KIERSTEN DUKE: NRL should look at several Las Vegas options before canning women’s test match

The dazzling lights of Vegas shone brightly on rugby league for a second year in a row at the weekend.

It was a Sunday well spent for me. Glued to the TV screen from 8.30am to 5.30pm, I was about as useful to the people around me as the “g” is in lasagne.

In the comforts of my own apartment, nine hours of footy seemed like heaven.

Now I’m the first person to head to a game to support my team if I have the time off work, but even for myself the thought of being in a stadium for nine hours feels a little daunting.

It seemed a fair percentage of the 45,209 fans who attended the four-game card felt similarly as the crowd numbers fluctuated heavily and actually dropped for the final game between Penrith and Cronulla.

When the curtain came down on the league’s second trip to Sin City after two NRL fixtures, one Super League clash, and a women’s Test match, Peter V’landys admitted the NRL will consider dropping reducing the event to three games next year.

Following his comments it was clear from the media reports and multiple social media platforms that plenty of fans were gunning for the women’s game to get the chop.

This broke my heart. The Jillaroos against England game was the one I was looking forward to the most.

I was so excited to see female league players thriving on the international sporting stage.

Why is it always women who pay the price when things don’t go right? There are several ways the ARL could shorten their Vegas show but appear set to go for the easiest option.

They could play one less NRL game or as Ivan Cleary suggested play the now defunct World Cup Challenge between the NRL and Super League winners instead of the Super League game.

Don’t forget Wigan thrashed Sam Burgess’ Warrington 48-24 in an equally lopsided match to the women’s game.

While I was admittedly sad for England’s performance, it didn’t come as a huge shock to me that the Jillaroos completely obliterated them.

Women’s rugby league and rugby sevens on this side of the world is just miles ahead of the rest.

It got me thinking back to my childhood in England and why this is the case. Growing up, it wasn’t common for girls to play touch rugby.

We grew up enjoying netball, hockey, swimming and even when we did play with the boys, it was basketball. Not rugby league or rugby.

I’m not sure why this was, but it shows why women’s league in England is so underdeveloped compared to the game here in Australia where girls start playing touch rugby from such an early age.

There is simple fix for the women’s game in Vegas next year.

If you want something more competitive with a less predictable result, bring in the Kiwis.

Although my same game multi would suffer, I’m trying not to be selfish here.

The Maori girls are fierce competitors who have given the Aussies a run for their money on multiple occasions.

Speaking from an international fan’s perspective, the history of the two teams’ rivalry is more than enough to get the hairs on your neck to stand up regardless of where you’re from.

Put this on the big stage in Vegas and we’ll have a real show on our hands.

Now isn’t the time to give up on women’s sport on the US stage.

With no female NFL teams, American women have significantly less athletes to idolise in this space of contact sport.

There’s a huge gap in the market. Just look at the support USA rugby sevens star Ilona Maher received following their bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.

Overnight her Instagram following skyrocketed to 4.9 million. Strong, witty and charismatic, suddenly young girls saw someone who was unapologetically themselves and were inspired.

These are the fans we need to get our Aussie girls in front of.

Let them inspire the next generation.