Proved to the thousands of people who watched the game for the first time and then came back for more or tweeted, Facebooked, wrote column inches etc...

I didn't need convincing, the product on the field is more watchable than that of any other sport in my opinion. The issue for Rugby League, apart from the historic ones, has been the inability to administer the sport in a professional manner for longer than 5 minutes.

I find your post somewhat insulting, do you think you have the intelligence to make such a sweeping statement about one individual you know nothing of let alone the "large amount of RL fans" you also mention.

Up yourself much!

Both the RFL and the ARU need the cash. From a purely financial point of view this makes sense as a concept. Given the desperately poor financial health of RL in this country we need to do everything we can to get some cash into the game.

Awesome idea and GREAT to see the real national team again.

What apart from a money making idea will this bring to our Game. what did the cross code games between Wigan and Bath prove in the 90`s , apart from the fact that ours is a more enjoyable sport to Watch n Play and Fitter and faster.

You call that proof that our game is more attractive, again were back to opinion. Subjective opinion isn't conclusive proof. Did we compare the amount of social media interaction with RU autumn internationals? Or tickets sales and ticket costs? Their is no such thing as a superior product. It's a case of marketing the game in very competitive market place. Not an easy thing to do especially with the games limited resources.



Sort of like proves my point.



Goes back to what I was saying, what kind of resources do we have compared to other forms of entertainment out there? I think the game is behind the 8 ball to start with. If this game does ever come off it would be a cheap way of raising the profile of the game. They may seem like gimmicks to us hard core fans but to the casual entrainment seeker we may just lure a few in.



Oh give over "insulting" are one of these professional offence takers we see a lot of in modern society? Your passing of opinion as fact I think the "intransigence" description is appropriate in them circumstances.

Even if it is only a money making idea do we not need the money

Union has had a longer period in the of professionalism and the game has evolved a fair bit. I think the game given the right balance of rules the game could be competitive and attract a great deal of interest. I reckon annual cross code game would be winner for all.

Ok we need the money but who will benefit from it` S/league I presume as there the only ones the RFL care about not the Championships or the Amateur game. Oh and The fat Controller for his Jolly Jaunts.

Double

Jesus Christ!

It's a forum, where opinions are expressed, I thought it was accepted that most of what's posted here is opinion so where do you get the idea that I or anyone has gone off and done some kind of scientific research so we can post [size=200FACTS[/size.

Telling people they're intransigent and arrogant because they're opinion differs from yours is insulting, get off your high horse you sanctimonious pain! <-- (Clue: Insult)

Nothing really suggests a 100% 'flat out denial'. Seems it still could be a possibility if the money is right.

Apparently the money is not right so the answer is no atm.

This is from reading the tweets of various RL journos on twitter.

So we can agree then that the follow statement from you was inappropriate?

The game wouldn't work because half the league team would end up sent from the field in the rugby half. Union refs are soft as. Hit someone in the chest it's called high. Hit someone with your arms it's called a shoulder charge. Lift someone and take them to ground legally and they say you've taken them past the horizontal. Basically tackle hard and you're a 50/50 chance of getting a red card.

It would end up a farce. League players would get hell from rugby refs. You only have to watch a game to see what we'd be up against. Polynesian players in rugby are refereed out of the game for no other reason than that they're brown and hit hard. They think league is a thugs sport so our players would cop the same nonsense treatment from them.

No but we can agree that you're an analy retentive bore

It's a stupid idea. A Mickey Mouse gimmick like the idea of SOO at Wembley. We need to stop farting around, get the real Aussie rugby team here and organise GB (or England) v the Kangaroos

Really? To whom?

Really?
BBC announced equal or bigger viewing figures for International friendlies than their RLWC coverage.
SKY got 1.2 million for the Rahs v All Blacks...has international RL ever got 7 figures on PAY TV in the UK?
If Premier TV got close to anything like a decent figure for their coverage the RFL and Premier TV would have been blowing that trumpet loudly.......the majority of the tournament was on access TV!
The Autumn internationals featuring the 6 Nations countries drew 1,000,000+ fans to 17 games.
The IRB pocket $100,000,000 for hosting rights alone for their RWC. 2015 has a ticketing target od 2,500,000 with the cheapest I can find at present are £20.00 a pop.
The Media coverage of the RLWC, whilst vastly superior to anything in the UK before, still placed the event behind many other sports in the UK public conciseness.
the Last 7 games of the RLWC resulted in 276-34 score line with England scoring 18 of them......the other RWC get's blow outs, but not at the business end of the tournament. All 4 QF's were over at half time, one semi was over before it started and the final was a procession!

So, as has been asked by another poster, can we accept that your statement below is wrong?





ah, so now the name calling comes out.

RLWC 2013 was the best RLWC by a country mile, with more fans at more games and with more media interest and a raised public profile for the game in the UK. In short....it was BRILLIANT, FANTASTIC AND SUPERB!
I'd Lay off the comparisons with the other lot though if I were you.........RL generally comes off second best.

We've had this experience of 40 Union/40 League when Saints played Sale RU.
Unlimited phases (tackles) for Union meant they had 35 mins (if not more) possession out of the Union 40.
With Saints having only 6 tackles (phases) the possession was around equal.
So Sale had the ball for 55 mins and Saints for 25 and that is supposed to be competitive. It isn't, it's nonsense.
If they want a game like that then its either 6 phases or tackles each team or unlimited phases/tackles each team.
After seeing the Saints/Sale, I just can't imgine any RL follower wanting to watch 40 mins of Union's turgid dross similar to that played by Sale.
Endless chants of "boring, boring, boring from the Saints fans.
Best idea of all - forget it!

And so are you but that's not a new development

Hey...you open Pandora's box when you start the comparison. Don't get y when you get show up as a bitter and twisted individual, not to mention delusional.

Anyway, back to your claim:

Twitter: 26,888 following RLWC 2013.....193,167 following the RWC 2015.
Facebook: 70,620 "friended" RLWC 2013.....1.9 million over at Rugby World Cup's facebook page
BBC: As has been agreed by other international posters, the BBC sports landing page has removed the RL tab from the top menu.
UK Press: The Union friendlies commanded more column inches than the RLWC 2013.....you know it, I know it and more important than both of us, the British Public know it!



My opinion differs dramatically from yours, which incidentally, I believe is as far removed from the truth as is possible. What does you calling me a "name" say about your intransigent attitude?

I have backed up my opinion with facts....your claims of twitter/social media and press activity is based on what you've seen because you are looking for it. The impact on the general public was minimal at best. Premier TV coverage was brilliant.....but only if you knew Premier TV existed, let alone that they were showing the RLWC. Back to social media......26,888 v say, the All Blacks? 284,451!....oooh....check out the All Blacks on facebook! 2 million +

You have yet to explain how the RLWC 2013 has proven anything to anyone? The Final got 1.8 million viewers.....in the UK with 36k in NZ and about 120k in Australia. If we're generous, that's 2,000,000 around the world........how has this proven anything, especially in regard to Union?

I get it.....you WISH that the game was bigger, as do a great deal of people, but don't kid yourself that the RLWC 2013 was a game changer...

Heh



You guys seriously don't know how bad sports journalism is in Aus. This is run-of-the-mill stuff from Rothfield.

And all of the above goes to prove that you are indeed Analy retentive!

I close my case

Thank you and goodnight

Lol

Still awaiting your explanation as to how the RLWC 2013 has proven anything to anyone. You seem keen to throw about insults, but you have little if any evidence to your claims.

Agree with this. RL still has a long way to go to catch up or get even 50-60% where RU is now. Its taken 26 years for the RUWC to get to these heights because the world governing body kept a consistent format. RLIF never did.

Flat cap northerners see pidgeon racing as a success. lol

would people stop quoting gutterfax please, I've blocked him and do not wish to read his yawnion obsessed bias rants thanks.