England Rugby League

[Scubby]

Ask any under 16 what GBRL is...and they'll look at you like you've got two heads..

 

I have my door key on a GBRL fob It is an old fob mind.

[GeordieSaint]

Showing your age Scubby!

[JoneslessBishop]

Damp Squib, it would seem you are much closer to sensivities around Ireland's, but if this is an issue of proper naming, I don't think it is an insurmountable issue, just as it hasn't been for union, especially if the vast majority of Irish players would be in Celtic Nations team (who appear alternately in green, red or blue, with the GB V containing the other nations colours?), not the GB (inc ROI) team right now (only Ben Currie would be pushing at the moment).

The concept as I understand it would only be every 4 years, so in the 3 other years, Ireland fans could be confident that they would have the best available players to watch, giving them the best chance of results and thus building aspirations and interest at grass roots level. Wales were most effected by pull-outs in last seasons Euros, and watching a team made of mostly League 1 players finishing bottom of their group is really the worst case scenario. Anything that can be done to stop such pull outs and increase pull competitiveness surely outweighs your perceived negative, which isn't a negative in union.

Ireland could still put a team out in tour years (like 'British' teams do during union Lions tours), similar to the development team that started the recent game against Serbia.

Roughyedspud, our sports heritage is one of our most marketable features to heartland fans, and with the right marketing, younger fans could quickly be re-engaged with GB by older relatives in our family sport, awakening memories of when we won test against Oz, even a World Cup. Plenty of footy fans fondly 'remember' 1966 even tho they weren't born. Replica shirts that predate them are popular with fans of all sports. When thousands of Manchester United fans bought green and gold Newton Heath away shirts, was it because they were 112 years old?

[Scubby]

Showing your age Scubby!

 

Got it in 07 with my pocket money 

[MancRL]

I don't think that is true; you'll support any international team playing against Australia!

I couldn't give a toss about who else plays Australia. And don't call me a liar.

[GeordieSaint]

Got it in 07 with my pocket money 

 

I believe you...

 

I couldn't give a toss about who else plays Australia. And don't call me a liar.

 

It was a joke implying everyone despises Australia when it comes to RL hence the 'face'. Oh well!

[Crunchers Dad]

As I see it, it's been close to 2 years since the epic Double Header event in Wembley in 2013 and since then, England Rugby League have not played a single game at home.

Compare that to England Football (8] or England Union (11) with the footballers taking part in the World Cup and the Union team touring New Zealand. Clubs in these sports don't tell the governing body when Internationals take place, they are instead told when to release players.

Rugby League administration is the classic tail wagging the dog scenario and it will never change so long as it is the clubs who deliver all the revenue to the game. The RWC 2013 delivered 5% of the revenue an NRL seasons TV deal does....until the international game wins the club v country battle then we'll always "struggle" by comparison with other sports.......but then again, 100,000 over 3 games this year is hardly struggling and is very achievable!

Spot on!