Kiwis in no hurry to return to Workington

[yanto]

Nice responce from Scotland 

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/article/Scotland-RL-coach-McCormack-hits-back-after-New-Zealand-boss-attacks-standard-of-ground-4295b894-d90f-4864-a71f-3f120dbbcb04-ds

[craigfev]

Big headed so and sos. It is a traditional ground of a great RL Club. If they do not like it, Tough. Just shows how much they believe in their own hype.

[Dave T]

Whilst i think his comments were ott as they are pros, England have always played in premier venues in Oz and NZ during 4N's. I think the RFL should have shown them more respect tbh.

[yipyee]

Whilst i think his comments were ott as they are pros, England have always played in premier venues in Oz and NZ during 4N's. I think the RFL should have shown them more respect tbh.

You mean Scotland?

[yanto]

Try telling this lot the stadium was'nt up to scratch.

More atmosphere than any of the games so far.

West Cumbria has been starved of any recognition yet still have a bigger more passionate crowd than turned up at the massive RL city off Hull for the opening game.

Let them (and the Scotland team) enjoy the historic occasion.

The RFL got it right on this occasion.

 

https://www.facebook.com/scotlandrl/?fref=ts

 

scroll down for the videos..great stuff.

[yanto]

Whilst i think his comments were ott as they are pros, England have always played in premier venues in Oz and NZ during 4N's. I think the RFL should have shown them more respect tbh.

It was Scotland here not England and see what McCormick says abut the WC down under "We played in the World Cup at Rockhampton in 2008. So what do you class as a world class stadium?"

Google Browne Stadium in Rockhampton...not any better than Derwent Park.

 

But Kidwells comments have proberbly killed of the chance of Workington hosting any future top class games.

[Scubby]

It was Scotland here not England and see what McCormick says abut the WC down under "We played in the World Cup at Rockhampton in 2008. So what do you class as a world class stadium?"

Google Browne Stadium in Rockhampton...not any better than Derwent Park.

 

But Kidwells comments have proberbly killed of the chance of Workington hosting any future top class games.

 

As nostalgic as you may be about Workington, it is probably up to the region as to whether they host any further games. It needs a stadium and training facilities worthy of hosting a top international team. The whole region needs to get together, decide a location and work towards building a LSV style facility.

[Davo5]

As nostalgic as you may be about Workington, it is probably up to the region as to whether they host any further games. It needs a stadium and training facilities worthy of hosting a top international team. The whole region needs to get together, decide a location and work towards building a LSV style facility.

Won't happen,Copeland BC had funding from various parties to build a new stadium in time for the last World Cup and for various reasons made a complete mess of it,being kind I'll put it down to sheer incompetence,others would call it something stronger !

[Scubby]

Won't happen,Copeland BC had funding from various parties to build a new stadium in time for the last World Cup and for various reasons made a complete mess of it,being kind I'll put it down to sheer incompetence,others would call it something stronger !

 

This is a real shame

[shaun mc]

The ground is in far better nick than it was 5 years ago!!

[Dave T]

You mean Scotland?

Scotland werent tge hosts, the RFL were.

[Dave T]

It was Scotland here not England and see what McCormick says abut the WC down under "We played in the World Cup at Rockhampton in 2008. So what do you class as a world class stadium?"

Google Browne Stadium in Rockhampton...not any better than Derwent Park.

But Kidwells comments have proberbly killed of the chance of Workington hosting any future top class games.

i know it was Scotland, but the RFL were hosts and decided where NZ were playing.

The pics of Browne Park make it difficult to compare, I also have no idea about size and quality of the pitch or changing facilities from the pics.

My personal view is that World Cups allow for some of the smaller older grounds to be used, I went to Workington for Scotland v Italy and had a good night, when you have around 30 games to play with I think you can be more diverse in your selections.

When you are staging a tournament with only 6 events, I dont think staging 2 of them at Hull KR and Workington was the right decision.

That said, as I said in my earlier post, Kidwell should have been more professional, they had a job to do and you have to play in less than perfect conditions at times. Maybe this attitude rubbed off on his players.

[Yakstorm]

I'm honestly a bit torn as to whether or not Workington was the right choice for this Four Nations game. For all the problems the venue has the reality is, if that game was played at a modern stadium, NZ would have won.

The thin pitch, plus slow track (especially with the rain), acted as a leveler for the match which I have no doubt helped Scotland achieve the draw.

So on one hand whilst it wasn't the best look, the game had atmosphere and the sport got a great story out of it.

Now as for the comments about Browne Park in Rockhampton, honestly to say it is as bad or worse than Derwent Park shows that these people have never been to the venue.

Browne Park has a regulation pitch, which is really well maintained, it has multiple change rooms, coaches box and TV broadcast decks, all things Workington doesn't. You are also closer to the pitch and the corporate facilities are actually ok.

In fact the only thing 'wrong' with Browne Park and the RLWC game it hosted was the ground keeper thought TV cameras were like mirrors and as such did all the pitch markings back-to-front.

[yanto]

Your right Yakstorm I have never been to Browne Park but Steve McCormack and Scotland have and he rates it the same as the Kiwi's did regarding Derwent Park.

Difference is it has taken eight years for McCormack to say this, not immediately after a below par performance.

In the past Australia (twice) Samoa,Tonga,Italy and Scotland have shown more respect to the efforts the West Cumbrian's put into hosting games than the coach of the current worlds number one side.

 

But then again history shows  the Kiwi's don't seem to be very successful when they head "North"  :-) 

 

1907 Lost at Barrow 6-3,

1908 Lost to Cumberland at Workington 21-9,

1926 Won at Barrow 19-16,

1980 Lost v Cumberland at Whitehaven 9-3,

2016 Drew v Scotland at Workington 18-18.

[Derwent]

According to Lachlan Coote when Scotland played at the double header at the Ricoh they literally had to get changed in a storage area in the bowels of the stadium that still had cleaning products stacked up in it. Then after the game they had to wait until the Aus v NZ game had started before they could go into the proper dressing rooms to use the showers. I wonder how the precious Kiwi stars would have reacted to that kind of treatment ?

[Lobbygobbler]

Send the Aussies there next time!

[paulwalker71]

According to Lachlan Coote when Scotland played at the double header at the Ricoh they literally had to get changed in a storage area in the bowels of the stadium that still had cleaning products stacked up in it. Then after the game they had to wait until the Aus v NZ game had started before they could go into the proper dressing rooms to use the showers. 

 

 

That's really poor. If a stadium is going to host a double header, then they surely providing dressing rooms facilities for 4 teams is a minimum requirement?

[Spidey]

That's really poor. If a stadium is going to host a double header, then they surely providing dressing rooms facilities for 4 teams is a minimum requirement?

That's an absolute must. Even the likes of they HJ stadium has 4 sets of changing rooms

[paulwalker71]

That's an absolute must. Even the likes of they HJ stadium has 4 sets of changing rooms

 

 

Yes, and - at the risk of loading more blame onto them, I'd have to blame the RFL, who should have got this properly sorted out before deciding on the venue

 

Apparently, Coventry bid for the Magic weekend as well! If they couldn't cope with 4 teams, how on earth would they cope with 6 teams per day?

[yipyee]

Yes, and - at the risk of loading more blame onto them, I'd have to blame the RFL, who should have got this properly sorted out before deciding on the venue

Apparently, Coventry bid for the Magic weekend as well! If they couldn't cope with 4 teams, how on earth would they cope with 6 teams per day?

Get ur point but obv the first set of players would be long gone before the third set needed to use the facility!

[yipyee]

Won't happen,Copeland BC had funding from various parties to build a new stadium in time for the last World Cup and for various reasons made a complete mess of it,being kind I'll put it down to sheer incompetence,others would call it something stronger !

Didnt some social club....miners wellfare? Block access to re-build the stadia?

[yipyee]

Scotland werent tge hosts, the RFL were.

This was Scotlands chance and they couldnt organise a home game....the RFL stepped in and arranged their games....this IMO is what caused the delay of the release of fixtures... if coventry bid for magic that venue would have been arranged back then!

Hull and OP rebooked after last year.

I wouldnt be surprised if Liverpool hadnt approached the RFL before the extension had been constructed! Any extra cash to help fund renovations etc...

Lets be honest here, France staged 2 home games...Wales managed 1.

The RFL looked at Scotlands failure to arrange anything and did the logical thing...they saw how much support the scots got at the WC in Cumbria and took them back there. IMO the hull game was probably earmarked for Eng vs NZ!

The RFL (with Scotland games) needed to ensure they broke even in the first instance AND make the 250k that was promised to the scots! All without the help of the SRL who i bet took the 250k no probs..

[Dave T]

This was Scotlands chance and they couldnt organise a home game....the RFL stepped in and arranged their games....this IMO is what caused the delay of the release of fixtures... if coventry bid for magic that venue would have been arranged back then!

Hull and OP rebooked after last year.

I wouldnt be surprised if Liverpool hadnt approached the RFL before the extension had been constructed! Any extra cash to help fund renovations etc...

Lets be honest here, France staged 2 home games...Wales managed 1.

The RFL looked at Scotlands failure to arrange anything and did the logical thing...they saw how much support the scots got at the WC in Cumbria and took them back there. IMO the hull game was probably earmarked for Eng vs NZ!

The RFL (with Scotland games) needed to ensure they broke even in the first instance AND make the 250k that was promised to the scots! All without the help of the SRL who i bet took the 250k no probs..

there is no evidence that is the case at all. The RLW article and Scotland RL themselves confirm this was the RFLs tournament, nothing to fo with Scotland RL.

The RFL tried to organise Glasgow and tgat fell through because of the plastic pitch.

This is an interesting development though, blame Scotland RL for the RFLs running of this 4N.

Im also not sure what the rest of the first paragraph means with the mentions of Magic and Hull and Workington being rebooked, or Liverpool approaching us.

Read the RLW article - it doesnt mention any of the things you do.

[Tonka]

I suppose there are two ways you can look at this:

- poor stadium, poor facilities, not suitable for a test match

- hotbed of rugby league, the locals deserve an international, roll your sleeves up and get on with it

My mood today is in the latter camp. These guys are well paid pros. Can they not handle a bit of a crappy ground? Get on with it you big girls.

[Allora]

I suppose there are two ways you can look at this:

- poor stadium, poor facilities, not suitable for a test match

- hotbed of rugby league, the locals deserve an international, roll your sleeves up and get on with it

My mood today is in the latter camp. These guys are well paid pros. Can they not handle a bit of a crappy ground? Get on with it you big girls.

Sounds great till you find they are not interested in Touring next time England wants a team to visit them.

Is our game that small that we have to play in venues like this?

Fans keep complaining about the state of the International game then we have grounds like the ones chosen for this Four Nations.

Hull, Coventry and Workington, who said the games not moving forward?

 

I see the Final is having the pitch shortened due to safety concerns.

You could not make this stuff up if you tried.