Eddie

If a concerted effort was made to set up an annual County of Origin game it might be quite good, but not as a one off to replace an Ashes series. I’d rather see England play France.

I’d be up for chipping in with other forum members to sponsor a developing foreign team, like we did with the Jamaican team last year.

I’ve always taken a keen interest in the Uruguay national football team and it would be great if they had a RL team for me to follow too. It’s pleasing to hear that they want Uruguayans coming through too, and not just Australians.

Tonga would be my preference, NZ no not this soon after the last tests against them I’d prefer to play someone else. I assume any opposition this autumn will have to come from Europe anyway.

I can’t imagine anyone goes to premier league football because of the pre-or half time entertainment, or because the food at the ground is decent.

As long as this doesn’t mean we play NZ again. Obviously it would be vastly inferior to an Ashes series but given the circumstances I’d be happy with an away test in France and maybe Wales away (in Wrexham) too.

Was that for a league game? What sort of crowds do most teams in Elite 1 and Elite 2 get?

Not as big as football, for the reasons you’ve articulated. About as big as Union is now would do me, though I don’t care if it’s bigger than Union or not.

I love football as a game and used to be really into it as a fan (had a season ticket for 20 years) but the money has put me off English professional football big time and I’m not fussed any more. Unless Norwich are on I haven’t watched an episode of MOTD or a televised club game for years. A lot of lads my age (40s) feel the same. Internationals are still good though, especially the World Cup, Euros and Copa Libertadores. And non-league football is great, not that I have time to watch it.

A ‘mere’ 41? It’s great that there are that many.

Definitely.

I know a lot of you don’t like positives when it comes to Rugby League, but attendances are nowhere near as low as some people like to think. Ok they’re smaller than in the 70s and the challenge cup doesn’t sell Wembley out, but despite what you read on this forum they’re pretty good. SL’s average attendance last season was 8,441. That would make it the 18th best supported football league in Europe, which may not sound great but if you consider the population of the Heartlands (5 million?) it’s pretty good. Certainly higher than the football leagues in comparatively sized football mad countries such as Austria, Denmark and Norway, and even higher than Serie B in Italy. Also the average attendance in the Championship (2,645) was far higher than the Union equivalent (1,606).

How could they do that in a live game?

This is a great thread for doom mongers to say how a lot of clubs closing since the 70s means the game is dying, without taking time to consider why that is.

Have you told the French RL or their clubs this? I bet they’re crying out for someone who knows what they’re doing to tell them how it’s done.

Exactly, why would the RFL put money into Elite 1 any more than the Premier League would put money into Ligue 1.

Neither are league one teams, or the bottom half of the championship.

France is achievable with good planning? Who’s going to pay for it - you?

You obviously appreciate the difference between where League is played and where Union is? In case it had escaped your notice there aren’t any clubs even at NCL level in Ireland or Scotland, two league one teams in Wales (one of which aren’t NCL level currently) and Elite 1 is probably on par with League One - no how would those teams get to SL level by introducing a European Cup?

It would be terrible, the fourth best English team would destroy the best from anywhere else.

Personally I’d find an 8 team league massively dull, to the extent that I probably wouldn’t watch it. Even the current 12 in SL sees too many repeat fixtures.

I don’t use Twitter so cant look but it’s good to hear though, they must have had some solid bids, and probably moved from the one team per country format that they proposed originally.

Where did you get that info, can you share it please?

Good luck to them, I was really looking forward to watching Catalans this season (and am again now).

Nice one ta, I’ll email Rochdale. I liked what Andy Mazey had to say when he was at Swinton.