Madrileño

There's a post on the match thread saying "it's not our job to improve them". I think the fact that people like that still exist in the fanbase suggests that France really are up against it. On OOYL last week, they were discussing how Catalans are not involved in the vote regarding IMGs involvement. Only RFL member clubs are involved in the decision making process. So... the future of the game in Europe is being decided by Keighley and Rochdale (as per the dockhouse podcast thread on here...) and not by the Catalan Dragons, who are genuine contenders for the Super League title. I would laugh, but I can't bring myself to type the emoji. The governance of the game is beyond shambolic.

100% @Phil Unfortunately this forum is littered with the same kind of thoughts...ie: France is not our problem. It is short-sighted navel gazing, and will eventually kill the sport off as a viable professional concern in Europe. However, there is a weird sort of anti-foreigner vibe among a lot of English fans. It is tragic, as an idiot can see that it is very much "our job" to improve the game in one of only 2 European Countries who play professionally. However I have found that some of the (particularly older) fanbase are impossible to shift in their views.

Held at a modern heartlands stadium, but only 3 sides of the ground open. I guess that tells us about the demand to see England play. Lowest since 2015.... that is desperate stuff. The 2015 game was ridiculed by fans for being held at Leigh, so is probably a bit of an outlier.

By "the beaten track", do you mean the M62?

Watched the Kiwis (with Benji in the team) play Wales there in 2011. Wales had a half decent team (about 12 or 13 pros in the 17... changed days). We thrashed them, and the stadium was basically empty. It filled up a bit later though - about 40,000 in for the second game. I was actually supporting England against the 'Roos. I know the Pigeon loft types will struggle to accept that, but I was really cheering them on. Ryan Hall scored a couple, but the Roos were far too strong. Great day out though. Loved it.

I think you are right. They are seemingly using their own RFL volunteer staff at todays game as well. Loads of people were queuing outside the HJ begore the womens game and complaining that turnstiles are closed. Sounds like the RFL desperately trying to minimise costs.

The response of a typical ENTITLED English fan. I wanted Tonga to play in the 4N against my country at Mt Smart. I have no problem admitting that. I personally think the competition would be better for having them in it. I also think it would be better for the profile of the Tonga team than a tour of some towns like St Helens or Huddersfield. That's my opinion as a Kiwis fan. I was simply stating my own personal opinion. Why can England fans not simply accept the opinion of others? Why join an Internet forum if all you want to hear about is 7 pages of "should Lancashire play Yorkshire?"

Yes! Then you could sit in an echo chamber, surrounded by like-minded sheep congratulating yourselves while the game in england continues to shrink....

That didn't stop them pulling in 9.5k for a game against Swinton in the Championship. That's right... the Championship. There are clubs who have had 100 years of practice and none of them can pull that sort of crowd in the Championship. Their broken down practice field is more modern than castleford or wakefield's ramshackle "stadia" and remember that neither Salford, Wakefield or Hudds are capable of pulling in 9.5k supporters in Super League, never mind the championship. Toronto embarrassed a number of established floater clubs by being more professional in 24 months than the floaters could manage in 90 years.

Oh yes... sorry - my bad. Instead of Castleford and Hull, I should have said a tour of St Helens and Huddersfield!!

Good to see you have the team worked out a mere 7 months before kick off. I would be Astonished if the Tongans take the field with that team. I think a good few NRL teams will withdraw their players, and we will see a few Super League journeymen padding out the Tongan team.

Agree with you 100%. On another matter, where do the Fighting Irish play these days as a matter of interest?

I think he means because it involves relocating to a badly deprived area, lacking in basic amenities, with a lot of violent crime, and a largely illiterate population, many of whom live in squalor. At the end of the day though, we have seen plenty of Antipodean players move to Castleford, so none of the above seems to be that much of a deterrent.

Interesting comparison @Wolford6 The second team you listed (2022) would put 60 or 70 on that first team. Talk about going backwards!

One of the replies: "The Boris Johnson of RL"

Thanks a lot for this. Looks great

Some massive names in there. What a team.

Why would they want you though? Your players have shown they are incapable of fronting up for even 1 Test match, never mind a complete 4N tournament. Laughable.

It sounds tasty, but no more than England vs (an understrength) France at Warrington. Both hemispheres are really going for it in terms of ambition, and should be applauded for it.

Their squad is tiny though. Everyone is having to do big minutes this season.

Thanks. Old Trafford? Of course not. I think it is more normal that you consider yourself "Lancastrian" due to when you were born. How many of the current players would consider themselves "Lancastrian"? I would say very close to zero. With all due respect, 62 year olds are not the demographic that the sport should be creating events for specifically. They have your pound already... but the sport will go nowhere other than obscurity if the only people watching are 62 year olds. Which kids these days are going to grow up aspiring to play for "Lancashire"... a place they have never heard of?

How old are you, as a matter of interest?

Am not surprised. Who in their right mind think punters anywhere are going to rush home from work.... or cancel other plans... or organise a night out at the pub....or make any special effort at all... For a match between 2 completely made up teams representing Yorkshire , and a place they are calling "Lancashire" where none of the millennials running about on the field have ANY affinity with. It is beyond bizarre... and reinforces what I have said before about the rugby league fanbase: That a lot of them still seem to live in the 1970s.

Stand by for a thread appearing on TotalRL with people complaining about the ticket prices.....

I counted at least 5 set restarts in the first 13 mins last night.