Rugby League World Cup seen as third tier in southern hemisphere, says John Kear

The World Cup has provided a wake-up call for northern hemisphere teams, according to Wales coach John Kear.

The veteran coach believes the tournament, which has now reached the halfway stage, is viewed Down Under as a third-tier competition, behind State of Origin and the NRL.

The World Cup has been a chastening experience for Wales and Scotland, who have both conceded more than 120 points in their two group games so far, while England have yet to demonstrate they are genuine title contenders.

Ireland have been the one success story for the northern hemisphere but it is the Pacific nations, bolstered by a wealth of NRL talent, who have largely stolen the show.

I do not want to depress everyone but results are showing just how good the southern hemisphere really are.

The Welsh drew the short straw by being offered first up to Papua New Guinea in the tropical humidity of Port Moresby before being asked to take on a star-studded Fiji team in Townsville but Kear says the tournament has been even tougher than he expected.

"It has been really difficult and the results make it that way," said Kear, who is in Perth with his Welsh squad to prepare for their final group game against Ireland on Sunday.

"But the eye-opening thing for me is, from the last time I came down under to the time now, things have moved on so greatly.

"We trained at the North Queensland Cowboys training ground and those facilities just knock anything in the Super League into a cocked hat.

"So, they not only have a greater player pool, but I also believe they have got a better development path and a better performance path at the elite end and results are showing that.

"I do not want to depress everyone but results are showing just how good the southern hemisphere really are.

"You have got to have wake-up calls and I think we are getting one."

'A third-tier comp'

Kear, who is full-time head of rugby at Super League club Wakefield, says the new pay agreement reached between the NRL and its players worth around £560million will help widen the gap further and argues Super League falls way behind their Australasian counterparts when it comes to player welfare issues.

Scotland and Wales were particularly badly hit by player unavailability for the World Cup.

"I think southern hemisphere players make themselves available because they have got six weeks off at the end of it, while a lot of northern hemisphere players will go back and have two weeks break maximum," he said.

"That is no good for anyone. I get the impression from speaking to people and being in among people who are involved in the game in the southern hemisphere that this is looked upon as a third-tier comp.

"They say State of Origin is the top tier, followed by NRL and this is seen as a standard below NRL and it probably is. And that is reflected in the interest shown in it."

Meanwhile, Kear insists he wants to stay in the job despite Wales' disappointing results so far.

"If they do not want me because of results I would understand it and take it on the chin," he said. "But I do not see any point in throwing the towel in.

"I believe in the international game and I would like to improve it but we have had our bottoms spanked and we have got to learn from it."