rlno1

True....though wouldn't it be great if the game backed itself and didn't sell out. Surely "the product" as they keep telling us is good enough to back itself to do well in a one off event. Play it on a rotation: Melbourne Sydney Auckland Brisbane Perth Repeat

Maybe as an example the league could do a 2 year contract in a city over 6 year period.

The problem with rugby league is they over do the event. Rather then move the event to different cities each year to keep the freshness, they do 3 year contracts that mean by season three it's lost it's appeal. It should be moved around every year.

How many of the team would be from non traditional league areas? How has Tommy Chipchase gone this season, a rugby league name if ever there was one.

Great to see, why the turn around in the clubs fortunes?

He was a league international, kicked a drop goal in the 2nd Test v Australia in Toulouse to clinch the series for the French. I recall an article about 1980/81 in Rugby League week claiming Balmain were interested in him.

Surely they could easily do better then the half hearted Aussie effort of 2017.

Roosters

Even in the 80's they had decent crowds to the Championship Final in Toulouse and Cup Final.

I believe a big part of the French downfall was an agreement between the codes not to take each others players in the early 70's, if you look through the French teams previous to this they contained many ex union players including internationals which helped the league team. I asked someone about this agreement and this is what he told me: The agreement was called ‘The Protocol’ between the two (rival) French Federations - of Rugby and Jeu a X111. It was introduced in 1972, agreed to to by the respective Presidents, Albert Ferrasse and Rene Mauries. The basic agreement was that clubs from one Federation could not sign players from the rival Federation after they had reached adulthood, (I think this was the age of 20, ie. the age limit for ‘Juniors’) but if they were internationals at Junior level they were also subject to the ‘Protocol’ no signing agreement. It was a deeply unpopular move among Rugby League people as they saw it as a Rugby Union ploy to stop League clubs recruiting Union players, which had been going on since Rugby League was first introduced to France – but, at the same time, Union clubs were very active in snapping up talented League Juniors as they came under the age barrier. It was seen as Ferrasse strangling a big part of League’s player-supply and also one of its biggest sources of prestige and publicity – and it was done with the backing and approval of the Ministry of Sport. Look back through the history of French R.L. and so many players came into the game from R.Union. ‘The Protocol’ stopped all that. ‘The Protocol’ was finally blown out of the water in 1980 when the League’s biggest star, Jean-Marc Bourret, was poached by Rugby Union. They said it was in response to League signing a Union junior international (Serge Costals) so all ‘protocol’ was cancelled. And, once again, the government’s Ministry of Sport allowed the Rugby Union to have its way.

https://www.rlwc2021.com/article/131/rlwc2021-announces-deloitte-sponsorship

First heard Eddie in 1988 covering Great Britain for the BBC, always enjoyed his commentary. Will be missed.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/arrogant-aussies-arlc-s-apathy-towards-rlif-shake-up-raises-questions-20190414-p51e0q.html

The Sea Eagles are on the verge of making history by being the first club to go through a season undefeated. They have only two games to go against the Sharks and Bears. http://www.cookislandsnews.com/sport/league/item/72485-sea-eagles-on-the-brink-of-creating-history Takuvaine Warriors relegated to premier reserve competition by the Cook Islands Rugby League on 29 March after 6 heavy defeats. Club fielded young players to fill numbers considered safety issue. http://www.cookislandsnews.com/sport/league/item/72317-warriors-relegated-to-reserves

Current Tables for Premier and Reserve grades: