Kangaroos

If response to Rugby League Planet’s latest poll on social media is anything to go by, the proposed hybrid game between the Australian Kangaroos rugby league side and New Zealand’s all-conquering All Blacks rugby union team is not regarded by fans as terribly meaningful.

A whopping majority of respondents, around 90 percent, said that they did not see much merit in it.

Talks reportedly are continuing about playing this hybrid match potentially in December either in Brisbane, Sydney or Perth following the State of Origin series.

If it goes ahead, it would most likely be a 14-a-side game, although just how the rules would work has yet to be ironed out.

The main point of the matchup would be as a money-maker given that the global coronavirus pandemic has forced the cancellation of international competition such as the Kangaroos’ planned three-test series against England and the All Blacks’ home test matches against Scotland and Wales.

RLP asked our Twitter followers whether they thought the idea of the cross-code exhibition game was a legitimate contest, or if it was pointless.

Here’s how they voted:

Yes, it’s legit                      9.6%

No, it’s pointless              90.4%

Many of the respondents also added comments, most of which were along the lines of preferring if the efforts going into organising this game were channeled into Australia playing Tonga, Samoa or the #1 ranked New Zealand Kiwis.

However, almost all said that they would more than likely watch the match if it went ahead.

Brian is a strong and effective communicator with more than 30 years’ experience in broadcast and electronic media. He has been writing for Rugby League Planet since 2012 and is frequently the first reporter to break news stories about the sport. He has been our North American correspondent reporting on news in the US, Canada and Jamaica covering everything from league standings to strategy analysis to breaking news on key trades to editorials and colourful features on athletes. He is now writing about rugby league on a broader scale to cover developments around the globe. An accomplished storyteller, Brian started his career in Australian radio, before moving to the United States. He is an experienced podcast host and producer and is also a successful TV commentator having done play-by-play and analysis for ESPN, FOX Sports and the Rugby League European Federation (RLEF) among others.