Just in case anyone didn't know their warm up v Leeds is on Premier Sports on Friday. Apologies if this has been posted elsewhere.

I didn't know - thank you!

The lack of advertisement for this upcoming series is ridiculous. A lot of people wouldn't even know the France game was happening.

Upsettingly true.

I didn't know either! Thanks from me too!

I've just got tickets for the France game in the East Stand. The West is sold out.

EDIT: Some West Stand tickets could be available elsewhere, but LSV had none.

i hope they've got their act together for the london game - will be very embarrassing if there's just a handful rattling around in the olympic stadium.
Just another scheduling/marketing feck-up by the RFL. It's not as if the union boys have kept things quiet for the last couple of years.

(although my ticket's yet to arrive - got the one for the last game at ours the other week)

Over 30k sold for the Olympic which is pretty good going with a couple of weeks to go, but surely they should be pushing the marketing and advertising to get it as full as possible. KC and DW should be sell outs but it wouldn't hurt to market it. I literally haven't seen one poster, TV advert etc.

People moan about some fans' apathy towards international RL, but it's difficult to criticise people when the governing body doesn't do any marketing, plus the broadcasters aren't bothered about it. I know it's only a friendly but it's pretty shocking that the France game isn't on TV. I think Sky have the rights but they've pretty much ignored internationals since the WC.

Reminds me, I must sort out some tickets...

They really need to push that Olympic park game because a sell out in that can really set us up down there IMO. Wembley is too big for us to fill yet but the size of Olympic park is just right (with a bit of effort).

I've been to internationals at Wembley over the past few years and the crowd is a real mix of Southerners plus fans that travel from the North. If they can put on a good show in that second test I'm convinced people will keep going back year on year which gives us a pretty achievable 50,000 crowd everytime there's a series here.

Me too.
We'll be in "The Legends Bar" about 12 noon.

Last night I was trying to sort out the game at the DW. I bought a ticket, but the 1pm kick-off is making it a bit awkward for me. I either means setting off unseasonably early on a Sat morning for me, or heading North after work on Friday to arrive at Wigan late on, and stop overnight. I always stop over one night, and was assuming it'd be the Saturday, but it might actually be easier to stop Friday night. A 3pm KO and I wouldn't be considering it.

Does anyone know which pubs in the town centre have Premier Sports?
Thanks

In that case I'll keep my eyes open for a British Coal GB shirt

Is the France game on the telly?

Afraid not !

ta pal

What a load of guff. RL international eh....

Why do I keep hearing that the Kiwis are so depleted, and England are expected to win 3-0? This is a far stronger Kiwi side than the last NZ to tour here. If England win this series it will be an amazing achievement, we're missing players as well, and NZ have so much pace and power I could easily see them winning 3-0. I can't wait, it's going to be a brilliant series. I hope Silverwood doesn't referee any of the tests, though.

Will see you Brian in the Legends Bar we are with Normans Barmy Army

They may be missing a handful of players, but some of the young ones they've brought over are top class. The only people writing them off are the ones that don't watch much of the NRL...

Yup very little in terms of marketing the nz games are on bbc they will plug it soon but the rfl need to be making an effort to get people in London aware that the game is taking place. It could be the game that gives us a boost down there..

The problem is that all the noise will be about the game on the other side of town for the next week (the Hull test doesn't stand a chance of any notice south of Grimsby).
Once the Union mob have gone home I'd expect the RFL to start banging on about the other 2 tests (note, I "expect" them to, however I suspect they'll drop the ball once again & let us all down one more time).

Of all the international teams NZ can manage best without a decent halfback pairing. That's about the only area they look really weak to me. Against Australia they'd really suffer without a kicking game and halfbacks to give them structure in attack, but against England I don't think we'll notice as much.

Well quite, and their off-loading style is as much as anything else the result of not having the structure being led around the park by good halves gives you, as Australia (and hopefully England too!) do.

I don't think we will be far off them. They still favourite's but us winning is not beyond belief.