Could it have been any worse than what English will dish up?

When the majority of English clubs are struggling to post 5,000 in attendance, now you want to try and build a world cup on that same tiny supporter base?



By the way, forget this crap about 4 year cycles and planned competitions, I've been around for too long and heard to many of them to know that its complete crap!

I agree but I still feel widnes could be another Hull KR who have brought alot to the super league. We need to make rugby league a little bit stronger in the heartlands before we expand too much.

Toulous will take off more than Catalans IMO.

You know what, lets agree on this.

How about we give these "heartlands" another 115 years to strengthen their position. That work for ya?

Here's a revelation for you:

Most people in England don't really care about cricket (look at county championship crowds … although 20-20 has changed that a bit) but give them a world cup, or a home Ashes series and the chance to rub the Aussies' nose in it …

Hardly anybody at all gives a rat's fart about competitive tennis, but for one fortnight in June …


The point is the event can be bigger than the sport.

And that's why playing games, and especially the final, at Wembley or the Olympic Stadium would be good thing.


I just hope (against expectation, but hey, I'm an optimist) that the RFL not only sorts out venues fairly quickly but also plans a serious media campaign over the next four years, starting with this autumn's Four Nations.

You have got the wrong idea about my opinion.

I feel that clubs like Widnes and Halifax have not had the chance like other clubs to develop due to relegation and I think in the top flight they could both have the same impact as Hull KR just with better stadia.

Some decent points....but I'm not sure they are correct.

Personally I can't stand test cricket in any way shape or form. Its a 5 day snoreathon. Nor can anyone else I know. Naturally we would all be pleased if Australia retained the Ashes....but if they lost.... no biggy. Same as an average Englishman with no interest in the game would be pleased if England won. Like me they would just say 'Great' ...and go back to whatever they were doing.

How many people who don't like cricket for the other 10 months of the year will go out and buy a ticket to a test match? Not many i'll wager.

Same as Wimbledon. Granted it's slightly more interesting than the Ashes (especially when Maria Sharapova plays

) but I couldn't tell you who the 2 finalists this year were without looking it up. I bet a lot of people couldnt. Tennis is like the Ashes....or snooker....or Darts.... it's ok to watch for half an hour or so if there is nothing decent on. I wouldn't pay money to go and watch it even if Leyton Hewitt was playing.

Rugby League is not a particularly popular sport with the majority of the population of the UK. It's most popular in the 'heartlands' ... ie the M62 corridor. Tests have proved (London and Bridgend) that RL will never take off outside the heartlands to a level to get thousands going to games week in week out.

If England played Australia... or NZ... or anyone else in the world in a world cup final at Wembley the only people who would really be interested would be the Rugby League fans. Joe Average sitting at home waiting for Eastenders or the soccer to start wouldn't really give a fat rats.

And if England won....I bet they would just say 'Great' ....and turn over to see if the soccer was back on.

Soccer (or football) is the ONLY sport that gains enough media attention to warrant 'non football fans' tuning in. I was visiting England in 1996 and even I enjoyed watching the Euro championships....and I'm no fan of soccer. But the media revved everyone up, it was always on the news, in the papers, ...it was great.

The media can make or break sport in this country. RL barely gets a mention. It's a shame, but thats the way it's always been.

So you need to stick with playing big RL fixtures in the areas where the loyal fans are. Why make people travel to London?? Or Cardiff?

The vast majority of the crowd will be from up north anyway......

You are quite right about moron ball.

The people who pay well over the odds to watch thick morons who don't give a monkeys about them is a joke but they are too thick themselves to realise the rubbish they are being fed and "told" it is "good".

But seeing as they are supposed to be in the majority then of course the media will always pander to the masses because they need the cash and the thick morons are too stupid to see this.

However this is their choice and those of us intelligent to see through the smokescreen etc watch and enjoy "The greatest game on earth" RUGBY LEAGUE which is something moron ball can only dream ofaspiring to!

The bottom line is RL will NEVER get as much coverage in the media as football.

The vast majority of RL fans in this country live 'up north' so why have a big tournament in this country anywhere other than that area??

It's like me organising a 'London Underground Enthusiasts convention' ....and holding it in Shorpe

With the attitude you're taking, RL would never have gone to Australia. Or Catalonia. I hate it when people say "never" because they just don't know. It's an excuse to be lazy.

You don't need as much media coverage as football to have a successful WC.

And the difference between holding a southern based concept in the north and a northern based concept in the south is that the capital is in the south (where all the media interest is) as well as the national stadium (which gains media interest).

par for the course the tennis loving pr1ck will f*ck it all up as usual.

depends on how you define success.

The 2008 World Cup was successful because it was well publicised.

The 2000 World cup was an epic fail.

Not all the media interest is in the south.

How about Manchester United?

I feel the same way about the RL competition between 2 Australian cities /counties/states or whatever you call them , ok for a few minutes then i'd rather watch Desbury verses Batley instead

So you agree that expanding the game outside the heartlands in britain will never succeed , glad you have come clean on that

I don't have a problem with that.

That stands to reason. Why would you be interested in the NRL or Origin?

Good to see you would prefer to watch your local sides.

So tell me What local sides , Non NRL do you watch ?

As I'm currently living in Dollis Hill, none.

Sydney or Brisbane

Dollis Hill is in north west London

I did know that you reside in the Smoke as I read the posts the other day about it , but it was fun having you on

The Strongbow needs changing and the ash trays in the beer garden need emptying

Is that some secret code that you and your boyfriend use when you both go importuning around your local council owned public toilets?

You could have two decent teams in each pool

Pool 1
Aus
Eng
Scot
Samoa

Pool2
Nz
France
Irel
Lebanon

Pool 3
PNG
Fiji
Wales
Tonga

That would make for quite a good set up I reckon and still allow an Eng V Oz opener somewhere big.

Of course it would help if we could produce a 1/2 decent team by then!

The overwhelming number of their fans, and media interest, are in the south.

What rubbish