Sport Confidential: The NRL has whittled their options for Las Vegas to half-a-dozen
The NRL has whittled down their list for Las Vegas to six, with Manly and Brisbane considered certainties to be part of the double-header to open next season.
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Australia will come to the rescue of the next World Cup and a return of the rugby league Ashes concept headlines a list of historic announcements for the international game.
International rugby league finally has a long-awaited long-term calendar with tours and tournaments confirmed until the end of 2030.
Among the major announcements:
* The Southern Hemisphere will host a World Cup in 2026. France was due to host the tournament in 2025 but that was cancelled. The tournament will now go ahead a year later.
* The men’s tournament will feature just 10 teams which is six less than last year’s tournament. Every nation who made the quarter finals will automatically qualify meaning Australia, England, PNG, Lebanon, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa will compete.
* A qualification framework for the remaining two spots are yet to be decided which will form part of a new World Series format for the smaller nations.
* There will be eight women and wheelchair teams. The women’s World Cup will become a stand-alone event from 2028.
* There is another men’s World Cup in 2030.
“The cancellation of France 2025 has given us an opportunity to refresh the structure of the World Cup and associated tournaments as part of a long-term international calendar that all in the game have been desperately seeking,” said Troy Grant, International Rugby League chair.
The Kangaroos will play in a three-team series at the end of the season against New Zealand and Samoa while Tonga tours England. There is a push for Samoa to travel to England next year which would allow Tonga to compete in a tri-series at the end of next year in the southern hemisphere.
The Kiwis and Kangaroos will head north to play England in 2027 and 2028 respectively.
England will tour Australia in 2025 to take-part in a three Test series for the first time as part of the first Ashes series in Australia since 1992.
There are also plans for Pacific nations such as PNG, Cook Islands and Fiji to play each other in end of season tournaments starting this year.
“It is no secret that the Achilles heel for international rugby league for far too long has been the absence of an international calendar,” Grant said. “The ad hoc nature of tournaments and international matches, and the absence of any clarity for nations, players and fans to plan their seasons, is over.
“The international calendar respects player workloads and importantly also reduces the impact on professional clubs.
“The standards have improved dramatically in recent years regarding player welfare and player workload issues and they were key considerations in the calendar design.”
There are no plans for an international nine’s tournament.
KEY RABBITOH SENT FOR SURGERY
South Sydney prop Tevita Tatola underwent knee surgery last week in a bid to be fit and firing for the finals. Tatola has carried the niggle for a large chunk of the season leading to minor surgery last week.
He is expected to miss about three more weeks however, ex-Canterbury prop James Graham returned after just two games after having a similar operation during his playing career.
The Rabbitohs won’t rush Tatola back but want him ready for the business end of the season.
McINNES’S HUGE PHYSICAL TRANSFORMATION
This is what making a record amount of tackles does to you. We’ve gone through the archives to find a before and after shot of Cronulla’s battle-hardened forward Cameron McInnes. McInnes made his debut as a fresh-faced 20-year-old for the Rabbitohs in 2014. Fast forward a decade and he is now missing teeth and sporting a few scars. Remarkably, despite his feats last weekend McInnes did not qualify for the VB Hard Earned Index Team of the Week on the NRL’s official website.
MANNAH, MONIE HANDED LIFE MEMBERSHIPS
Parramatta legends Tim Mannah and John Monie will be given life membership of the club before kick-off to the Eels’ clash against St George Illawarra on Sunday.
Mannah, a former captain of the Eels, played 233 games for the club between 2009-19. He captained them and went on to play four games for NSW.
Monie was at the helm of the Eels during their last premiership success – a win against Canterbury in 1986. They also finished runners-up in his first year in charge in 1984 before he left the club at the end of 1989.
“We are incredibly proud of our history and life membership is an important acknowledgment for our club,” Eels boss Jim Sarantinos said. “Tim Mannah and John Monie have contributed significantly to the Eels and we look forward to honouring them both in front of a huge home crowd on Sunday.
“We will also be welcoming our past players for Old Boys day who will form a guard of honour alongside our new life members just before kick-off.”
The Eels will also allow fans to enter the Commbank Stadium playing surface at the conclusion of the match against the Dragons.
“Sunday is a huge occasion for our club with a double header for our men’s and women’s teams,” Sarantinos said. “We’ll be opening the gates after full-time for our first Fans on the Field at Commbank Stadium since 2019.”
PANTHERS SIGN SON OF ISSAC LUKE
The Panthers have signed the son of Isaac Luke to a two year deal. Cruze Culshaw-Luke was part of Penrith’s emerging squad and will continue in their pathway system next season.
THE SIX NRL TEAMS SET TO TAKE ON VEGAS
The race for Vegas is down to six. Sport Confidential can reveal the NRL has whittled their options for Las Vegas to half-a-dozen clubs with Manly and Brisbane considered certainties to be part of the double header to open next season.
The remaining spots are likely to be filled by two of South Sydney, Melbourne, the Sydney Roosters and Canberra. The NRL is believed to be in final talks with the contenders as they decide which clubs will be given the honour of breaking new ground in Sin City.
The Sea Eagles have been at the forefront of plans to invade America, their chair Scott Penn leading the charge. Manly fan Hugh Jackman is also regarded as a key plank of the NRL’s plans to take over Vegas, having been approached about performing as part of the week-long celebration.
The Broncos are also regarded as certainties while the Rabbitohs are prominent contenders given the pulling power of owners Russell Crowe and Mike Cannon-Brookes. The Broncos are expected to be one of the away teams while Manly are likely to be a home side.
As part of their submissions to be involved, each interested club was asked how much money they would require to be the home team and give up one of their games in Australia.
The NRL is expected to be in a position to announce the final four sides as early as this weekend as the clock ticks on making a decision. Head office is well aware that it needs to give supporters time to plan their schedules and book travel to attend a landmark week for the game.
The plan is for games to be played on March 2 in Las Vegas and be broadcast back into Australia on March 3. Kick-off will be at 6pm and 8.30pm local time, meaning they will be screened in Australia at 1pm and 3.30pm.
The matches will be played at Allegiant Stadium and teams playing in Las Vegas will be given the week off the following week, when the remaining 13 teams will kick off their seasons. Essentially they will be playing in round zero.
Two teams will arrive on February 26 and two other teams will arrive the next day. The head coach and squads of 22 players will fly business class and accommodation will be provided for up to six nights with teams to leave on either March 3 or 4.
Some clubs including North Queensland, Wests Tigers and Penrith have expressed an interest in travelling to the US in 2025.
DOLPHIN EYES SUPER LEAGUE MOVE
Dolphins forward Herman Ese’ese is ready to call time on his NRL career as he weighs up offers from Super League sides Warrington and Hull.
Ese’ese, a foundation member of the Dolphins forward pack, had the opportunity to stay in the NRL but is believed to be leaning towards a move overseas.
The powerhouse front rower has played more than 120 first grade games since making his debut with Canterbury in 2015. After stints at Brisbane, Newcastle and the Gold Coast, he was recruited by the Dolphins to add starch and experience to their forward pack in their maiden season.
SPOTTED
Andrew Johns switching codes to lend a helping hand to a local rugby union club. The rugby league Immortal turned up at Clovelly Eagles rugby club to help the under-12s team.
FLASHBACK
Gold Coast centre Graham Mackay was sanctioned on this day 25 years ago after he pleaded guilty to abusing referee Moghseen Jadwat in the tunnel after a match on the Gold Coast. It ended up being Mackay’s final game for Gold Coast.
FAMILY SPLIT AS FLANNO ACCELERATES OVERHAUL
St George Illawarra incoming coach Shane Flanagan is in the midst of a more than $1 million fire sale with the Dragons hamstrung for next season unless they can clear some much needed salary cap space.
While Flanagan has been active in trying to land potential recruits, he does not have the scope to land a big fish until 2025 unless the Dragons can move on a host of players immediately.
Outside back Max Feagai is the latest player to be told he can leave the club if he can find a deal elsewhere despite having 12 months left on his contract.
It will be a split in the family ranks for Feagai. His twin brother Mat will remain at the club next year after cementing himself on St George Illawarra’s wing while his partner Maddison Weatherall is part of the Dragons NRLW side.
Feagai joins Jayden Sullivan, Zane Musgrove and Jaiyden Hunt as potential free agents with Flanagan telling the quartet they can leave the club before their deals expire.
That would equate to more than $1 million salary cap space for the Dragons if they can get the players off their books. Sullivan is on a deal worth more than $500,000 while Feagai and Musgrove will earn more than $700,000 combined next year. Hunt is on a minimum deal.
Sullivan is expected to join the Tigers next season on a deal likely to be up to four years. A straight up three-year offer with an option for a fourth year is being discussed.
Feagai has played just nine games since making his debut in 2020. His twin brother Mat will remain at the club next year after cementing himself on St George Illawarra’s wing.
The Dragons have gone down this path before with twins when they split the Morris brothers in 2009 with Josh signing with Canterbury and Brett remaining at the club until the end of 2014.
Flanagan has been busily meeting with player agents in recent weeks. He told anyone whose deal expires at the end of next year that they will have to wait until they are offered new deals.
That means the likes of Francis Molo, Jaydn Su’A, Jack de Belin, Moses Suli and Tyrell Sloan may not have deals done before November 1 when they are able to negotiate with rival clubs.
Flanagan has told the player agents he needs to nail down a 2024 squad before he shifts his attention to 2025.
The Dragons have added Hame Sele for next season and Flanagan is desperate to add two to three further new players including Luke Thompson should he be able to create the cap space.
Flanagan has also settled on his coaching staff for next season. Dean Young and Ryan Carr will be his assistants while Ben Woolf will work with the NRL squad as well as the coaching the reserve team.
Watch: Sydney Roosters rap group to drop 20-track album
Three-quarters of the Sydney Roosters rap crew will be departing the club at the end of the season but that hasn’t stopped them banding together to produce a 20-track album set to drop soon. Watch the stars in the studio.
Free trains in Sydney this weekend
Stalled enterprise agreement negotiations have forced the NSW government to make train travel free this weekend.