Black Country Wire

In the past I'm sure it's been silence then Last Post. Which would have avoided confusion at the semis.

That was rather my point!

Never heard an English crowd so enthusiastic over a French team winning!

England got £70k plus at Wembley for a game against San Marino so you do wonder if the RLWC organisers thought bung on an England game and it'll be full. Who knows? Obviously something needs to be done differently.

Under the current WC format then not until the final. Euros is different because of 3rd placed teams going through so you can potentially play a team from your 1st round group in the semi final.

Strange. I left just after the final hooter and got to Marylebone by 17:15.

Didn't say he wasn't.

This is the problem when you don't have neutral refs. Klein could have given an absolutely flawless performance but there will always be a perception.

Thought they were coming over for a test series next year or did I misread something?

That in and of itself isn't the issue. The issue is that if one of the seeds finished 2nd they would ordinarily move to the opposite half of the draw than if they come 1st.

They would had either finished 2nd in their first round group. Not that that was likely. Brazil are contractually entitled to an easy draw and the hosts normally get one as well.

At least yours exists. The Community Centre I'm meant to be at seems to be a figment of their imagination.

I suspect fowl play.

I never duck my responsibilities.

Another one for Just Park. Got a space for 6 hours for about 3 quid.

Oh so that's why they said to go and have a gander at the stadium!

I've heard of it but think it's something that only happens to other people!

Cost of drinks in London that's actually a good deal.

TBH I'm not betting against it being back here in 2029.

Why are "blowouts" an issue in RL but not in other sports? Looking at (for example) the last netball world cup. 17 out of 24 group games were won by a margin of 20 goals or more and yet they are sticking with the same format next time out. And that only has 3 likely winners as well. (Same as ours funnily enough)

Half a knicker certainly doesn't cover it. (To quote Ronnie Barker)

That was me at Wigan last night. 16:15 - "if I get a shift on I could be back for the 2nd half of the 2nd women's game" 17:15 - "Sod this for a lark. I'm going to Pizza Hut" Just for being lured by free parking!

Which way are you going? Southbound A49 isn't normally a problem.

Last time the football WC was like this was 2002 when Brazil and Turkey met in both the group stages and the semi final. I may be wrong but I think there was a Japan half and a South Korea half. Since then it has been impossible to meet anyone from your first round group again until the final. The Euros is slightly different because some 3rd place teams can go through.

Not wanting to put a dampener on things but a lot of things being said about wheelchair RL were being said about handball during the 2012 Olympics and that ended up going nowhere. Need to learn from that though and find a way of keeping this in the public eye so we can build on the momentum.