This is veering away a bit from the OP but it reminded me of a conceptual international calendar that I came up with a year or so ago. Some of the teams and suggestions included aren't necessarily conceivable at this moment in time, but it just serves as a framework as to what I think would work well in terms of setting up a regular structure that follows a cycle of competitions. Most fans of this sport have their own ideas as to what they would do to if they were in charge, but this was just a bit of a way for me to put something together that I think would be a bit refreshing if it was at all possible. Make of it what you will!

The format is essentially a three-year recurring cycle. One of the problems for me with the international setup is the fact that a lot of the time, games are more or less thrown together with little notice or time for any real anticipation or marketing. I think with a set structure it would be easier for teams themselves to be more prepared and settled leading up to each block of internationals, and would probably help with promotion and ticket sales a bit more.

YEAR ONE

The first year is split into four competitions across two regions - Atlantic (ANC) and Pacific (PNC). This serves as a means to qualify for next year's World Six Nations. Essentially there are two spots up for grabs in the Atlantic, and four in the Pacific. There's also a chance for the emerging nations to qualify for the tournament with their own concurrent competition. Not saying there are enough teams/players at the moment for each of these emerging nations to enter a team, but hey it's conceptual!

YEAR TWO

The second year is the main event - the World Six Nations with the teams that qualified from last year's tournament. Quite straightforward really. Also no reason why the teams who didn't qualify can't hold their own tests to make sure that players/teams are holding international games every year.

YEAR THREE

The third year serves as a Test Season. It's a chance to set up a rolling cycle of tours, origin games and 9s tournaments, or even the World Cup for that matter.



FWIW I know there's a pile of other things about our international game that need to be looked at, but for me I'd love to see something along these lines. A solid, structured calendar which makes sure every team is playing regularly and helps smaller nations have a shot at improving their own standards, whilst also keeping fresh with a rolling cycle.

If there's any question about the idea of those smaller nations making a name for themselves, take a look at rlthisrl I wrote a couple of years ago when Hong Kong played Japan in their first ever sanctioned international RL game. There's also a mention of last year's Emerging Nations World Championship in Australia which featured the likes of Canada, Greece, Malta, Thailand and other so-called second and third tier nations. Baby steps for the most part, yes, but still good to see some concerted effort in other parts of the world.

I'll stop you there.
The RFL USED to control SL and when under the licencing era, there were criteria that had to be met, many many clubs did not meet them. These clubs were not ejected from the superleague and a few years later, the chairpeople of these same clubs wrestled control of the top tier away from the RFL.
To be clear. The RFL have very little say (if any) on who can play in Superleague.

As for the rest of your insane ramblings, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga are jam-packed with ANZAC heritage players, because there's little pathway in those island nations, due to their domestic comps being shambolic and terribly run. Ireland have a pub league, Scotland not even that. USA and Canada without their heritage players would be trounced by the Wellington Orcas Rep side, France's own domestic comp is heavily populated with ANZAC players, as is their SL side. Italy, Greece and Lebanon would again all rely on ANZACS and as for the local comp in PNG, it is slightly better run than those in the pacific Islands, but their best players are again heritage ANZACS or playing in the NRL 2nd tier.

What the powers that be have decided to do is give the illusion that Rugby League is a global game, when in reality, at the forthcoming world cup there will be England, NZ, Australia, PNG and France + 11 sides packed with players born in either England, NZ or Australia and all but a handful of squad players will come from one of two full time professional comps on the planet....sorry, that should say from THE ONLY 2 FULL TIME PRO COMPS.

Outside of the NRL & SL, League is basically run as an amateur/Semi-Pro sport with boot payments and the occasional overseas star on a full time contract.
The USA (RANKED #1icon_cool.gif has 11 sides along the eastern seaboard, all of whom are of a pub standard. Canada(#27) fairs slightly better with 20 pub sides across 3 comps. Ireland (#12) has 12 sides again of a pub standard but still one for each ranking place, whilst Scotland has 4 pub teams and are considered the 9th best RL nation.....


...so, back to your imaginary 20 team SL. If the USA sides in the cities you have named are to be in any way able to compete against the likes of St Helens or Wigan, will they (a) Pick players from the Jacksonville Axemen or the Brooklyn Kings, or, will the pillage the M62 corridor and the 2 eastern states of Australia for their players?
I ask this as a genuine question and would prefer a genuine answer, based on reality, not "what if's" or "if only's".....and remember, Perez the Genius as you refer to him has already trawled the USA looking for RL players and found NOT 1!

I see what you did there.....very clever (if you meant it)

Interesting post "elsewhere" about the USA Hawks side.

They performed well in 2013, making the QF's, shipped 180 odd points in 3 2017 RLWC games scoring just 2 tries in reply and now have missed out on 2021.......with the #1 reason for their decline being that they stopped relying heavily on heritage players and chose from within their own borders....but Jean reckons that they will be competetive by sticking SL sides in NY, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and other places he found on a map
Still, at least they've got a well paid coach eh Bazza