It isn’t the big gesture you make out. Given they earn sums of £50-100k or higher a week and sponsorship deals on top on that then £2k isn’t really any different to Joe Public donation £10 to charity.

Likelihood is you didn’t know just how little the appearance fee was by their earning standards before trying to put them on some pedestal.

Should the King really need to plea to include his country in International Rugby League? For years we have been crying out for another country to become competitive with the 3 tier one nations. It’s outrageous that 1 year on from Tonga’s unbelievable World Cup display, they haven’t managed to arrange a fixture with one of the tier one nations. https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/08/25/kin ... st-happen/

Should the King really need to plea to include his country in International Rugby League? For years we have been crying out for another country to become competitive with the 3 tier one nations. It’s outrageous that 1 year on from Tonga’s unbelievable World Cup display, they haven’t managed to arrange a fixture with one of the tier one nations. https://www.nrl.com/news/2018/08/25/kin ... st-happen/

Been to numerous England games a great event. The RFL needs to build on that and make them even more of an event.

It's a nice gesture and I'm sure the charities are grateful to receive it, but let's not pretend that it's causing the players to have to make much of a sacrifice. I'm sure that many players do far more for charity than that anyway, so it's not a criticism of them.

Says a lot about the players if pulling on the colours of their country means nothing without money.

Should be seeded payments based on the quality of the opposition, attendance projection and the grade importance of the game.

If a game in front of an expected 30000 people isn't financially viable due to the player payment demands, then you have to conclude that those demands are too high. It would be different if we were talking about a game in front of a couple of thousand people. Then I could understand it. But not when it's 30000 - that's a big crowd by international RL standards and by most other sports standards too.

New Zealand v Australia tickets have gone on sale. Still no confirmation whether or not Tonga will get a game.

Mal Meninga isn’t succeeding in his goal at making international rugby league the pinnacle of the sport is he?

The kickoff time for the England New Zealand game at Anfield has been changed for the second time. My booked train tickets now useless.

Really helping to get me excited about the international game, nearly every time I book tickets months in advance I feel like a sucker for one reason or another.

Outrageous


The Kangaroos have agreed in principle to the significant pay cut in which they will sacrifice the lion's share of their standard $20,000 match payments for Tests.

The Mate Ma'a will likely receive the same payment - expected to be less than $5000 per player - when the two nations meet for the first time at international level.

An announcement on the much-anticipated clash is expected next week, with intervention from NRL CEO Todd Greenberg and even a request from the office of the King of Tonga helping to have the October 20 Test go ahead.

RLPA boss Ian Prendergast confirmed the significant sacrifice by Australia's playing squad, made in the hope of building the international game and not letting Tonga's stunning World Cup run go to waste.

"The players have agreed in principle to this match and they understand the interest in it," Prendergast told NRL.com.

"They're supportive of the international game and waiving they're rights to the match payment that they'd otherwise receive for a Test match of this nature - they need to be commended for that.

"We're still working through those details but it may be that the Australians receive a very small match payment, the same as the Tongan boys and that's something that they're willing to accept on a one-off basis to get this game across the line."

'"

It’s good news the Tonga Test looks like it will be on, but the fact it’s on a one off basis means anymore games against Australia will not be financially viable.

England and New Zealand should be ashamed of themselves for doing absolutely nothing to attempt to arrange games with Tonga.

New Zealand play Australia before they fly to England at Mount Smart Stadium, that game should have been against Tonga. It would have been better for International Rugby League and better for the Kiwis financies.

New Zealand want to exclude Tonga as they fear they will remain better than them, it’s the same small minded attitudes some have over here wanting no French or Canadian clubs to play our sport.

While I agree more needs to be done I certainly do buy into this idea that 'playing for your country is an honour, should do it for free' nonsense.

Why would it be any different for the players playing Origin. One could argue thats just as important to some yet they dont do it for free.

Players should be paid for whatever game they play its just those payments should align with the game itself.

Origin will see higher payments as the games are commercially bigger. If Australia cant afford to pay the $20,000 match fee for kangeroo games then something needs to be done to agree on getting those fees reduced so the games are viable.

NZRL in a bit of financial difficulty, not helped that Moore Sports hasn’t paid them for the Denver Test. Perhaps NZ should have played Tonga, their players wouldn’t demand $20k each, it’d certainly of been a money spinner for them. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/ ... 50158.html

NZRL in a bit of financial difficulty, not helped that Moore Sports hasn’t paid them for the Denver Test. Perhaps NZ should have played Tonga, their players wouldn’t demand $20k each, it’d certainly of been a money spinner for them. https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sport/ ... 50158.html

It seems common sense has prevailed and the Australia v Tonga game is going to go ahead.

New Zealand are also set to play Tonga in 2019 on the same weekend as State of Origin.

Who will England play now New Zealand have turned their back on the agreed mid season test between the two nations?