If we win the four nations this year then the profile of the game will be raised and more people will know about the game.

If we won the world cup then I do believe rugby league mania would hit the country especially in the north.

When wimbledon is on and a british person does well there is all of a sudden 30million more tennis fans than usual.

When England won the ashes it was the same.

When England won the rugby union world cup almost the whole country was behind them.

If we won the world cup we would see rises in attendance and more money pumped in to the game.

Are we going to win the world cup next time around? NO, so will all this happen? NO

Can we win the tri-nations? Maybe, so we have a chance of raising the popularity of the game at the end of this year.

We are slowly falling behind in terms of sport in this counrty and its not good.

if you come up with rubbish like that when england or GB havent beaten australia for 39 years in a series, how will you act if god forbid the unthinable happens?

we dont need to be that desperate for success. given it happens so regularly we dont mind throwing the odd bone to our competitiors.

FFS we gave you one of the worst australian sides in the 03 Ashes series and you still couldnt beat it.

SmokeyTA... you are probably one of those guys in denial telling everyone that will listen to you that Rugby League is bigger than Soccer.

You are unbelievable every post you make is ANTI Australia.

Mate...

Don't Hate... Appreciate!!!

Not really.
He makes a valid point indicating that Australia have lost 2 out of the last 3 tournaments they've competed in.

it seems the ockers are those in denial,

New Zealand have a very good side, the best in international rugby league, why we have to pretend that isnt the case i dont know

As much as I would be over the moon with GB/Eng winning Ashes/ 4-Nations/ World Cup etc. in League...I believe the reaction from the neutrals in the uK would be largely apathetic. For a number of reasons:-

1) The games are broadcast on SKY only and as such do not capture the neutral viewer's imagination....also the BBC knowing this give little air time to events exclusively broadcast by their competitor...ITV even less so.

2) The Print Media are largely in the RFU's pocket and so after a brief period of praise would then begin to deconstruct it:- Roo's not as strong as they were- sign of the wane of the game to RU in Southern Hemispere etc. They'd also start making up the usual "Code-Switcher" stories

lets see in may.

i expect the world champions to lose their title fairly easily.

fluking a final is nothing like being able to compete regularly.

New Zealand will be World Champions for 5 years whatever happens in May

they have fluked 2 out of the last 3, thats pretty regular,

maybe they see the ty hand they get dealt by the aussies for the anzac test, and as such treat it with the contempt it deserves,

wait wait wait.......
It's a glorified friendly!!

See how easy this is

3 months time will see the kiwis get walloped again.

shows how silly english RL fans are.

poor NZ not getting to pick from all their players because their SL players arent available for the Anzac test.

what about the aussies who cant pick from the many, many players that are also in SL.

silly fools.

FFS, you're acting like they just won a hand of poker or something. You can't fluke victory in a Rugby League World Cup final.

The best players and the best teams are characterised by their ability to play in the biggest games. Australian RL players seem to completely lack that ability, and are therefore the inferior team.

It's alright winning friendlies, but if can't play the biggest games, what's the point?

winning 2 games in 4 years and losing something like 10 or so in the meantime is not a sign of healthy competition.

then again when comparing it to not winning a series for 40 years, the kiwis record looks brilliant

NZ are the world champions until 2013...no really they are...we're all just gonna have to learn to live with it.

World Cup champions.

and they will lose most of their games against australia until the next world cup.

www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 22,00.html "I don't know about every Test, but you've got to win a series and I think the expectations are we're the favourite no matter whether it's in England and on tour where it really levels you. "We're a little bit like the Australian cricket team at its best, and that is you're favourites and you're going to have to live with that tag."

www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st ... 22,00.html "I don't know about every Test, but you've got to win a series and I think the expectations are we're the favourite no matter whether it's in England and on tour where it really levels you. "We're a little bit like the Australian cricket team at its best, and that is you're favourites and you're going to have to live with that tag."

dally, they're winding you up and doing a good job of it. The Kiwis are the deserved World Champs and will be at least till the next World Cup. But there will only be one (honest) answer when asking any Englishman which country they fear most on the footy field.

PNG?

Brazil/Argentina/Germany/Italy? Certainly not Australia!

we live in fear over england test team

the 2nd comming

fiji

poms dogded a bullet there

WELL DONE MANLY YOU BATTERERD LEEDS IN MORE THAN ONE WAY.KEEP YOUR EYE'S ON E-BAY PROBALY BE SOME LOOSER'S MEDALS FOR SALE.

Leeds lost narrowly to arguably the greatest Aussie club side in more than a decade and without Burrow, Webb, Buderus and Eastwood.

Who did Saints play this weekend?