Peter Smith has retweeted someone this morning on twitter who's selling 4. Might be worth trying??

Boo, they've gone

But RL in England is dying. Isn't it?

Well in the 90s we used to play matches at Old Trafford and Wembeley and go near to selling them out, so selling out a 24,000 seater stadium isn't exactly a brilliant achievement

Remember Marathon bars and white dog poo?
Happy days.

People like to rant and rave about the RFL but always either misremember facts or delude themselves that Rugby League has ever not been what it is - a battling, second tier (in popularity) national sport which has to fight for both crowds and attention.


Average attendances vs the Kiwis for series in the UK:

1980: 8,729
1985: 16,769
1989: 17,206
1993: 22,590
1998: 19,734
2002: 20,835
2007: 19,360
2015: 30,887

2015 was historically exceptional and the 2016 Huddersfield game being sold out is also very atypical of these matches. The RFL needed to bring a game to W Yorks as we haven't had a top ranking test match for some time and are one of the most loyal heartlands - and Hudds is the only viable option other than Elland Road.

But but but 1980's Great Britian tours muddy pitches shaun edwards the games terrible now compared to then.

Attendances vs the kiwis were always poor compared with games vs the Aussie.

Odd really since often they were better games.

More brutal.

2 x kids and 2 x adults if anyone knows anyone as my last thread was derailed

Nice to see neutrality with Robert Hicks being selected as ref for this match



truly irks me how it STILL isn't compulsory to have a neutral ref in every international match like other sports.

When the annual or biannual outraged meltdown whingefest begins over an Aussie ref being appointed for the fixture between England and Australia, I expect you to join me in asking where that outrage was when an English ref was appointed for England's fixtures against the Kiwis and Scotland

This is my point though! the outrage should be taken out of questions by having a neutral ref in every game.

and yeah, the outrage will come

The only question is when that outrage will occur?

If England beat the Kiwis and are effectively qualified for the Final prior to facing the Aussies, the Aussies may well look the other way or agree to an English referee. That way, they can then insist on an Aussie ref for the Final to even things up.

Of course, like you I also would like the outrage removed and neutral refs appointed at all times. Unfortunately, our lot and the Aussies prefer to play their immature power/mind games instead by insisting upon their own refs being appointed.

It's boring, it's embarrassing and it's very immature.

Unfortunately, it's typical of a sport run by a bunch of insignificants who enjoy being big splashes in small pools.

Agreed.

none so blind as those that will not see.

Went to a lot of very good games between GB and NZ. I seem to remember that in the early 80's the obsession was Australia. I think in part because there were still plenty of supporters around who remembered us beating them in a test series.

Drop Goal Delight for Kiwis The expectation at a full John Smith's Stadium in Huddersfield was palpable for an English winning start to their four nations campaign against a New Zealand side keen to banish all memories of a loss against Australia a fortnight ago. England were the slight favourites with most bookies, but there was very little to choose between the two sides as Sam Burgess returned to the international rugby scene as the England captain. Coach Bennett make a handful of changes to the side who beat France in last weeks friendly, most notably through the inclusion of Dan Sarginson and Sam Burgess, meaning that three of the Burgess brothers would be in action this afternoon. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

Drop Goal Delight for Kiwis The expectation at a full John Smith's Stadium in Huddersfield was palpable for an English winning start to their four nations campaign against a New Zealand side keen to banish all memories of a loss against Australia a fortnight ago. England were the slight favourites with most bookies, but there was very little to choose between the two sides as Sam Burgess returned to the international rugby scene as the England captain. Coach Bennett make a handful of changes to the side who beat France in last weeks friendly, most notably through the inclusion of Dan Sarginson and Sam Burgess, meaning that three of the Burgess brothers would be in action this afternoon. READ MORE ON THIS STORY...

"Why are they going for the drop goal on 65 mins!!!!!"

That's why Jiffy you daft get. Panicked England into some stupid barmpot offloads and poor decisions.

It was like watching Leeds this year, its like they don't think they are allowed to go for a drop goal until the last 3 minutes!

It's all sinfields fault! Sorry sorry! It's all Watkins fault.

Yeah he seems to be getting some hammer on the VT.unfair really, I thought he was ok apart from the stupid last play when he went blind but the game was up then anyway.

With Sinfield and MaGuire not playing they need a Leeds player to blame it on, they know they can't get away with Hall so it has to be Watkins. If Ferres was playing it probably would have been him.

True i don't get it. It was fine margins, i don't think there was a bad player on the pitch just Johnsons kicking game and magic touch was the difference. really sad people have to lay the boot in when they can't take defeat.

Same on the TRL forum.Watkins is the reason England lost.