[url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard-sport/rugby/article-23889385-top-clubs-hit-back-over-world-cup-release-row.doYet more trouble at t'mill[/url

Inevitable. RU bases its popularity on the international game. As soon as it encouraged club rugby, handing power to the clubs, this clash was always going to happen, considering how RU schedules its internationals.

Sonny Bill Williams New Zealand rugby union call up really isn't going down to well.

[url=http://www.espnscrum.com/australia/rugby/story/125328.html?CMP=OTC-RSSAustralia rugby union coach Robbie Deans nonplussed by Sonny Bill circus[/url

To be fair to Deans, I'm not sure why some journo in a press conference expected him to want to talk about NZ's selection policy and I'm not surprised he didn't have much to say on the matter.

He's probably done the right thing keeping quiet. He must be the only person in southern hemisphere rugby union without an opinion (or one that he wants to share) on the matter.

[url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10681894Former All Black faked ACC invoices.[/url

Naughty boy.

Some problems for the rugby union world cup already.

[url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10682685World Cup fans baulk at 'rip off' room prices[/url
[url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10659343Rip-offs will spook fans[/url


And in other news... [url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2010/10/24/wales-a-pay-for-play-row-91466-27533017/#ixzz13GEvC3uuThe return of the Wales A rugby team is set to be spiked – by the alleged pay demands of the players.[/url

In fairness, this is what happens when you hold a major sporting event in such a small country- a total undersupply of hotel rooms. Especially when you consider that NZ's population is similar to that of Greater Manchester and Merseyside combined, but split across two islands.

IRB guilty of poor decision making and short sightedness?

Aviva Attendances this weekend so far. Gloucester vs. Quins, 11,919 which is 794 up on the same fixture last year (+7.1%). Leicester vs. Bath, 22,811 which is 1,617 down (-7.1%). Leeds vs. Sale, 5,571 which is 384 down (-6.4%) and Newcastle vs. Saracens 5,391 which is 62 down (-1.1%)

Interesting statistic of the games so far, 5 teams have won in the Aviva Premiership this weekend – London Irish, Gloucester, Leicester, Sale and Saracens... of these only one has scored a try (that will bring the crowds back!)

Union isn't about scoring tries.

Those people that increased the points awarded for a try to 5 and then allocated league bonus points for teams scoring 4 tries or more in a game would argue otherwise

Haha!

Give it ten years and they'll accept a bid to hold it in sodding Qatar or Bahrain if the cash is right...

Isn't there a Australia v New Zealand union test in Hong Kong some time soon?

Maybe they should tell the coaches.

I think you're right.

They don't mention the HK Sevens much any more.

[url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/rugbynation/rugby-news/2010/10/24/wru-s-regions-face-legal-action-on-1-5m-loan-91466-27533034/Yet more worrying news from Welsh rugby union. WRU’S regions face legal action on £1.5m loan[/url

Cheers, very interesting link. Especially the open hostility towards Scarlets and their reliance on taxpayers' money.

Union's entire history suggests otherwise unfortunately.

Perhaps I dreamed in the weeks building up to the new yawnion season that the sycophantic media was full of articles preaching how the new season was going to be the most exciting ever due to the new, newest, latest rule changes. You can't polish a turd.

And also the season where RU crowds would move close to (Football League) Championship attendances. So far, that seems highly, highly, highly unlikely. Especially when the average crowd at Leeds Carnegie is several thousand lower than at Shorpe, the Championship's least-supported team by gate.

In fact, their total attendance last year was still less than that of Germany's Regionalliga Nord.

Dave Woods asks if we need to be looking at stronger ties with rugby union in the development of our junior game in England.
[url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/9121805.stmTime for an act of union?[/url

Can someone please dial 999?

Somewhere near St Helens the poster known as 'cjhatesunion' has just had a massive heart attack reading that

After last seasons performance not much has changed since Manchester got relegated other than no one has put 100 points on them yet.


3 Manchester V's Harrogate 62
74 Kendal V's Manchester 0
14 Manchester V's Morley 27
70 Preston Grasshoppers V's Manchester 5
0 Manchester V's Hull Ionians 62
33 Rugby Lions V's Manchester 21
6 Manchester V's Luctonians 45
3 Manchester V's Loughborough Students 46

------------- Plyd Won Dw Lost - PF -- PA -- BP --Pnts
Manchester -- 8 ---0 ---0 ---8--- 52--- 386-- 0-- 0

If it worked perfectly, RU areas could be exposed to RL and vice versa.

In a more likely world, they'd just steal our younger players.