19 replies to this topic

[ParisSurtout]

Where would you play their games?

France vs England at Toulouse, at the Ernest Wallon Stadium.
If marketed right, you could probably get a fair few over from England.

France vs New Zealand at Avignon. They have shown they can get a crowd and next time they will get more.

France vs Australia the Charlety in Paris.

No games at Perpignan because the locals are mostly Catalan nationalists who care little for France.


Despite the desire of Nigel Wood to hold some games at obscure Championship grounds like Leigh, thereby ensuring paltry crowds, I would also have:

Australia vs NZ game at QPR,

England vs Australia at Wembley,

England vs NZ at Elland Road,


The Final at Old Trafford

Edited by ParisSurtout, 16 October 2010 - 08:37 PM.

[MrPosh]

I appreciate you're on the other side of the world, but Elland Road? Really?

[steef]

I say it every time these threads come along, Elland road is a graveyard for GB/England, some utterly awful performances and results there. Purely for that reason it should be avoided. The best option for the final would be The city of Manchester stadium if available, its a brilliant stadium and about the right size, though not strictly rectangular.

[The Future is League]

Who ever wins the European cup and and enters the 4 nations should be allowed to play all their 4 Nations games at home.

[jim_57]

Mid-Season France V England - Stade Yves du Manoir, Montpellier, 13k

I'd go with:
Game - Stadium, City, Capacity - Expected Crowd

France V England - Stade Ernest Wallon, Toulouse, 19k - 12-15k
Australia V New Zealand - PPL Park, Philadelphia, 18k - 14k-S/O

France V New Zealand - Stade Parc des Sports, Avignon, 17k - 15k-S/O
England V Australia - Emirates Stadium, London, 60k - 30-40k

France V Australia - Stade Chartley, Paris, 20k - 8-12k
England V New Zealand - KC Stadiums, Hull, 25k - S/O

Final - CoM Stadium, Manchester, 48k - 40k-S/O (If England make it) 30-40k (if not).


Good distribution of games and some ambitous ones being Emirates and the neutral game played in the USA. With good marketting I belive those expected figures should be reached meaning we have an average crowd of 19-25k

[THE RED ROOSTER]

I agree at this stage of their development ALL French games with England and the rest should be played in France. But probably Post Office Road is being lined up for England v France next year...
The RFL needs to have a ground looking fairly full for SKY Tv purposes.and since "heartland" fans appear unwilling to support International Rugby League unless there are substantial discounts and free tickets being thrown around in the week before the game even a ground such as the Galpharm struggles to sell out. Maurice Lindsay as far back as 1997 said "the love affair with Wembley is over". this when 40,000 plus crowds were being achieved, and given the attitude of "heartland" fans, Wembley which is economic only if you get 55,000-60,000 in attendance filling the Middle and Lower Tiers is a non-starter.
You also misunderstand the most important guiding principle in RFL calcualtions "Balance" between Yorkshire and Lancashire, so it's the JJB at Wigan and the KC in Hull for the two group games with Elland Road earmarked for the final (discounted tickets on offer in the YEP for Australia v New Zealand...) and the Twickenham Stoop for Australia v New Zealand in the group stage.
If only picking National Lottery numbers was as easy...

[Jeffles]

Paris got a poor crowd for the Australia game last year. Can't remember what was announced but it certainly sounded an inflated figure based on what I saw on TV at the time. The England game at Stade Francais did a little better but bot as much as the last Test they played in the south at Agen.

It would be good to give France a chance to host the England game but given financial considerations, that will probably go to England - the match would make more money in the Old Dart.

If they only have two games, I'd play them both in the south. Avignon and Toulouse. A third against England, maybe Bordeaux, Marseille, Montpellier or Lyon - i.e. larger cities in the south that need an RL boost.

[bowes]

I'd have games in Toulouse and Avignon, but not convinced by Paris, reckon they'll play England-France in England anyway

[bowes]

I appreciate you're on the other side of the world, but Elland Road? Really?

He actually lives in Huddersfield I believe

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Dunno why people keep suggesting Paris personally. Got an awful crowd against Australia last year (6k my *rse, looked less than 3k there).

If they did take one to Paris, it should be the England game. Easier for England fans to get to Paris so better chance of travelling support. I'd have Toulouse host the Australia game and Avignon the New Zealand game.

Just to mention though, the crowds France have been getting for this year's European Cup are superb and a real boost to 2nd tier international RL. This competition has so much potential.

[thirteenthman]

Dunno why people keep suggesting Paris personally. Got an awful crowd against Australia last year (6k my *rse, looked less than 3k there).

If they did take one to Paris, it should be the England game. Easier for England fans to get to Paris so better chance of travelling support. I'd have Toulouse host the Australia game and Avignon the New Zealand game.

Just to mention though, the crowds France have been getting for this year's European Cup are superb and a real boost to 2nd tier international RL. This competition has so much potential.

I guess Paris is to France what London is to England - being the capital it's seen as important to have some sort of presence there. Personally I'd play the games in Perpignan, Toulouse and Avignon. Full houses would give a good impression to the rest of the country - important in France, particularly if the team perform as they did in last year's 4Nations.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

I guess Paris is to France what London is to England - being the capital it's seen as important to have some sort of presence there. Personally I'd play the games in Perpignan, Toulouse and Avignon. Full houses would give a good impression to the rest of the country - important in France, particularly if the team perform as they did in last year's 4Nations.

Yeah that was my theory, although both of our capitals aren't RL heartlands, and if England don't bother with games in the capital then why do France? Not that we shouldn't, but I think France need to establish the international game more over there before they start taking risks in non-RL areas. England should consider taking a test to London (the Aus game) and making it huge.

[thirteenthman]

Yeah that was my theory, although both of our capitals aren't RL heartlands, and if England don't bother with games in the capital then why do France? Not that we shouldn't, but I think France need to establish the international game more over there before they start taking risks in non-RL areas. England should consider taking a test to London (the Aus game) and making it huge.

Agree completely. That's why France should be playing in Perpignan, Toulouse and Avignon. England v Australia at Wembley should be penciled in now, with the publicity campaign being planned as well.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Agree completely. That's why France should be playing in Perpignan, Toulouse and Avignon. England v Australia at Wembley should be penciled in now, with the publicity campaign being planned as well.

Not sure about Perpignan. Many of the population consider themselves Catalan nationals don't they? Can't remember the last time an international was played there so wouldn't know if it would be a success or not.

The RFL should announce ALL games before the end of the year (I appreciate they can't announce them now because they don't know who the fourth team is yet). We need the fixtures announcing as early as possible to sell tickets, especially if we take one to a big venue in London.

I think people need to stop thinking about the likes of Old Trafford and City of Manchester though. They won't have us. OT will cost too much and won't get anywhere near full, and CoM don't want or need us. I'd like to think we could, but that's just life.

[thirteenthman]

The RFL should announce ALL games before the end of the year (I appreciate they can't announce them now because they don't know who the fourth team is yet). We need the fixtures announcing as early as possible to sell tickets, especially if we take one to a big venue in London.

They should announce them, but they won't. I guess one of the problems is having to use stadiums whose primary use is not Rugby League.

[Northern Sol]

I'd have games in Toulouse and Avignon, but not convinced by Paris, reckon they'll play England-France in England anyway

No doubt, when it comes down to it, they will be struggling to sell tickets to the Kiwi / Roo games. The crowd will be higher if played in England and the extra cash will pay for quite a bit of development work.

[Northern Sol]

Dunno why people keep suggesting Paris personally.

Because some people have an odd obsession with a Paris-based SL side that doesn't exist and probably never will.

[ParisSurtout]

I agree at this stage of their development ALL French games with England and the rest should be played in France. But probably Post Office Road is being lined up for England v France next year...

I suspect that Nigel Wood would regard Post Office Road as too big for the England vs France mid season game.

I imagine that Nigel will go for Craven Park in Barrow ....but only so long as he can determine in advance that there are good pizza restaurants in the area, so that he can go there for a large double pepperoni with sausage and with extra cheese, to be washed down with a couple of pints, for his Executive breakfast a few hours before the pre-game lunch.

Edited by ParisSurtout, 18 October 2010 - 12:33 AM.

[ParisSurtout]

Dunno why people keep suggesting Paris personally. Got an awful crowd against Australia last year (6k my *rse, looked less than 3k there).

If they did take one to Paris, it should be the England game. Easier for England fans to get to Paris so better chance of travelling support. I'd have Toulouse host the Australia game and Avignon the New Zealand game.

Just to mention though, the crowds France have been getting for this year's European Cup are superb and a real boost to 2nd tier international RL. This competition has so much potential.

France vs England in Paris makes some sense, for the convenience of English travelling support.

That would mean moving France vs Australia to Toulouse, which could draw 19,000 if marketed properly.

Under no circumstances should England vs France be held in England, so long as Big Nige is making the venue decisions.

Edited by ParisSurtout, 18 October 2010 - 08:03 PM.

[skep155]

I don't agree with 4 Nations games in Paris, honestly just drop it, even with a sugar daddy they would be 15 years away from a Superleague side. Lets concentrate on places in the south that are proven to get crowds like Toulouse and Avignon.