After years of procrastination and inactivity, rugby league is planning to announce a 12-year international calendar. That's what Set of Six has been able to glean from the International Federation meeting in Brisbane over the weekend. The RLIF has also determined it needs another product aside from the World Cup to escape living hand to mouth every four years – a Nines tournament is a possibility, but no one wants to tread on the toes of the Duco Events tournament. The qualifying process for the 2017 World Cup has been finalised and will be announced soon and the handover of control to a new governing body in the US is almost complete. But the real intrigue surrounds the much-hyped RLIF CEO's position. We're hearing it has been offered to a rugby union man, who is yet to accept.

Poms on verge of history

Heavy hit: Kangaroo Greg Bird drives Kiwi Jason Nightingale into the Suncorp Stadium turf on Saturday night. Credit:Getty Images

When England arrived for the Four Nations, their biggest aim was to end a 44-year drought in series involving Australia. But a win next Sunday at AAMI Park would put that achievement in the shade in terms of rugby league history, for it would force Australia to miss a major final for the first time since 1954. That was the first World Cup in France – Australia finished third that year, winning one of their three pool matches with France and Great Britain toppling them. The final of the 'Rugby World Cup' – it was the only one in either code at that stage – saw Britain beat France 16-12 before 30,368 people at Paris' Parc de Princes. Because Australia told Great Britain to stay home next year, the green and golds would have to wait until 2016 to atone should they be defeated.