Damien

You actually couldn't be any further from the truth and you seem to be basing this on a completely false Canadian perspective and your view of how a Canadian views Rugby League (based on numerous similar posts of yours that I have read about small towns etc that no one has heard of). Based on my experience of living and working in Ireland the average Irish person couldn't give a toss if its Northern or Southern based or how big its footprint is. Many are actually completely unaware of either of these things anyway. They either like to watch or play the game or they don't, its as simple as that.

Are you ignoring the bit where I said some currently watch it on Sky or the BBC? These are widely available throughout Ireland.

Just delete your cookies and you will get 10 more!

This is so true

It depends on what you mean by play badly. The very best Touch teams play a version that has little in common with Rugby League.

Jesus this isn't the 1930s, Ireland has moved on a lot from that and certainly aren't that insecure about their identity! They are familiar with RL as a lot of older people used to watch RL on the BBC and some currently watch it on Sky or the BBC. Even the Irish versions of the Daily Mirror etc often have the RL news from the English versions. Its certainly not like RL is some sort of alien sport.

On the heritage players thing I have no qualms about heritage players that put their hand up year in , year out and play in poorly attended qualifiers etc. A highly paid, full time Super League player is actually risking a lot doing so for little reward. I cant see why Ireland wouldn't want to use such players as they have proven their loyalty. I do though have a huge issue with the players that appear every 4 years for World Cup and these are the players that Ireland should ignore.

Because the bigger names in RL are actually familiar to a lot of Irish people. The same Irish public watch their RU teams play against teams such as Sale, Gloucester, Northampton, Bath etc which are no bigger than many RL towns/cities.

Looking at Ralph Rimmer's LinkedIn profile just confirms the depressing nature of this appointment.

Priceless

You said its been a success without any qualification and all evidence suggests otherwise. The only NRL example we have is the Auckland 9s, hence why I mentioned it and what you have constantly replied to, and by the event organisers own admission the last one was a flop. The event has also seen declining attendances year on year, despite reducing ticket prices since 2016 to the extent where it wasn't even attractive enough to hold this year, even though it was the final year of the 5 year contract with Auckland and the event organisers are pleading to take it elsewhere. Now your claims have been proven to be bogus you have moved the goalposts.

Forever changing the goalposts. You said: "The Auckland 9s wasnt scrapped, it was suspended because of the World Cup. It will return next year with an additional international 9s." You either think that the Auckland 9s has been a success and that it will return next year or has been a flop the last 2 years and it wont. Which is it?

The word flop isn't normally used for successful events: Warriors' fault for Auckland Nines flop - Duco Events boss Dean Lonergan https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/89440556/warriors-fault-for-auckland-nines-flop-duco-director-dean-lonergan

You really love your fantasy Maths don't you? Would you like a bet about the 9s being in Auckland next year?

I don't mind 9s in theory. I would for instance probably prefer to get rid of the extra fixture that is Magic and have a 9s style event then if we are to have one. However one tournament in isolation is worthless and in practice when there are already far too many matches, and a season starting in the depths of Winter, and not enough internationals I don't see a place for it in the calendar. There are so many ways that 13s can make the game more attractive before we worry about 9s.