With them doing the test match Live from Wigan on Saturday, I was trying to think when was the last time BBC TV came to Wigan to televise a game Live. For a club that was once on Grandstand half a dozen times a season at least, they've not been on much recently.

The answer was 2004 - Wigan 38 Widnes 12 Challenge Cup Round 4. Almost 6 years ago.

The only other time the BBC did a Wigan game here was Wigan 34 Hull 10 - Round 4 in 2002.

So they've televised as many neutral games (St Helens v Leeds twice) from the JJB, as it was, than Wigan games.

Just highlights that we've still never had a big draw home cup game at the JJB despite 27 seperate (i.e 4th, 5th and Quarter Final Round) draws that could have giving us a big draw home game. It's not like we've always gone out the cup early in that time.

Compare that to Saints in the same time span. They've had 29 (4th/5th/QF draws) and have played Wigan (twice), Warrington (twice), Bradford and Leeds at Knowsley Road.

Then you think of Leeds. We've been there twice recently, they had Saints at home this year as well. They've had more luck in three years than we have all decade.

Random thinking from me here but I hope the new decade to follow rewards us with some more luck in cup draws. We are desperate I think for a big home cup tie. I've lost some heart for the cup and I think the lack of big home cup ties is a big factor in that.

We've had nothing since we moved.

I always worry though about what a stadium around a 1/3 full would look like for a Cup game on the BBC.

Challenge Cup games, just like the 1st and 2nd round of playoff games - don't draw.

Not for small games but if we got Saints or Warrington or Leeds drawn here I think we'd get a huge crowd. But we've never had the chance. Saturday afternoon would boost the crowd as well.

The trouble with play off games against less faniced teams is the kick off times are poor. 7pm on a Sunday Night was a bad time to play Cas. 8pm on a Saturday wouldn't have been ideal either.

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I remember this one in 1994, think as it was dubbed the unoffical 4th test as the Wigan side that day had about 10 GB players in it and the Aussies fielded their test line up

And it was televised live at on Saturday afternoon by the Beeb

Steve Menzies on the bench. Unbelievable he's still playing to the level he is..

Didnt they show the Hull KR/might be quins cup match at the JJB a couple of years ago.

No. We played Quins on a Friday night.

The BBC treat rugby league with disdain as it is. I don't think a half empty stadium is going to change that. If I can get to a television showing the game on Saturday I'll be concentrating on the game more than the crowd.

Will it not be on iPlayer .

I'll be in Toulouse for the France v New Zealand match mate.

And Wendell Sailor, awesome effort

The BBC don't treat our game with disdain.

Considering it's a minority sport with barely 4 credible internatonal sides they give us more than fair coverage.

The other sports they give more time to are more popular, at least outside the M62 corridor.

Get used to it

Four international teams that weren't even acknowledged until this Four Nations tournament. What has the international game got to do with their overall rugby league coverage? The SL show looks like it's made in someone's garage.
Why should a sport that is popular in one part of the country take presidence over a sport that is popular in another?
There are a host of minority sports given coverage and mentions on the BBC. Why should rugby league be any different?
The BBC is there to serve the nation. I wasn't aware that people in the M62 corridor were exempt from paying the licence fee.
Get used to it? It's benn going on for years pal, more than used to it by now.

Won't it remain a minority sport if it doesn't get the coverage?

More coverage would certainly help.

Just noticed steve menzies in that squad, how can he still be playing???

Unreal though isn't it. It's not as if he's just making up the numbers either, still a standout player.

I've just noticed. The home side has never lost when a game has been live on the beeb at the jjb/dw.

I flicked on the New Zealand cup Semi Final in the Rugby Union yesteray it was Canterbury v Hawke's Bay, and the stadium could perhaps hold 40,000 it look like there was less than a 1000 in it.

seriously, who cares.

You raise a good point, but the law of averages states that maybe because Wigan were on TV so much that at some point they will be on much less, as it all evens out in the end I guess.

Any of the teams with big away support in the 1/4 final would get a massive crowd.

..................errr......you?