Rugby League: Tri-nations takes over as World Cup is axed

By PETER JESSUP

The World Cup scheduled for next year has been sidelined by debt and mis-matches.

It will be replaced by an annual tri-nations between Australia, Great Britain and New Zealand, a European Cup and a Pacific Rim tournament for upcoming nations.

A Rugby League International Federation meeting that followed the world sevens in Sydney has endorsed the tri-nations as an annual event, to be held every February.

It will start next year, with Australia and New Zealand playing home and away, and then both heading to England to play the Brits.

The individual leagues still have to ratify a suggestion that profits from the tri-nations be tapped to pay debt from the 2000 World Cup. About $2 million was owed, but profit from the Kiwis' tour reduced that by about one-third.

The suggestion is the Kangaroos' tour earnings be used to cut the debt by another third, and that England shoulder the rest. In effect, the three powers of the game settling the bill.

The big three and smaller nations all agreed that thrashings handed out to lesser-lights in World Cup pool play did nothing to enhance the game.

More even contests are envisaged in the Euro and PacRim tournaments.

* The federation also endorsed plans for a second Kiwis-Kangaroos test this season, likely to be played at Ericsson Stadium on October 12, a week after the NRL grand final and a week before the Super League final in England.

The test will be the 100th played by New Zealand.

The opening test is set for July 25, the venue to be determined, but Sydney or Brisbane are likely.

In the meantime, the New Zealand Rugby League has to find a coach to replace Gary Freeman.

Freeman has been silent since the NZRL announced it would not roll over his deal, raising conjecture he might fulfil the requirement that the national coach live in the country.

But as the Great Britain tour reports have been digested, support for him has waned and, even if he does apply, he will not get the job.

Chairman Selwyn Pearson has approached leading sports lights, including basketball's national coach Tab Baldwin, the Sparc elite performance director David Pearce (who has responsibility for league), and former Kiwi Daryl Halligan to be part of a panel to consider the next coaching appointment.

The coach will not again get to appoint his own back-up team.

"He will have major input, but it was a mistake to let the coach pick the whole crew himself," Pearson said.

"It sent the wrong message to our strappers and physios and everyone up the line."

There is much speculation that Warriors coach Daniel Anderson can pick the appointment up if he wants it.

Pearson and Anderson have spoken, but both are coy about what was said.

Anderson has studiously evaded questions about his interest, if any, in the post.

The other realistic candidates do not extend beyond Junior Kiwi coach Gary Kemble, Warriors assistant Tony Kemp and Freeman's Kiwis assistant Gerard Stokes.

Kemble has twice been overlooked, so this would seem his last chance, and Kemp's experience is limited. His chance appears to be the assistant position, with elevation to come if he succeeds.

Stokes, having recently completed a Prime Minister's scholarship training programme with the Canterbury Bulldogs, has to be a frontrunner.

From left-field would come former nines and Northcote coach Graeme Norton, whose coaching nous is highly regarded.

His disadvantage is that he withdrew from the mainstream a couple of years ago, disillusioned with the administration and has since coached only his son's junior team.

* Russia has been admitted to full membership of the world league body.