New Zealand players push for return of mid-year clash against Australia
New Zealand players and officials are pushing for the mid-year Anzac Test to return to Australia, which would give them a representative game with special meaning, rather than waiting for end-of-year internationals.
The last Anzac Test was played in front of fewer than 20,000 fans in Canberra in 2017 before it was canceled under the new broadcast deal.
Australia have won 16 of the 18 Anzac Tests played between the two countries, which began in 1997 and were always played on or around 25 April.
The Kiwi players came up with the idea of trying to revive the Anzac game while in camp during last year’s Pacific Championships.
While the Australian Test players will gather in mid-year for the State of Origin series, the New Zealanders will have to wait until the end of the season for their own big clash. But given the country’s strong representation in the NRL, they believe they deserve more.
“It would be unreal to have a Test in the middle of the year,” Canberra’s Joe Tapine said.
“We always talk about Origin, how Australian players play together and how they play against each other at the highest level, but we have to wait until the end of the year.
“The Kiwis have been good in the past, but we’ve made great progress and we have players now who can challenge the Aussies. It would be a great game. They need to deliver on that.”
Roosters prop Naufahu Whyte added: “We talked about how State of Origin gets all the praise. They deserve it. But as New Zealanders we feel we play a big part in this game and believe we should have a good game against Australia.”
“The Anzac Test will be a respect game between Australia and New Zealand.
“I remember growing up and watching these [Anzac] games and how players will go after it.
“This will not be an ordinary game.”
Outgoing New Zealand Rugby League chief Greg Peters said he supported any extra international matches and that fans would pack the 50,000-capacity Eden Park every year.
He says a match between two proud nations rather than two NRL clubs is also a more accurate representation of the Anzac spirit.
“We would love to do the Anzac Test again, it would give New Zealand a meaningful game against Australia outside of the Pac Champs,” he said. “Our players want more international games and important games like the Anzac Test.
“At a time when everyone is facing challenges and so many things are happening in other parts of the world, this is something we can hang our hat on.
“It would be nice if we could tie a game to a day of the year that is really important and meaningful.”
How much interest there is in the Anzac Test will largely depend on broadcasters negotiating the next deal with the NRL, which starts with the 2028 season.
One of the criticisms of the mid-year Anzac Test in the past was that club football was suspended for a week, causing the season to be extended. Peters said there was no reason why the Test could not be played on the same weekend as club football. Clubs with heavy representation will be affected that weekend, but it also means they will have top talent at their disposal for the rest of the year.
Tapine said players’ workloads would not be an issue and Origin players had no such concerns about support after such a fierce competition.
The NRL changed its international Origin eligibility rules this year; thus New Zealand and England players were able to represent either NSW or Queensland provided they still met the criteria.
