I agree every four years is how it should be and we should aim to make this the norm from here on in.

Chuck in an alternate ashes tour (with a test against the Kiwis) and the rest of the time should be spent working in the rest of the smaller nations into Competition with the big 3.

surely it cant be that difficult to find a four year cycle along those lines and stick to it?

I think we should consider every 3 years alternating between north and southern hemisphere. For the next 10 years after 2017

4 nations north Hem
4 nations South Hem
World Cup north hem
Gb tour south hem
4 nations north
World cup south
4 nations north hem
4 nations south hem
World cup expansion country?


The qualifying tournements can slot in nicely and it would push International RL up the agenda.

I think a slightly shorter turnaround would help the smaller nations with team building and funding.

And most major sports have much shorter gaps between tournements - annually or bi annually.

Union has a longer world cup cycle but a solid regional international programme and friendlies.