Sydney Roosters prop Spencer Leniu believes an annual three-Check collection between Samoa and Tonga might change into State of Origin-like and promote out stadiums.
Sunday’s sold-out Pacific Championships ultimate has served as one other reminder of Check soccer’s potential, with Tonga supporters taking up CommBank Stadium.
Samoa didn’t function on this yr’s event whereas on a historic two-Check tour of England, however will return for the 2025 occasion towards Tonga and New Zealand.
The Tonga-Samoa conflict already looms as one of many greatest blockbusters of subsequent season, with a thought it might appeal to as much as 50,000 followers in a large enough stadium.
However Leniu believes extra is feasible.
He missed this yr’s England tour by means of private causes, however was a part of the Samoa aspect that reached the 2022 World Cup ultimate.
The prop has additionally brazenly spoken about how Jason Taumalolo’s change to Tonga in 2017 impressed his personal determination to prioritise Samoa.
And after watching Tonga attain this yr’s Pacific Championships ultimate, he believes the time is true to strike for the 2 Pacific nations.
“Hopefully they’ll do an Origin collection with us and Tonga,” the Sydney Roosters front-rower mentioned.
“It’s most likely the largest Pacific Island rivalry between us and Tonga. It’s unbelievable to see what they did this yr making it to the grand ultimate.
“I reckon Tonga and Samoa must be like an Origin collection. It will be unbelievable. In all probability (play) one in New Zealand after which one or two in Sydney or Brisbane.”
(Picture by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Photos)
Leniu’s feedback come after officers from New Zealand growth bids argued final week {that a} north-and-south Island Origin collection could possibly be a part of the way forward for the NRL.
Whereas that could possibly be performed at identical time because the NSW-Queensland Origin collection, a Samoa-Tonga collection wouldn’t be as simple to schedule.
Eligibility guidelines permit gamers to symbolize each their state and Pacific nation of heritage, with 13 of this yr’s Origin gamers having additionally represented Samoa or Tonga up to now 4 years.
An end-of-year three-match collection between Samoa and Tonga would then be a greater match, however might impede on the present success of the Pacific Championships.
The door might doubtlessly be open for extra flexibility within the consultant calendar when the NRL expands to twenty groups, with the potential of a shorter common season.
“I don’t care when, I simply need it to occur. There is no such thing as a larger rivalry than us and Tonga within the Pacific,” Leniu mentioned.
“They hate us and we hate them so it’ll be a great recreation. There’s a lot respect for them and what they’ve in a position to obtain for his or her small nation.
“Us two international locations going about it on the largest stage can be good for each nations.
“You possibly can double (Sunday’s crowd of 28,728). It was majority Tongan followers, however we’d have the identical variety of Samoan followers there so it’s be blue and pink.”
© AAP
