|
|
|
Next Game N/A
Last Game Greece 22 - Malta 24
|
|
Greece Set For Battle With Italy |
||
|
The Greek Rugby League Association met with the Italian Rugby League officials last month in order to discuss staging a match. Both bodies are keen on staging a match between Greece and Italy in Sydney later in the season to help promote the game internationally. There are three options that both nations are looking at with playing a curtain-raiser to an NRL match the preferred option. The NRL semi-finals in September are being looked at but that is subject to availability. "We need to find out exactly what dates are available before we can start planning for the game.We would prefer to play the game before the Rugby League season finishes in early October because there will be plenty of interest amongst Rugby League supporters" said Italian Rugby league manager Mick Pezzano. "We need to play the game towards the end of the season so we have most of our players available that play in the Premier League,Jim Bean Cup and Queensland Cup." The other alternative would be to play the game as a stand-alone fixture at a venue to be decided.Leichhardt Oval,Concord Oval,Kogarah Oval,Henson Park and Cabramatta Sports Ground have been mentioned but a decision would be make when costs for hiring the grounds and calculated. "The good thing about staging this kind of game is that we get income from the gate and any sponsorship but there are plenty of running costs which would mean that we would be lucky to break even." said Pezzano. "By playing the game prior to an NRL game means that we do not have to worry about anything.We can concentrate on making the game a great spectacle and promoting the game for Greece and Italy." A double-header featuring a soccer and Rugby League match has also been mentioned with the game to be played at Marconi Stadium when the Olympic Sharks take on Marconi in the NSL. The game will be subject to the draw that is released by the NSL and both the GRL and IRL are hoping that they do meet sometime in October or November. "First we are going to see what dates are available before we make any decision about the game." said IRL co-manager John Benigni. Both nations are using the game to help develop the game back in their homelands. "People ask us what is the point of staging this kind of game in Sydney when we should be playing in Europe.We need to build up support with sponsors and players in order to go over to Italy and Greece and help establish the game." said Pezzano. "We would love to have started everything from Italy but we just couldn't do it.People tried to do it in the past and it was met with failure.We had to do it another way if it was to be successful." Italy will stage a four-team tournament in July which will be played over a weekend.IRL officials are hoping to create enough interest to make it a regular competition. Tiziono Bennioti is currently running operations in Italy and has helped encourage more players to feature in the French Rugby League competition. Italy will meet Ireland and Scotland in June/July in the Padova Cup with dates and venues still to be confirmed. Ireland is also hoping to play a return match with Italy but that is unlikely because of finances. "We would love to be able to head over to Ireland but we are restricted by finance.If we can cover the airfares and accommodation than we would be only too happy to play them." said benigni. Greece could be invited to participate in the Padova Cup in 2004 but that decision will be subject to finances from the Italian Rugby League. "We are never short of teams that want to come to Italy to play us but the bottom line is we have to be realistic.It costs money to run these tournaments and we must do it right to make sure that they pay for themselves." said Pezzano. Greece already have 60 players on their books and are planning to play a match against either the Students League,Police Rugby League or the Corrective Services in June or July. Article from RUGBY LEAGUE REVIEW
Click Here For More Match Results Click Here To Talk About This Article In The Forum
|
