Black Country Wire

Has been the same at every game. Someone pointed out the 5th sub is only if they have multiple concussions.

Host nation perks. Worked in the Women's Euros.

Ticket situation is epitomised by the fact that tonight is my 11th game in the first round and for 7 of them I've been able to easily upgrade myself to a better seat.

I'm happy with it as it means I should be home by 10!

Yep. Cook Islands v Wales. Bought on first day of sale. Shoved up right in the corner behind the scoreboard. Granted it only cost me a tenner and I was easily able to move to a seat on the halfway line but not really the to point.

I would have probably been there this evening had I not been groundhopping in Middlesbrough!

Which may be an argument for taking potential "blowouts" out of the heartlands to places where the relative strengths of the teams may not be as well known. 10000 hardy souls braved atrocious weather to watch Aussies v Scotland at Coventry. Maybe take similar games to the likes of Bristol or Oxford. Assuming they want to stage games obviously. Could also resolve the dilution of crowds in the heartlands where people are picking and choosing.

Leave it as it is. You get blow outs in all sports but only RL fans seem to think it's an issue. Your idea would be sound for a "midterm" competition held between WC years but for a World Cup let's keep the tried and tested format. 4 groups of 4, top 2 to the QF. Easier to sell to the non-devoted than some convoluted systems we've used in the past.

I was behind it so I think mine was worse!

Fair enough. Got all mine in 2013 from the central site so didn't seek out any alternatives. RLWC must have been fit for purpose on day one though as that's when I bought the majority of mine with no issues whatsoever. Ditto the 2 I've bought since the reschedule - had no issues and took minutes at most. But my point that most tournaments (and I have applied/bought for various football World Cups and Euros, hockey World Cups and Euros and various Olympic and Commonwealth Games and they have only been available from a central point. So the RLWC doing the same this time didn't come as a huge surprise.

I'll bow to your better memory but I'm fairly certain I bought mine from a central website although there could have been both options.

Although I've never been to a tournament like this in any sport that HASN'T had centralised ticket sales so that's a strange criticism.

Personally I'll be watching the England wheelchair team at the Copper Box and can't be in two places at once!

When I went up for the Women's Euros semi final I got a reasonably priced parking space through the Just Park website. As this is an afternoon game though I'm going up by train.

I'm happy with the early start on Tuesday as it means I'll be home before midnight! Unlike most previous trips to Headingley!

Wasn't aware of that so thanks for clarifying.

Only 1 to miss out. It's 5 subs in this tournament isn't it?

Quite. Been to 8 games so far and only watched from my designated seat in 3 of them.

Step in the right direction last night re the random music in that it only seemed to be used for the longer stoppages. Still needs binning altogether. Also please bring back the yellow cards for sin bins. Other than that enjoyed the game and the contribution of the PNG fans even though I was watching as a neutral.

Plenty of street parking around which I always use and never had any issues. (Hope that's not famous last words!)

Cooks secure a quarter final place with a win so may give them an extra incentive. But I'm tipping PNG to win this one.

Yes. Better discipline and better ball retention and that game could have been a lot closer.

They might. Based on their games against England nothing to choose between them.

Will be 3 if France beat Samoa.

They've obviously decided that the random music isn't annoying enough so they've doubled the volume.