall for the NRL and its clubs however it could be a blow for the already cash-strapped New Zealand Rugby League, which relies on international fixtures - including the mid-season Anzac Test - for the bulk of its revenue.

The news comes with the Kiwis having won this year's Anzac Test for the first time since 1998. The match has been an annual fixture on the league calendar since it was reintroduced in 2004.

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The NRL's deal with Channel 9 - which doubles the number of free-to-air matches for Australia viewers from two to four and introduces a match on a Thursday night - does not include pay tv operators or New Zealand.

Smith said the agreement would help secure the long term financial future of the game. “And we still have simulcast rights, pay tv, New Zealand and international television rights to be negotiated.

"So the future of the game is in great shape." Mr Smith said that, as part of the agreement, the NRL would regain control of the season schedule - and deliver a better deal for the fans. While the initial focus had been on free to air rights, the NRL had already held extensive discussions with a number of operators involved in pay television and streaming rights.

"The digital media market is changing rapidly and it is our view that new and exciting opportunities will develop with Fox Sports and other providers," he said.

"By 2018, the digital world will be very different and we want to be in the best possible position to take advantage of any changes.

"So negotiations with the pay tv and digital providers will continue and, again, our focus will be on ensuring the most widespread coverage on whatever platform fans choose to watch rugby league."

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Smith was to front a press conference in Sydney this morning to discuss the deal.

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