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Its odd that some naysayers harp on about how weak they are (as in the last 3-Test series in England). That's their problem, and in any series neither side will have everyone available. If anything the halfback issue just sums up how little strength in depth they have in that area. England are missing Jack Reed (in great form this year) and George Burgess and I'm sure a few others who could have been involved.
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| Quote ="WARRIORCRAIG"www.englandrl.co.uk/article/47600/first-utility-to-sponsor-2015
So 4 days before the Series starts it now has a sponsor. Maybe now there's some money in the kitty for a bit of advertising!'"
At least the Beeb are putting the London & Wigan games on BBC1 & not hidden away on red button 9 or somewhere.
There's absolutely no point shouting about this 'til after the Union final as it'll just get lost in the rest of the noise.
I just wonder whether it might have been better to have had a break in the SL season & have these games in the middle of the year away from all the hype & fluff of the RUWC. Shirley it wouldn't have been too difficult to organise that?
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The Marketing Department at the RFL is in serious need of new blood! As for the Kiwis; they will provide a stern test, despite being somewhat depleted.
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| Quote ="warrioral"The Marketing Department at the RFL is in serious need of new blood!'" The ones who are going to deliver the largest ever crowd for a game in a England/GB vs NZ test series and, potentially, the best-ever attended NZ series in the sport's history? |
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It's looking like a sell out at Hull and with 20,000 gone for Wigan that's as good as sold out.
Add in 40,000 being shifted for the London test and it's all looking positive. There's as big a hunger for international rugby league as I can remember yet it still feels like we could do more and push further with more effort in terms of marketing. In hindsight I think we could have looked at a 40,000+ stadium for that last test. With 20,000 gone already at Wigan your talking there being 5,000 max left. If that's a decider there will be thousands of people without tickets who'd have liked the chance to watch an international rugby league game.
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There's no way NRL sides would release players for a mid-season series. Its hard enough getting them for one-off Tests.
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| Quote ="BrisbaneRhino"There's no way NRL sides would release players for a mid-season series. Its hard enough getting them for one-off Tests.'"
It's tough enough getting them to bother playing at the end of a season now.
It's a shame we can't get series mid season because that's the only way the international game will become the true pinnacle of the sport. |
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| Quote ="NickyKiss"It's tough enough getting them to bother playing at the end of a season now.
It's a shame we can't get series mid season because that's the only way the international game will become the true pinnacle of the sport.'"
Exactly. You could argue that the SOO is holding back our sport IMO. Imagine if we could get games of that size and intensity between nations at the height of the season..... |
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With the ascent of the Kiwi, and Polynesian players in the NRL I think Origin is becoming less and less relevant. There's already signs that it's becoming stale IMO. Also, if England can continue to improve, and more players go over there and make an impact then SOO will start to just look like an insular, irrelevant series.
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| Quote ="jinkin jimmy"Exactly. You could argue that the SOO is holding back our sport IMO. Imagine if we could get games of that size and intensity between nations at the height of the season.....'"
How is the sports one true 'big game fixture' holding the sport back? I know people who don't follow RL buthe still tune for SOO.
You wouldn't get that level of intensity in for a international as, imo, there isn't the strength in depth in England. Whilst we have have a handful of players who could make the Aussie side we aren't an overall match over a 3 series test.
The thing that makes SOO successful is not only how many quality players are on the field but also how close the games are.
For me the way forward for the game is having two truly top tier club leagues. You then maket SOO and the WC series. |
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| Quote ="Charlie Sheen"With the ascent of the Kiwi, and Polynesian players in the NRL I think Origin is becoming less and less relevant. There's already signs that it's becoming stale IMO. Also, if England can continue to improve, and more players go over there and make an impact then SOO will start to just look like an insular, irrelevant series.'"
Well, OALA, but try telling Aussie fans (and their media!) that. FWIW I agree with you; SoO is crushing the development of international footy. But I don't see it going away, or even diminishing in importance, anytime soon. |
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| Quote ="sergeant pepper"How is the sports one true 'big game fixture' holding the sport back? I know people who don't follow RL buthe still tune for SOO.
You wouldn't get that level of intensity in for a international as, imo, there isn't the strength in depth in England. Whilst we have have a handful of players who could make the Aussie side we aren't an overall match over a 3 series test.
The thing that makes SOO successful is not only how many quality players are on the field but also how close the games are.
For me the way forward for the game is having two truly top tier club leagues. You then maket SOO and the WC series.'"
The sport in Europe could do with a helping hand and the Aussies could provide that by helping us deliver truly competitive, annual international matches. I admit it could take years to evolve, just as SOO did. However, it is plain that all the NRL cares about is the NRL. That attitude combined with our own supporters who think playing Leeds or Saints six times a season is all that matters is bad for the growth of the sport IMO. As long as the RL pool remains so small over here we will continue to see our biggest fish - and even those not so big - leave it. |
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| Quote ="jinkin jimmy"The sport in Europe could do with a helping hand and the Aussies could provide that by helping us deliver truly competitive, annual international matches. I admit it could take years to evolve, just as SOO did. However, it is plain that all the NRL cares about is the NRL. That attitude combined with our own supporters who think playing Leeds or Saints six times a season is all that matters is bad for the growth of the sport IMO. As long as the RL pool remains so small over here we will continue to see our biggest fish - and even those not so big - leave it.'"
I just don't think an international game is the be all and end all that people think. Playing Australia or NZ every season is the same as playing Saints all the time.
For me our strength is in the club game and that's where we should focus our attentions. Build the strength of the British clubs through an increasrd cap, better facilities and more publicity of the big games (Magic, GF & Easter Weekend). You then develop the WCC series into a really competitive competition.
The NRL is a ridiculous competition and we should aim to create something equally as strong. |
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As the good piece in the Guardian this week
www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/o ... ld-cup#_=_
(which also has some sensible BTL comments [from any posters here?) rightly says:
Playing internationals is more important than anything else
However awesome the sporting theatre, Wigan v Leeds in Manchester is a regional scrap as far as the rest of Britain is concerned.
I don't doubt that the England/Kiwis First Test on Sunday will be a more exciting affair than the RUWC Final. But it will struggle to get a fraction of the TV audience. I proselytise endless for the game with friends, work colleagues etc, but it's surprisingly hard to get anyone to try anything relatively unfamiliar (and league *is* unfamiliar to the vast majority of the British population) without them switching channels after five minutes if it doesn't have instant appeal. |
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As the good piece in the Guardian this week
www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/o ... ld-cup#_=_
(which also has some sensible BTL comments [from any posters here?) rightly says:
Playing internationals is more important than anything else
However awesome the sporting theatre, Wigan v Leeds in Manchester is a regional scrap as far as the rest of Britain is concerned.
I don't doubt that the England/Kiwis First Test on Sunday will be a more exciting affair than the RUWC Final. But it will struggle to get a fraction of the TV audience. I proselytise endless for the game with friends, work colleagues etc, but it's surprisingly hard to get anyone to try anything relatively unfamiliar (and league *is* unfamiliar to the vast majority of the British population) without them switching channels after five minutes if it doesn't have instant appeal. | |
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| Already 4 posts on the VT calling the Wigan players  |
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In fairness I thought our lads struggled tonight. I thought Bateman played without the aggression he does for us, Burgess looked nervous, Faz didn't get going until late doors and nor did Lockers. The only lad that came close to potential was Williams who grew in to the game and caused them plenty of problems.
They aren't on there own though. I thought Hardaker was well short of his superleague form, Widdop too an age to get going and bar Hill the starting pack as a unit were lethargic.
Our bench turned it for us and dragged the likes of Graham and Lockers with them second half. I thought there was only Chris Hill from the starting pack who started well and played consistently through the game.
Great win considering we were awful first half.
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We'll need to be better next week, hopefully this game will help settle in the combinations, so I hope we don't make too many changes next week.
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No changes for me as long as Cooper is ok. I'd possibly consider starting Ferres for Whitehead but that 17 needs to build from here.
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We grew into the game for sure, I think we peaked when we needed to but I'd expect the intensity to be raised next week,
Nobody had a bad game but every player could improve so still winning and not playing our best should be a big boost for us
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Whilst the Wigan contingent did take a while to get going, I think the same could be said about the whole team in the first half. Williams really stood out though, wasn't overawed by the occasion.
Tom Burgess got us going in the 2nd half and many of the rest picked up after that.
The kiwis defence wAs great out wide and our attack didn't look sharp enough to get the edges any space.
Bateman did struggle but I think will be better for it next week. It's not often he gets tackled as hard as he did tonight.
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| Quote ="Big Steve"Whilst the Wigan contingent did take a while to get going, I think the same could be said about the whole team in the first half. Williams really stood out though, wasn't overawed by the occasion.
Tom Burgess got us going in the 2nd half and many of the rest picked up after that.
The kiwis defence wAs great out wide and our attack didn't look sharp enough to get the edges any space.
Bateman did struggle but I think will be better for it next week. It's not often he gets tackled as hard as he did tonight.'"
Yep, it seemed to me we suffered from not having a competitive warm-up game. I do think we'll perform better next week. |
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For anyone who hasn't bought tickets for the 3rd test then I respectfully suggest they get them quickly. I believe that over 20,000 have already been sold (capacity 25,000)
Also over 40,000 sold for London next week (capacity 56,000)
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| Quote ="Rogues Gallery"For anyone who hasn't bought tickets for the 3rd test then I respectfully suggest they get them quickly. I believe that over 20,000 have already been sold (capacity 25,000)
Also over 40,000 sold for London next week (capacity 56,000)'"
I reckon that 20,000 will have gone up by a decent number already. It certainly made me rush out and buy our 8 tickets.
A late surge will hopefully see it up around 50,000 next week which would be very pleasing. |
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