Ah, I'm sorry I assumed your analysis of his coaching qualities & potential was based on more than just watching a couple of Quins games on tv.

Looking at the way Quins play I think it's fair to say he has never coached ANYONE.

I know he was cheap but surely they could have got someone a bit better?

Hypothetically Quins could win the C.C, G.F & W.C.C, but, it would still fail to instil any interest, IMO.

Probably the same thing that happened with Sheffield.

That would be a cynical take on consumerism in this country, even for Bill Hicks. A team that stands and fights tooth and nail every home game would be a start, and a winning team would see a rise in crowds, I'm not saying they are the next Brisbane Broncos, but I can see a stronger team, team performance and a trophy winning side instilling a decent interest across a minority of Londoners, ie more attending games.

Spot on. I wish Quins would really concentrate on home performances and sack off away games as a chance to get players fully fit for home games.

The only possible matches you could have seen on telly were the games against Catalans, Huddersfield and Salford. One win where they kept the opposition to a score in the last few minutes, one spirited defeat against a top side and one insipid defeat against a team that is expected to challenge for a play-off position.

So I would say that it is unfair to say that he has never coached anyone, in fact it was a childish thing to say.

Exactly. Winning at home and playing good rugby is the key to bringing in crowds. Sadly the abject performances of the last three seasons is starting to put off even the diehards. We'll only get them back with a strong end to the season, sadly I can't see that happening.

Incredible. Another lets all hate Quins thread with the ususal half minded arguements against a team from outside the heartlands.

Lets keep RL to the areas where its wanted. What a regressive and stupid arguement. What have the traditional teams actually done to develop the game beyond their own backyard. Very few professional teams have any desire to do anything than to keep themselves going. Many with very little success. The RFL has never had a clear strategy for growth it has only ever been about individuals who wanted to develop other activities who have helped the expansion. Fulham starting up was never an approach from the RFL establishment to expand the game just an opportunistic approach from down south. Doncaster, York, Workington and Whitehaven - planned growth? Supported by the game, well not really and boy are they thriving if crowds are the benchmark. the London experiment off and enjoy a few more years before financial reality bites. Wigan is supposedly one of the biggest names in the game RL but has hardly sparked growth of the game in surrounding towns. Blackburn, Preston, Burnley all thriving hotbeds ain't they. St Helens and the impact on Liverpool is - well negligible. Again where is the spread of the game to Barnsley, Grimsby as an example? RL remains a marginal sport in the north at best.

On the other hand Quins and Skolars have supported growth in the amateur game, colleges, universities and local schools in London. How many new schools and teams are there playing the game in this area? (others could indicate) In the SL era can the traditional teams demonstrate their impact on the sport and to spread the game.

Lets add Crusaders and Scorpians to the list and the amateur game developing in Wales. If the traditional clubs can point to the same sort of impact in the surrounding areas then fine. If you can't why not start to make the impact you should be.

Salford a Heartland team got less than 4,000 friday night when they played another heartland team. Rugby League has been played in Salford for 115 years. also Quins RL have more academy produce players in their first team squad than Salford. Quins also have more than Wakefield as well.

Thats because Hudds and the like keep nicking ours

It is very popular in London, many schools, colleges and amateur clubs down there.

just following a SL club is not the key indicator on whether the game is popular or not.

Is this your first season watching Hudds? Not so long ago you were propping up the league with crowds WORSE than salfords. I applaud your recent success and improvemenets (its an example that I hope Salford could follow given a new stadium and better team)

However, how about cutting out the snide remarks and remembering the position you were in a few years ago

Thanks

So are Batley, Barrow, Whitehaven, Rochdale, Swinton, & they have had a lot longer.

To be fair all the clubs mentioned there have won major trophies except Whitehaven.

Phipps however believes, and no reason to doubt him, that they can really bring the big bucks, crowds and players in.

Quite how this will be achieved is the next stage of the plot, and I, long with loads of others, await the next instalment of his philosophy and methodology of helping the "heartlands" develop

Letting them have a go in super league after they win championship grand final would be a start maybe - although admittedly barrows facilities are dump

I'd agree with your last comment but not your first. It is a niche sport in London that most people have no interest in or knowledge of. A smallish (but rising) number are actively involved in it. It could conceivably be "fairly popular in London" in the future but certainly isn't "very popular".

Their ground would be ruled unusable following the Taylor report and they'd be forced to relocate somewhere inadequate?

I'm not sure I follow the logic of that one.

Of course yes I forgot that approximately 3,000,000 school kids play RL in London.

All this means is that its difficult for Harlequins to attract players because the cost of living is so high in London and they cant afford to pay the wages to make it worth moving to London and hence, have to fill the squad with academy players who probably arent of the required standard

Some academy players have already proven themselves to be rather good. I'm sure they'd rather sign up top notch Aussies but credit where it is due, these days they are rather good at finding young Londoners playing grassroots RL and bringing them on.

Quote ="PHIPPS"Of course yes I forgot that approximately 3,000,000 school kids play RL in London. '" How can you roll your eyes at your own made up fact. This is from Sport England, and provides a robust breakdown of the game outside the professional ranks. www.cwsportspartnership.org/file ... _facts.pdf And the breakdown of schoolkids who regularly play the game in London and the suburbs is around 20,000. www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard- ... -gospel.do The game at youth level in London in terms of numbers is second only to Leeds, although I haven't been able to find the article again to back that one up. But London and the South East providing more 16+ rugby league players than the North West

Quote ="PHIPPS"Of course yes I forgot that approximately 3,000,000 school kids play RL in London. '" How can you roll your eyes at your own made up fact. This is from Sport England, and provides a robust breakdown of the game outside the professional ranks. www.cwsportspartnership.org/file ... _facts.pdf And the breakdown of schoolkids who regularly play the game in London and the suburbs is around 20,000. www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard- ... -gospel.do The game at youth level in London in terms of numbers is second only to Leeds, although I haven't been able to find the article again to back that one up. But London and the South East providing more 16+ rugby league players than the North West

Never really threw money at it and proper gone for it though. Look how the NRL deal with expansion, thats what the RFL need to look at.



Wow!

Excellent post dude!

Love to see the RL heartland lovers come back to that.