There have been further calls for the NRL get involved in buying a stake in Super League, with more members of the Australian media joining the bandwagon, following on from England’s performance in the Rugby League Ashes series.
Following the first Ashes over 20 years, the talk surrounding England prior to the series was that they would be able to compete with the Kangaroos, with some even going as far as to say could win a game, if not the series.
However, the performances at Wembley and Everton have proven that was never going to be the case, with Shaun Wane’s side far too inferior of their greatest rivals.
Scoring one try in 160 minutes so far, England have been way off the mark in both attack and defence, with physicality the problem in game one, and execution the issue in game two.
This has led the media Down Under to criticise not only the England national team, but Super League as a whole. They believe that, for the game to survive in England, the NRL needs to have some sort of control over Super League in order for the gap between the two competitions to decrease.
Head of the Australian Rugby League Commission, Peter V’landys, has spoken during his time in England that he predicts Super League could be heading for a “train crash” if they don’t do anything to improve the next broadcast deal.
Speaking on The Bye Round Podcast, which is usually hosted by former England prop James Graham, the interim host of NRL journalist Brent Read and former NRL Grand Final winner, Wade Graham, gave their verdict on the Ashes series and the Super League competition as a whole.
The second Test, in which England were defeated 14-4, proved to be a lot closer than the first, but ultimately Australia outperformed the home nation, despite not being at their best.
Time difference meant that the game was played at 1:30am in Australia, and for a game that lacked quality, it would have been a hard sell to even the most keen Kangaroos fans.
“I’m glad I didn’t stay up for this,” said Graham. “It wasn’t the most pretty game of rugby league, there were certainly plenty of feeling out.
“I thought there was a response from England, they were certainly up for the defensive challenge a bit more than in game one, but Australia, just their class.
“Even with Australia not at their best, I don’t think they’re firing on all cylinders either, but they still had enough to get the job done and get the result.”
NRL Grand Final winner believes rugby league needs a “strong English competition” as concerns begin to grow over NRL-Super League divide
Read added that the fact England couldn’t compete with an Australia team who couldn’t get out of second gear meant there were more problems than what meets the eye.
He said: “The other thing this has shown, obviously the NRL is in talks with Super League over taking more control of Super League and trying to help. I think what this has highlighted is why Super League needs help. I think the gulf between the two competitions, it was already pretty significant, but it feels to me like it’s got wider.
“Even the really good England players, they now come to Australia anyway, so I think the sooner the NRL can get control or have more input in Super League, the more it will help, and the better, you hope, the standard their competition becomes.
Graham, whilst agreeing that the Australian competition needed to be involved with it’s Northern Hemisphere counterpart, further added to his point by saying he believes that a strong Super League and England team will only benefit the NRL going forward. The former Cronulla forward also suggested that players should come over to Super League and vice versa in order for the collaboration between the two competitions to grow.
“I think it’s important. For the NRL to be successful, or to continue being successful, I think we need a strong English competition as well. Not only is it in Super League’s best interest to get some help and to straighten out the game over there, but it’s in the NRL’s interest as well.
“A strong competition overseas, whether it’s NRL players going over at the back end of their career, or Super League players coming to try NRL and heading back to their teams in England, I think the game of rugby league, and for the NRL, we need a strong Super League.
“In a perfect world, the NRL would become a part of that, and just things like governance, and straightening the competition out, working with each other, it really seems like a no-brainer to me.
“I get why they don’t want a foreign entity to come in and have a controlling part, but I think it’s in the best interest for the game, they really need it.”
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