They made it clear early that they're just not interested. I find it amusing that the NRL is getting praise (self praise mainly as is usually the case with the Aussies) for the Pacific championships, as though it's being done to build the International game for the good of the sport. They've been bunged a load of money from the Government and the main benefit for them is that it allows them to keep control and keep International fixtures to a bare minimum, with most players not having to travel any further than New Zealand. I've no doubt the Ashes is only going to be played over here because the Aussies couldn't be bothered organising them Down Under.
Even when they say yes, it's frustrating that near enough every year we have to go through this ritual dance with the Aussies to see if they feel like participating in one of the sport's great spectacles.
Their own competition is all that really matters, even to the exclusion of the sport's international agenda.
It's not just shortsighted, it's almost like a form of protectionism. The WCC is repeatedly the only real international fixture where they are seriously challenged and at least as often as not come out second best. That shouldn't be something to be ashamed of. It just means that in a one-off clash anything can happen, so it's a real contest, and no one can predict the outcome ... which is surely what we all want high-level sport to be.
But, no. That doesn't seem to suit the Australian RL psyche. If they can't win most of the time, they don't seem to like it.
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