Ex-Test star backs call for Indigenous RLWC team

Former Australian Test prima Blake Ferguson has backed a telephone for the Indigenous All Stars to play successful the depleted Rugby League World Cup, on with a Maori team.

After Australia and New Zealand confirmed that they would not nonstop teams to the season-ending lawsuit successful the UK, Ferguson backed a telephone from erstwhile Eels teammate Brad Takairangi for Indigenous and Maori teams to instrumentality part.

"This would beryllium great, I'm successful and I cognize each the brothers are keen to marque this happen. Would beryllium 1 for the past books and our people," Ferguson, who would diagnostic successful a highly talented squad if the thought came to fruition, wrote connected Twitter.

Blake Ferguson of the Eels celebrates aft scoring a effort against the Broncos. (Getty)

The Rugby League Players Association has slammed the Australia-NZ snub of the tournament. Leading players similar James Tedesco, Damien Cook and Christian Welch person said that they would similar to participate.

Ferguson has played 7 Tests for Australia, positive 9 Origins for NSW, 5 games for the Indigenous All Stars and 244 NRL matches. Takairangi is presently playing for Hull KR and has represented Cook Islands, New Zealand and the Maori All Stars.

Former NRL referee Gavin Badger, an Indigenous man, said of Takairangi's proposal: "How bully would this be. This needs to happen."

Rugby Football League president Simon Johnson slammed the Australia-NZ determination to retreat from the World Cup arsenic "selfish, parochial and cowardly". ARLC president Peter V'landys explained the telephone successful a statement.

"Not participating successful this year's World Cup is not a determination the Commission has taken lightly, but we indispensable enactment the champion interests of our players and officials first. Protecting them is our implicit priority," helium said.

"In the existent environment, the risks to the safety, wellness and wellbeing of the players and officials travelling from Australia to enactment successful the tourney this twelvemonth are insurmountable.

"The bulk of NRL players are presently surviving distant from location nether hard biosecurity protocols. They would past beryllium required to stay nether protocols and distant from location for the duration of the tourney earlier again quarantining connected instrumentality to Australia. This is excessively overmuch to inquire our players and officials to do.

"We person again requested the IRL and Rugby League World Cup see postponing the lawsuit until 2022 to alteration each players to participate."

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