Which to me is the grey area surrounding this particular FA regulation. Who decides whether the pitch would be in an 'unfit' state if the game were to be played 24 as opposed to a 48 hour turnaround? Presumably this is DW's opinion/decision? DW trying to deflect any blame here.

The problem with that is that a club will be in breach of regulations if it does not give 10 days notice of a change of venue.

I'm pretty sure that no-one gives a flying french fancy about RFL rules, including the RFL themselves.

Couldn't be more true!

thats not as daft as it sounds....easy peasy to reach by train ....and holds a decent atmosphere

If that is the rule then the RFL have been a bit silly making the next round so close to the draw in the first place. the first match of the round is 10 days after the draw was made... not really giving clubs much of a chance to sort anything. Pretty much contradicts my earlier post saying we shouldn't be blaming the RFL but oh well.

I think it's fair to say that all party's involved have played their part in this ball's up.

The Captain suggested it , therefore its bound to be daft . Play it at the DW and then we'll all goback to Stockport for drinks . (FOC of course)

It seems to me that Whelan doesn't want to get on the wrong side of the powers that be in football. They almost certainly don't like the idea of PL clubs ground sharing but also accept the fact that the issue would be a potentially messy one if they tried to prevent it.
Even though the fuss about the DW pitch had nothing to do with rugby being played on it and he and every member of the ground staff knows that either the PL choose to ignore that or Whelan isn't willing to fight his corner and decided that the rugby can't play the day before so that he stays on their good side.

The Captain suggested it , therefore its bound to be daft . Play it at the DW and then we'll all goback to Stockport for drinks . (FOC of course)

Wigan RLFC knew LOOOOOONG before the draw this might happen and should have had a contingency plan lined up ready to roll out immediately after being drawn at home.

The fact that they are "locked in discussions" at this late stage is frankly ridiculous and is Wigan's fault, not the RFLs. It smacks of head in the sand hoping a relatively probable problem would just disappear.

I don't really mind when this game is played but it has to be played at the DW Stadium otherwise the CC credibility will be further eroded. I don't care what the BBC want. Sense has to prevail. The game will be a laughing stock if it is played anywhere other than the DW. I for one will think very seriously about attending the game if it is not at the DW.

The RFL haven't helped the situation by holding the QFs this year just two weeks before the end of the football season. Hold the ties in June and the problem goes away.

Well perhaps you should, given they provide a good chunk of cash and the game's only terrestrial exposure.

If the morons at the RFL had had the foresight to schedule this round just a week later when the football season had ended there wouldn't be 25 pages and thousands of words written on this thread.

The blame lies squarely at the doors of Red Hall for causing the problem.

Talk about lions led by donkeys, they really are amateurs running (or should I say ruining) a professional sport.

Correct FTV BBC have paid their money they are entitled to the goods they bought in return .

Wigan have caused a bigger issue here than they needed to IMO.

IL should have come out immediately after the draw and said something like "there was always a risk that, if BBC chose our game on Sat/Sun, we would have to play elsewhere. We have already agreed alternative arrangements at <insert stadium name here> and will be providing free transport for our loyal supporters due to this unusual and rare conflict".

Cue minor outrage on here and some chuckles elsewhere, sure, but not as much as there has been and Wigan would have come out of this looking less like snivelling ostriches.

Seriously, anyone who can't see that Whelan is the sticking point here is burying their heads in the sand. He came out last year saying he'd be happy to let us play the day before a latics game, probably knowing full well from his friends in high places that Sky could find a workaround if need be. He's doing the same here - He knows full well that the BBC will insist the game goes ahead on saturday as is their contractual right (and who can blame them). In typical Smoke and mirrors fashion he magics up a story that he'd allow Friday night, a mere 18 hours more turnaround but knowing full well that it won't happen.

Friday is fine but Saturday isn't - Answer me this Dave, just how long does it take to replace the divots on the JJB pitch because thats all you would be doing with either 24 or 40 hour turnaround.
Not only is he making the decisions here, he isn't even man enough to admit it trying to claim that he has the best interests of both clubs at heart.

They probably thought that this would lead them open to claim of poor planning as it would then be the week before the Magic Weekend and it not being fair on teams in the cup playing team who had been knocked out.

Is it me or is the simple answer for the BBC to show the game on the Friday night instead of the Saturday afternoon? Oh, sorry. That would mean they would have to "negotiate" with SKY about them switching their game to Saturday.

They would also have to change their entire Friday and Saturday scheduling. It is relatively easy for Sky, with four specialist sports channels, to re-arrange at short notice with less disruption, but a publically funded general interest organisation like the BBC is a different story. Perhaps you think they should cancel Eastenders, I'm sure nobody in the UK watches that.

This is laughable.

Our lease is clearly worth nothing, and I worry quite how disingenuous IL is being when he says that its on very good terms etc.

The RFL need to look at themselves also, why schedule the cup on the same weekend as the football season ends, the cup is a farce anyway, 3 rounds crammed together, then 2 months of nothing, then semis, the 6 weeks until the final, its pathetic and sums up the RFL's handling of anything.

Im embarrased by the whole situation.

Lastly, Whelan is clearly a w@nker, he wants to now dictate to the BBC what they can put on tv?

It's not the BBC's fault, its not Sky's fault, it's not Saints fault, it's not really Wigan's fault.

What did you expect them to do after the Fev game, ring round all the clubs and ask if they could borrow their ground just in case they got a home tie in the next round.

The RFL have scheduled two rounds in a fortnight, whats wrong with waiting until the football season is over and space the rounds out. The semis are not until 15 July, the quarters could be in June sometime therefore avoiding any fixture clashes with the Latics.

Now all we have got is confusion for the fans and potential embarrassment for Wigan and image of SL.

I'd have expected them to do precisely that long before the Fev game took place, yes.

This apart from the last bit

All this uncertainty must be damaging to the Wigan players preparation for the match.. it just upsets the thought process and focus, and the longer it goes on, the worse it will be.
The decision needs to be made now, not tomorrow, not Monday, but NOW...! and if at a neutral venue, so be it.

Snellens must be laughing at the debacle.

Some people are laughing it up, most of us just want to go to the DW for an away cup tie against Wigan.

Here's hoping DW overcomes whatever obstancles are there and that still happens somehow.

I feel for every fan from all clubs involved as it is they who ultimately have wait to see which day/time their respective team plays on. There will be many left disappointed if they cannot attend due to the incompetence of those in charge and it is an embarrassment to Rugby League in general.