Tonka

Yeah I need to work that out too

Oh that's ######. What happens to me is: I go to bed and say ooooh, I'll get up at 4:45 to watch boxing. My alarm goes off at 4:45 and I go ###### THAT IT'S BLOODY LOVELY IN HERE!!!! I admire those with more motivation than me, but I know my weaknesses and this is one of them.

Am really looking forward to this and hope Fury does him. Like everyone else says likely to be on points if anything. Doubt I’ll have the stomach for getting up before 5 though....

One of the biggest tragedies of the modern era is that this was Wigan's kit for one game only in the WCC challenge against Sydney in 2014. Doubtless we can find a purist out there who says the socks should have been 'ooped. But this is a thread about shirts, and this is a cracker. I also love the shade of red, even if it's not churry.

Seems a bit harsh to cut out the Champ 1 clubs. Can they get promoted?

Who will the 24 clubs be?

As I understand it each club plays 11 x 2 7 x 1 And then play offs? Or is it decided based on where you finish after the 7 x 1? I assume play offs, but that not all 8 from your group can be in them Is that right?

Ah right, I didn't follow it properly on the bbc article then. Sounds fine for play offs. Good even.

I just think the idea of splitting the league up mid season sounds a bit gimmicky and mad. You can have p and r without it if that's what you want. Not convinced it will add anything, and just seems confusing. I think that will be my whole contribution to the debate. Cheers

Ration sounds right

32 tries in 127 union appearances. Seems light but that might not be bad in union, I dunno.

With luck the first point of business will be a decent haircut.

Or a roasted red pepper hummus. Yeah I like lots of those things about London - but there a quite a few I don't like in there too... I will still have to come back to London on occassion with work so I won't lose touch completely - I think smaller doses of it suits me better.

Realistically, you can't.

Sometimes I just like something very plain for tea, like a Shevington on toast or whatever.

My tag line is: I like London - I just couldn't eat a whole one.

Thanks. I have to say I'm really looking forward to it. It's an odd sensation but I sometimes feel like my life isn't "real" in London. Quite looking forward to rejoining myself...

Not only have I left my job but in 2 weeks I am moving back to the north after 8 years in London. *Bows to cheering crowds*

I bought a new raincoat yesterday to see me through the winter months. I last bought one in 2004.

Good call - where did that go?

UK 1 - Wigan - that's where I'm from. 2 - Quins - that's where I live now. 3 - Salford - soft spot I think from the mid nineties when a few Wiganers (Gregory, Panapa) who I liked went there. 4 - oddly, Saints. I hate them but can't fault their never say die attitude. A sight to behold in attack. Aus Roosters All time favourite Great Britain Rugby League

I worry that solar flare conditions will suit the Aussies' attacking style of play.

I think the tackling stint they usually have to put in puts them in the forwards.

I'm sure I have read before that there are not hugely greater player pools in Aus to over here, however, it always strikes me that they have far more players to choose from. Assuming we accept that all the full backs PST listed are (classy!) world class full backs (which I think most of them are), there are more of them than there are British full backs to choose from at all in SL. I started watching RL in about 1993-94 and I first noticed this when I looked at the two test team lines ups for Wembly in 1994 (GB v Aus). I remember thinking that, man for man, we were as good as them, but that for most positions we often didn't have a second or third equally good player, whereas the Aussies just did. This hasn't changed. The irony is not lost on me that we did win that one with JD's dart to the corner - I nearly wet my pants when he scored and I think I'm going to look it up on You Tube after this. As for coaching styles, natural ability etc, I don't have a clue what we coach them here but the better Aussie full backs seem to me to run with a greater [vision/pace/freedom/fluidity?]. The closest in modern times to me is Sam Tomkins, who can beat one or three defenders at will and plays with his head up. Defence questionable yet though for an international. The first player to wow me like that was Brett Mullins, who just seemed to be able to rip holes everywhere. Steve Menzies used to do a similar thing and the two of them in the same team was very dangerous. Real strike players. I agree with the first post that we don't have the abundance of class from full back, but I don't know why. I suspect coaching is a factor. I'll also hop off the fence and say that the NRL is the superior competition, although I think that if you plonked 4 or 5 SL teams in the NRL they would learn to swim pretty quickly. Or perhaps drown a horrible gargling death. The inequality between us and Aus makes victories all the sweeter, but they are too few and far between. My number one (sporting) wish is to see the Four Nations tournament very evenly contested each time and GB v Aus reinstated, with GB taking the spoils at least a third of the time. Scoring some great long range tries from full back.