The RFL sure know how to schedule a cup competition. Made all the more a fare given the semi finals arent till July. The sooner Wood is ushered out the door at Red Hall, the better.

In what way? The whole cup should be scheduled around Wigan Athletic's fixtures?

OK, so you think this is just about Wigan.



So what would happen if the BBC demanded that Hudds play a fixture on a day the football club were due to play at home, or Hull FC to play when Hull City already had a home fixture? The same would apply to Salford sharing with Sale Sharks and London with whoever they are sharing with from time to time.

That's five clubs in SL, it's hardly just a problem for Wigan.

There must be something in the contract already to deal with the situations above and if it hasn't dealt with clubs with PL groundsharing issues as well (which could also affect say Hull conceivably) then the contract is not a good one.

It would be difficult to prepare the pitch from a 10 p.m. finish on Friday for a 12:30 start on Saturday.
Not impossible but difficult.

Saturday for Catalan is the most sensible for fans travelling to the game. I had my finger over the "purchase" button for Friday to Monday flights from Liverpool to Nimes when the draw was being made.
They were just £44 return at that point.

I know what you mean, the contract should probably say something like "in the event we can't stage the fixtures you've paid to broadcast, you just hand them over to SKY and deal with it OK?"

Or, alternatively, the clubs who know when the fixtures are to be played at the start of the year could make alternative arrangements in the event of a confict? Just a thought.

Anyway, I imagine this is a non-issue as I keep being told that Wigan RL and Wigan Athletic have equal rights and that IL has masterminded a wonderful lease - so I'm sure they'll get to play the game at the DW.

The problem won't be Wheelan not letting us play, it's Premier League rules. It's not an issue for you because the football team you groundshare with aren't in the Premier League.

I would be amazed if the BBC relinquished this game to sky. To me there are only 2 options.

Wigan FC agree to the game being played on the Saturday
Game played at a neutral ground (Warrington perhaps ?)

For the zillionth time....

[size=150THERE IS NO PREMIER LEAGUE RULE THAT SAYS THAT WE CANNOT PLAY ON THE SATURDAY IF THERE IS A FOOTBALL GAME ON THE SUNDAY.[/size

The "only" rule is that in the event of a clash, then the Premier League fixture must take priority.

On a separate note, if Sky get to show Wigan v Saints for the millionth time, then will Wiggy & Baldy suddenly bother to show up and commentate instead of their reserve squad that were at Featherstone?

Or if you play at the Yorkshire CCC car park you may be asked to be quiet and don't cheer too loud in case you wake them up next door

One reason of the problem DW himself

Wigan FC are the rugby team, also known as Wigan Warriors.

Huddersfield can play Friday or Sunday but doubt it will be a TV so it's academic. Leigh v Leeds has more TV appeal and might make Sky on Friday night I'd guess. It is a non issue if Huddersfield Town overtake MK Dons but as they will be away that weekend but that will not be known until Saturday and decisions will have to be made before then.

Cant believe 2 games scheduled last day of the premier league!!

Surely Friday 8. Sat 12.30 Sat 3 Sun 1 or 6 are the sensible options!!

Huddersfield prob cant do the Sat! I think Leigh are ok for friday and sunday as Swinton are away!

Just hope its sorted and either DW sees sense or we go friday and we arent made to move!

I disagree. A few years ago, he turned down a request to play a play-off game on a Friday night before a Premier League game at 3pm the next day, citing not enough time to turn the ground round with not enough notice. What people conveniently forget is that the rugby fixture was only confirmed on the Sunday before.

Since then, there have been no issues wrt fixtures - I cant see there being an issue this time as long as the TV schedules are confirmed in the next couple of days. The stadium management company have at least 10 days' notice to work with and the Latics v Wolves game doesnt kick-off until 3pm on 13 May, so even playing at 2.30pm on the Saturday means the groundstaff have 23 hours to turn the pitch from a rugby one to a football one.

If blame should lie anywhere, it is with the RFL for organising all these rounds whilst the football season is in full swing. With 3 SL clubs sharing with football clubs, not to mention Quins (and Salford next year) sharing with RU, then to have so many rounds of the cup whilst their regular seasons are still running is folly. By all means have the last 32 round in April when there's more flexibility in the TV scheduling, but there's no reason why the last 16 couldnt be at the end of May, the QF at the end of June and the SF towards the end of July.

x2

Just seen it on skysport's website that it' almost certain we will play sat afternoon at widnes. Playing second fiddle again to wigan athletic. Disgusting.

Wigan fans seriously cannot blame the BBC or the CC schedule for this?

the RFL have partly brought this upon themselves.

what was wrong with scheduling this round for a week later? thus eliminating the potential problem of a clash between warriors and latics?

isnt rocket science...just a bit of forward thinking

Why should the RFL shift fixtures for us? If can't play at home its our own fault and we deserve to lose the home tie

Anyone else up for a bit of stadium cleaning as a volunteer to help the ground be ready for the latics game

Just get the groundsman to do the rolling and change the posts volunteers do the rest, bit of team work !

KEEP THE GAME AT THE DW !

Doesn't read as being 'almost certain' to me.


[urlhttp://www1.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12216/7720334/Rivals-paired-together[/url

Reads to me as Sky doing a bit off stirring

Phil Wilkinson just said on twitter he would be staggered if were not playing saturday.

yet another comment he's pinched from this forum.

im not talking of them shifting fixtures....im talking about the poor foresight thats gone into schedulling.

they knew of a potential clash, but went ahead with heads in the sand as usual.

no wonder rugby league is seen as a joke in some quarters....a proffesional sport run by seemingly rank amateurs