The British Lion

The Roses is dead. Leave it to rot. It would add to making the game look even more parochial. Im a Warrington lad exiled in Leeds - theres zero desire from me to cheer for Lancashire (I was born in Warrington, Cheshire) and zero to adopt Yorkshire because I now live here. Get a home nations mid season up and running. Start from the bottom and build up (should have done this years ago) Use heritage players initially and RFL have a strategy to grow participation and league structures in the home nations.

The seasons I thought it might be our year are gone now! Im happy with development currently happening, after the last few years. If it happens, it happens. But more importantly, can a good culture and foundation be built after a few really disappointing years.

It was unusual today to watch Saints make errors I certainly wouldn't have expected. You know a games going in your favour when things like Lomax putting his foot behind the dead ball line happen (uncharacteristic). But for one day, I think Wire brought it better than Saints did. The season is long. I'd agree that Wire would have not thought as players that was a battle hardened win - but they would have taken confidence from it for sure.

He is bringing a different culture. One alongside the players, and seems to be inspiring the younger (and all) players to give their best and seek to develop their ability. The biggest thing was their will to keep at it - as a unit/team. I dont think we (Wire) were anything truly of brilliance today, (Matty Ashtons try was exceptional to get the ball down). But as a fan - the dogged determination to keep at the game was fantastic. Culture will bring the future for sure.

Ill be honest - I had hope we (Wire) would win today, but, I thought Saints would beat us by a close one. A great game by Wire, and encouraging times. We looked determined. It was particularly good to see us trying some more adventurous plays as the game was going. Confidence was rising. As an aside (as a Warrington fan) I'm getting really discouraged by the behaviour of a small proportion of our fans who are throwing beer bottles onto the pitch when we score. Thyre plastic, I know, but theyre hitting your own players! It aint pleasant, and i'd love our club to uncover the culprits. However, Saints will still be there come the end of season, and im sure they will come better and good despite today.

Well done Wigan on the win. Ive seen both Wigan, and Australia vGB/Eng at international level get the rub of the green where game changing decisions mattered,on many occassions. If thats the case here for Wigan v Penrith, so be it.

As an aside, does anyone know whether the new tackle height rules will be applied for this game, given the NRL haven't yet?

OK - Does anyone have any in the know knowledge of ticket sales?

Apologies if this has already been posted as a topic. I searched and couldn't see that it has. Nevertheless. The media are claiming this is heading to a 65,000 'sell out' in taking Manly v South Sydney, and Brisbane v Sydney Roosters. Apparently a great marketing ticket would be for Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe to be involved for Manly and Souths respectively as a rivalry to get behind. Sounds a great idea to me. With so many false dawns in the US, I feel that if anyone can do this well, its the NRL. With its resources, intense games and Im hopeful - unlike the RFL - they will have a follow up plan that continues to promote the game here. Best of luck to them, I say! We British can hate on the NRL, not giving us games v England regularly, but, if they really are to sell out at 65000 in the Allianz stadium, hats off to them. If it goes well, I'd like to see them take a round of Origin over there. I think clubs and Origin are the right way to go as opposed to internationals as like England did with New Zealand some years back. I imagine the US public would be more inclined to take interest in club or origin than international teams who don't represent the US - patriotic people! The ambition is to be respected, and smacks the RFL in the face for its detraction and self interest, when Toronto were growing their market so well, with Ottawa about to launch too (but covid and RFL governance put a stop to that). https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/nrl-opener-set-for-65000-sell-out-in-vegas-85521/ What do others think? Excited? The dawn of another waste of time?

It needs a follow up strategy, which the RFL never had, or did.

I got married to a Polish girl, who loves living in Leeds. Hence, the deal breaker was Leeds

I moved to Leeds 5 months ago, from Warrington. I can say without doubt, even though Im an absolute RL fan, and despite the fact Elland Road is a 10 min drive. I won't be going. Magic weekend (Under Nigel Wood's remit) was a tool for expansion into new Cities, as a festival of RL. At least as I understood it. What is Magic's purpose now? Is it a huddle for the m62 corridor fans of RL to enjoy a round of fixtures, with no ambition? This would suggest so. Also, for all those existing RL fans, im sure most have been to Leeds before. No new excitement as a venue. Magic Weekend sadly, in Cardiff, and Newcastle, had no further follow up into community clubs or semi pro clubs or investment from the RFL and was just a showpiece event. Strategy like that, no wonder where its at. Magic Weekend is dead if this is it. My only conclusion for Magic Weekend, if its not going to be the 'spread the game' celebration it was meant to be is, for it to be the Super League (I even hate that brand) opener to the season. If thats what it has to be in the confines of the M62 - Make it the season opener. Im sure im likely re-iterating some people when I say, IMG isn't enough. The RFL needs a new VISIONARY leader to take the game forwards. Richard Lewis was the last external leader, and whatever you think of him, he took the game in a new direction.

We (N.H. RL) Need a long term strategy, and it needs to be seen through. My hope would be IMG (Like or loathe them right now) insist on: 1. Catalans and Toulouse to be in SL. - Allow them both to have 'full' salary cap exemption on any French born players in their starting match day squads, that play regularly in the first team for more than 50% of the season. 2. London Broncos - Same as above for any London born players. 3. For Wales, Scotland and Ireland. - re-employ development officers dedicated to these countries, get well into schools and grown amateur level clubs. Allow English SL clubs again full salary cap dispensation on any players from these countries brought through their development pathways, and as above, they must be playing more than 50% first team games a season. In the meantime, IMG push and promote capital teams from eg Dublin, Cardiff, North Wales, Edinburgh to grow over the next 10 years to a place where they are capable of being a sustainable SL club. 10 years of SL development of players as above may see SL standard players then able to mostly fill each team. And, perhaps we have a reasonably competyitive Home nations + France championship to go for every season. You have to start somewhere, with the end in mind. 10 years of investment. This is all vision and little detail/finance I appreciate. But, RFL must do something to 'lead' the game forward. Continue to do the same thing, and youll always get what you've got. Beyond the above, Europe needs a different approach likely, or, you assign each top SL club with a 'nation' to be responsible for developing through its ranks as a partner. I.e. Wales and Warrington Scotland and Hull Ireland and Wigan Spain and Catalans Serbia and Saints etc etc....but this one is probably a bit far fetched.

Im a Wire fan. Its one of the worst ive ever seen! I won't be buying one. Wire haven't produced a decent kit for a good few years now. This one (home and away) are awful!

What happened to the Tonga who nearly beat us in the semi finals of the World Cup? Great first 2 tests. Samoa have overtaken them maybe.

I don't think its a case of people 'moaning.' I for one am thankful 'at last' for some international games to go to - and will be doing this Saturday in Leeds. However - was I 'excited' by this up-coming series.....not really. And, im a committed RL fan. Here are some of the issues with the current series.... 1. What's at stake? A three game series v Kangaroos....there's history, it matters deeply. V Tonga, what's the story? Nothing marketed in terms of a narrative to capture the imagination. Why do these 3 games 'really' matter for the public to turn out? 2. 2 Yorkshire venues close to each other. Huddersfield for me was the wrong option and should have been held in London somewhere. 3. Minimal Profile - Unless you're an RL fan who buys League Express, or, frequents this forum, would you know it was happening? 4. What's next? Yes I know the next few years are somewhat mapped out. But, in reality it lacks ambition, and, I dont trust it will come about given the France 2025 world cup and the self interest of NRL and SL. Where is the VISION for the game? Where do we dream to go and grow as a sport? I think having Samoa over would have had a better narrative than Tonga given they beat us in the semi final. However, I dont know how this all came about. Now, a Kangaroos tour to Oz in 2025....thats exciting! But, we should know the details NOW! Sadly the major issue as always is the lastminute.com nature of figuring the details out later on the back of a fag packet. Why is a Kangaroos tour exciting? 1. History - we grew up watching test series and Finals V Oz - we never win, and so, it matters deeply to win at some point. 2. Rivalry - history has built this. 3. Identity - wider public can identify much better with these 2 nations.

It's 100 percent the play the ball. Too much wrestle and lying on allowed by defensive teams (some teams have mastered the art). Im sorry to say, and im not a RU fan, but some of the rucks are as long as some of our play the balls recently. Due to lying on tactics and wrestling.

madness!!!

As ive already mentioned. I don't personally like the dominant blue. I dont care if football do it - we should be white, with a red double V. The badge is still lingering in the sports direct design bracket, sadly. As others have mentioned, I would simply take the GB Badge, and brand England as the Lions.

I personally dont like any 'blue' on an England kit. Another shirt i won't be buying. The last England shirt I bought was the 2013 world cup - plain white, with some red trimming. Then, fun with flags emerged for a good number of years. Then the blue.

If it's not Samoa....and yes we could have an invitational tour by Fiji or PNG. BUT.... What 'if' Northern Hemisphere RL had a proper strategy for growing the game in the N.H. at last? England play in a fully fledged Euro Championship (call it what you want). Teams would be: England, France, Wales, Ireland, Scotland, Serbia, Greece .... add others who may be appropriate. They use mainly heritage players from NRL/Oz comps and SL for the next 5 - 10 years while implementing a proper long term strategy in each country to develop home grown talent in each nation. Each Super League team could have an adopted nation / or just a zero salary cap dispensation for any youngster (from those nations) they bring through to regular first team appearances to help raise skill levels. Eventually, each of these nations begins to have some great talent for internationals. What if then, each nation manages to plant one club team in their nation, and begin to play in a European or domestic league rises up? Don't worry about huge attendances to begin with. Start somewhere. Start with the end in mind. Have some vision for what the game could look like. Just start, and follow through!

Pure lack of clarity from these decisions. Zero vision for the game going forwards across the next 10-20 years. Another meeting that focuses on how to do it in the short term. It's like Groundhog day. Im happy that they have some out lay of the next few years. World cup year is not going to be in a stand alone place from other sports as previously planned. When can we know who the TEN are for 2026? I truly hope they don't 'undo' the great efforts of Samoa, Tonga, PNG.....and also provide vision and pathway for others who competed in the last WC. The constant changing nature of RL's International strategy will forever hold us back as a sport.

Matt 'The Rocket' Rodwell

Haha. Yep, I agree! Just feel the game, in order to create a better 'Northern Hemisphere' future somehow needs to invest in its neighbours. I.e. France being the first. Australia has the benefit of a broad base of NZ, and Pacific Island players being in the NRL. Its not the same here in GB nearly as much - but, if the game can create player pathways into the highest and lower leagues, then the game as a whole benefits. This thread is about France. But, imagine 'if' each SL club was committed and positioned over the next 10 years to: - Raising up players from the French....and (here me right - im just dreaming!) Serbian, Welsh, or wherever we feel a country has a genuine footprint for development in the NH. Or maybe each SL team has a 'nation' that they get salary dispensation for, for being in their regular first team squad....development! The you have 10 years down the line something close to competitive development. A genuine NH competition. Just a ten year commitment to something out the ordinary!.....I'll continue to just imagine hey.

To improve the French national team over the next 5 years, how about: 1. Give Catalans 100% dispensation for French born players in the regular 1st team starting squad. 2. Give English SL clubs 50% salary dispensation for having French born players in their 1st team regular playing squad. Bolsters numbers across SL clubs, and regular playing time. Provides pathways and chances for promising French youngsters in the Elite. Thoughts? Issues?