gingerjon

Yes, I'm not going to labour it. Headingley showed a lack of ambition that could only have been justified by an effective push for the first test. There has been no effective push. As such, it just reeks of the last Ashes tours and the odour of midseason 'will this do' Tests. And I will not remotely care if England clinch the Ashes there or are celebrating a series already won.

It would only be an undeniably great choice if, having sold out a small venue quickly, the RFL had then been able to meet its own 65k-70k target for Wembley. It appears not to have been able to do so. So, not a great choice.

We don't give out cards during the season any more, let alone in play offs or finals. Heck, you can deliberately drop someone on their neck and get to return to play after a ten minute breather.

Good to see this sport that takes this very seriously still allows bans to be served in friendlies.

It is woke to choose something because it reflects the whole diversity of a nation and deliberately inclusive of men and women. Embrace woke. It is the future.

Also, quite amusingly, it appears to have been chosen for the wokest of reasons: https://www.nrl.com/news/2025/10/12/name-of-png-nrl-team-unveiled-to-big-pms-xiii-crowd/ "Before 1975, our societies were thousands of years old and governed by Chiefs in our patrilineal, as well as matrilineal societies. "We felt that there is an authentic affinity to the name, depicting who we are from ancient times, and today the intention of this team is to hold this diverse nation together." ... The Prime Minister said Chiefs had particular appeal for the PNG team as the term Chief can be equally applied to a male or female leader in Papua New Guinea.

LOOK HOW EMPTY THE GROUND IS (ETC ETC) https://kvf.fo/netvarp/sv/2025/10/12/251012fokekkianet

Does it? Think that's all in your head, TBH.

Blimey. Yes. I now feel ancient!

That's very kind. He has a few issues, some significant, as a result of his extreme prematurity but, right now, he's just polished off a giant pizza and is now watching his favourite episode of How I Met Your Mother with Mrs Ginger. Things aren't bad at all.

Little Ginger, whose earliest days were shared on this board, and who several of you still active supported with sponsorship for the charity Bliss or First Touch when I did a few running things, turned 20 today.

They're all eccentric millionaires.

The Ashes is the ultimate but it's natural that World Cups get higher crowds. If we're divvying them up, I'd take a World Cup win every time. It would be nice to have both though.

Those are superb numbers. There seemed to be a lot following the live texts as well.