Internationals Four Nations In Doubt

[leeds_warrior_old]

Doubts have surfaced over the end-of-season Four Nations tournament after it emerged Australia are considering boycotting their match against France.

The Kangaroos are considering their position, according to the Australian magazine Rugby League Week, because alcohol sponsorship and signage is banned in France and they are backed by a brewer.

"I don't know how this is going to be resolved," Australia Rugby League chief executive Geoff Carr told the magazine. "We have a contract with VB which we take very seriously and have every intention of honouring."

France, who are being elevated to the old Tri-Nations series, are due to host both Australia and New Zealand in the autumn.

Craig Spence, communications manager for the Rugby Football League, confirmed the League were aware of the problem, which has a certain irony given the avalanche of alcohol-related bad publicity that has recently undermined the game in Australia.

"We are aware of the complication, which after all is caused by long-standing French law," he said.

"We've been working with our international partners to find solutions in the same way other sports have."

The RFL are still looking for a tournament sponsor following Gillette's decision to withdraw its support for the tournament and concentrate on its backing of the England team.


https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5g7-560f0rfct7BUs2aVLhp3dI_Ig

 

[leeds_warrior_old]

If Australia are going to do this then they should forfeit that game or if they don't want to take part at all forfeit all games and let the rest carry on.

 

[Jesbass_old]

I agree.

I remember watching a pre-race F1 video which followed a McLaren truck driver from their base in England to...somewhere in Europe. At one border, (it could well have been France), he had to remove all of the tobacco advertising from the sides of the truck, then put it back on afterwards.

Is Australia's brewery sponsor the same alcohol company that gave each RLWC Kangaroo a $1,000AUD alcohol voucher? Is it any wonder our game is being marred by alcohol-fueled incidents?

 

[Northern_Union]

Just do what the F1 guys do with tabacco sponsorship and change the name slightly. Something like VBEE, or V with a buzzbee picture or something. Or even the logo without the VB letters.

 

[leeds_warrior_old]

I don't see why they can't change sponsor for the 1 game. Take Leeds for example when we were sponsored by Tetleys we used to change it for that game to Thirsty without making a big fuss about it.

 

[JonB_old]

they should just tell them its a soda.
Would it be possible for them not to sponsor this game and get a replacement for a game?

 

[Fazz_old]

I don't see why they can't change sponsor for the 1 game. Take Leeds for example when we were sponsored by Tetleys we used to change it for that game to Thirsty without making a big fuss about it.

Because it's Australia's way or the highway in the international game.
I don't see why they have all the clout...Us Kiwi's have won 2 out of 3 of the last major international tournaments lol
On a sidenote, are the Kiwi's stil sponsered by Lion Red?

 

[Spence_old]

Because it's Australia's way or the highway in the international game.
I don't see why they have all the clout...Us Kiwi's have won 2 out of 3 of the last major international tournaments lol
On a sidenote, are the Kiwi's stil sponsered by Lion Red?

Pirtek, I think. Same as Parramatta.

 

[LordGnome_old]

Alcohol is bad but eating horses is acceptable? Bloody French.

Good luck to their second XV at the weekend, though.

 

[leeds_warrior_old]

Because it's Australia's way or the highway in the international game.
I don't see why they have all the clout...Us Kiwi's have won 2 out of 3 of the last major international tournaments lol
On a sidenote, are the Kiwi's stil sponsered by Lion Red?

Yeah I know what your about to say just been reading New Zealand could also boycott their game against France. If both New Zealand and Australia boycott their games if they are to take place in France would France get any points ? if so they would pritty much be in the final if not then thats not really fair to France since they'd only play 1 game. This is just my opinion but to make it fair to all countries just play the 2 games over here.

 

[kiwi's 13-6_old]

why would the kiwi's boycott the quad nations? as fatr as i know nz world champion kiwi's are sponsored by pirtek (i dont think are a alchool) and the sunday news newspaper!

are you trying to stir up some controversy or something?

kiwi's public want to see thier team play and need we quad nations as an income source!

all we are talking about is one game in france betwwen vb sponsored kangarro's and the french. im shure vb has a non alchollic product they could switch to for the game, or play the game in the uk, theyll work it out.

 

[warriors4life_old]

why would the kiwi's boycott the quad nations? as fatr as i know nz world champion kiwi's are sponsored by pirtek (i dont think are a alchool) and the sunday news newspaper!

are you trying to stir up some controversy or something?

kiwi's public want to see thier team play and need we quad nations as an income source!

all we are talking about is one game in france betwwen vb sponsored kangarro's and the french. im shure vb has a non alchollic product they could switch to for the game, or play the game in the uk, theyll work it out.

The Kiwis have been sponsored by Lion Red for quite a while, and their sponsorship can co-exist with Pirtek. Not sure if Lion Red still sponsor the Kiwis, can someone shed some light?

 

[leeds_warrior_old]

This is what's been in the papers here


Australia have thrown the preparations for this autumn's Four Nations series into further confusion by threatening to refuse to play their scheduled Test in France because of the country's ban on alcohol advertising. The Kangaroos are sponsored by Victoria Bitter and Geoff Carr, the chief executive of the Australian Rugby League, said: "We have a contract with VB which we take very seriously and have every intention of honouring. I don't know how this is going to be resolved."

The latest edition of the Australian magazine Rugby League Week claims both Australia and New Zealand, who are sponsored by the Lion Red beer brand, are considering a boycott of their Four Nations games in France which are scheduled for the first two weekends in November – although venues have still to be finalised.

A Rugby Football League spokesman confirmed today that they are aware of the problem, which has a certain irony given the avalanche of alcohol-related bad publicity that has recently undermined the game in Australia and complicated the global search for a title sponsor for the Four Nations series.

The RFL has denied reports that Coca-Cola pulled out of a possible deal and remains confident of securing a new sponsor following Gillette's decision to withdraw its support for the tournament and concentrate on its backing of the England team – currently in France ahead of a one-off Test in Paris next Saturday.

The last scheduled meeting of the game's International Federation was cancelled partly because the chairman, David Gallop, has so much on his plate dealing with the Australian game's off-field crises in his major role as chief executive of the National Rugby League.


https://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2009/jun/09/australia-france-four-nations

 

[Fazz_old]

The Kiwis have been sponsored by Lion Red for quite a while, and their sponsorship can co-exist with Pirtek. Not sure if Lion Red still sponsor the Kiwis, can someone shed some light?

Thats what I was wondering. I know they arent our main sponser but at one point they were on the arms wern't they? (much like the warriors)

 

[Jesbass_old]

I find it interesting that the RLW says we're still sponsored by Lion Red, when the ANZAC test photos I just looked up seem to only show Pirtek and the Sunday News as sponsors.

 

[Northern_Union]

Arn't Lion Red shorts sponsors or something?

 

[Jesbass_old]

Arn't Lion Red shorts sponsors or something?

That's what I assumed, but the shorts didn't appear to have any advertising on them in the ANZAC test...but who knows, we may have re-signed Lion Red more recently, because the Koogah(sp?) deal was pretty recent.

 

[Northern_Union]

Just had a look see on the NZRL website, can't find any mention of Lion Red on it anywhwere.

 

[leeds_warrior_old]

Can't find anything either you don't think the press are getting the international team mixed up with the Warriors do you ?

 

[Spence_old]

Can't find anything either you don't think the press are getting the international team mixed up with the Warriors do you ?

They probably just presumed the Kiwis are still with Lion Red?