Jack GB

Finally signed up and got the app working in the UAE. I understand sky have first refusal on the big games - so in round one the Hull Derby is on delay - but is that only for UK subscribers? When i look at the upcoming fixtures it has the hull derby on at the right time on the right date. I'm hoping for us who don't have sky as we're not in the UK don't have the sky games on delay... anybody know anything on this?

Maybe not live but on Demand yes. i do with Watch NRL so will likely do the same with SL+!

Hopefully i'll be signing up next week. what type of numbers for a subscription do you think will be considered a success?

I get a "licenses unavailable" message when I click on Subscription - located in UAE. will shoot them a message somehow...

Really hope this is available internationally like WatchNRL... also hope that it has games on replay and delay for those of us in different time zones! can't wait to hear more!

I'm hopeful it happens too - but i haven't seen any plans set in place or announcements... but i think as all things RL for these countries it will be a last minute thrown together affair - but as i say im hopeful we have a meaningful european tournament in Oct/Nov next year

I think this could be a best of both worlds scenario. I would also like to see England play france as long as it doesn't compromise Frances chances in their own tournament (if that happens)

i'm not getting my hopes up until we have a confirmed tour with venues etc announced. (Hopefully Newcastle, Wigan, Leeds!) I really hope they can make this happen - Maybe Samoa playing Tonga before heading to UK and us playing france as warm ups (as long as it doesn't interfere with frances prep for their own tournament) i do hope we however come up with some solid plans to strengthen the likes of France and Wales - would be great if they could become viable opponents for us to have tournaments with within my lifetime...

Im not sure Rugby is on the radar for the Middle East to be honest though - The UAE has a lot of Union teams (and last i heard is League is still "illegal") but not really any decent stadiums, Saudi i would suspect are focusing on Football, Qatar have the stadia but not sure it's on their radar too... and Lebanon is a no go as it's pretty much at war. Don't get me wrong i would love to see it happen but think it's a pipe dream really...

Do you know the reason why the top french players don't turn out for France? i think the issue we may face is the NRL are trying to build a pacific championship and are building this branding. adding european teams doesn't work... (i agree though this should have been 4/6 nations tournaments in different hemispheres - but it seems it's too late to change that now?)

I get the impression we're not invited... the more i think about it the more i feel we have got to play france - 1 mid season test and 2 at the end of the year - if possible 2 of these in france and one in England. we have to start building france now otherwise we will continue to have these conversations every year when a SH team can't/won't come to the NH. I think we would likely pretty easily win a 3 test series against france 3-0 but i would hope a full strength france could put up a decent game (maybe only for 55-60 mins...) I think we have to focus on France Internationals as much as possible (alongside getting Toulouse into SL, getting more french youngsters into other SL teams etc)

I do like Matty lees work rate but it was evident he wasn't big enough vs Tonga in some carries (but who is - they were massive!!) His defence seemed very solid (but i haven't studied the stats) Lees has similar height and weight to Elliot Whitehead and John Bateman - could second row be an option now Whitehead has retired?

Do we think it would be impossible to get a crowd into St James Park a la the WC opener? what would we consider a successful crowd for Newcastle (25-30k??) coukd we be brave enough to do Newcastle (SJP), Leeds (Headingly), London (20-30k Ground) if not - Wigan, Leeds, London/Newcastle Would love the RFL or IMG to get working now with someone like Jerome Luai (play the Villain card) and any 1 of the England players wanting revenge so many stories we can market from the WC for this series (Samoa revenge in Newcastle, England Revenge in London etc)

I would rather have "SL players underrated" than NRL overrated... agree we need a game in London every time we have a series.

Would be great if this does get near to capacity - would be a fitting ending for the players and what they deserve. woukd also maybe mean leeds deserve a test when samoa tour next year!