South of England XIII- A new 'Southern Union' An All Golds Idea

[gingerjon]

3 minutes ago, Mark Wynn said:

You mean like a 'Northern Union' side?

 

No. I mean that a “South of England” side in 2020 is embarrassing.

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

For a warmup game I genuinely don't think it can be described anything near as strong as "woeful". 

Its a nice idea, means that some high level RL will be played in an area with growth potential for the game and covers a region (SW) that won't have any World Cup games. It's not going to set the world on fire but like Jamaica playing England Knights in Leeds last year I'm sure it'll be jolly good fun.

None of that says why they can’t play England Students or Gloucestershire or any other vaguely real representative side ahead of picking players from London to play for their “home” rep team in Bristol.

[Tommygilf]

15 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

None of that says why they can’t play England Students or Gloucestershire or any other vaguely real representative side ahead of picking players from London to play for their “home” rep team in Bristol.

You're taking this far too close to heart mate

[gingerjon]

41 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

You're taking this far too close to heart mate

Potentially. But it’s also a really bad idea.

[Tommygilf]

30 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

Potentially. But it’s also a really bad idea.

I really don't see how a warmup game is a really bad idea.

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I really don't see how a warmup game is a really bad idea.

In the context of a World Cup year, in the context of any pretence of rugby league being an expansive, progressive sport, a gimmicky 'Southern Union' cobbled together for a one-off warm-up game is a really, really retrograde and parochial look.

I'd really not be against pretty much anything else but the cringe this would cause is painful.

[DoubleD]

Sorry @Mark Wynn Dan Sarginson was born in Perth, WA

[Tommygilf]

1 hour ago, gingerjon said:

In the context of a World Cup year, in the context of any pretence of rugby league being an expansive, progressive sport, a gimmicky 'Southern Union' cobbled together for a one-off warm-up game is a really, really retrograde and parochial look.

I'd really not be against pretty much anything else but the cringe this would cause is painful.

I really think you're overstating the amount of people who will care. Its a warmup for Jamaica or someone else in Bristol against a select 13 from the South of England.

[Bleep1673]

4 hours ago, gingerjon said:

Am I dead? Is this hell?

Tulsen Tollet was born in Hastings, he can be our rep.

[Bleep1673]

This story is so daft, I had to go back to the OP to see if I had written it!

[gingerjon]

8 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I really think you're overstating the amount of people who will care. Its a warmup for Jamaica or someone else in Bristol against a select 13 from the South of England.

That would certainly be one of the benefits of rugby league flying under the radar as it does.

It says a lot about how we perceive the country though that a regional English rep side that includes where me and Bleep live would play its game of glory in Bristol. (And also I am hurt that my one game for South London Seconds doesn't get me an automatic selection).

[HKR AWAY DAYS]

4 hours ago, Tommygilf said:

Sam Tomkins!

I immediately thought of ST. Born in Milton Keynes. 

[Oxford]

9 minutes ago, Bleep1673 said:

This story is so daft, I had to go back to the OP to see if I had written it!

It isn't so it was as well you hadn't!

[Eddie]

I think it’s a good idea, if it’s current players who want to be involved and somebody wants to play them. Why not. 

[Eddie]

14 minutes ago, Bleep1673 said:

This story is so daft, I had to go back to the OP to see if I had written it!

Why is it daft? 

[Eddie]

1 hour ago, gingerjon said:

In the context of a World Cup year, in the context of any pretence of rugby league being an expansive, progressive sport, a gimmicky 'Southern Union' cobbled together for a one-off warm-up game is a really, really retrograde and parochial look.

I'd really not be against pretty much anything else but the cringe this would cause is painful.

If the World Cup was in Australia and someone played a WA rep side in Perth as a warm up would you be similarly appalled? 

[gingerjon]

3 minutes ago, Eddie said:

If the World Cup was in Australia and someone played a WA rep side in Perth as a warm up would you be similarly appalled? 

WA is a state in Australia. They have a rep side. Playing them is not a problem.

Playing, "Australians Who We Need To Group In Some Made Up Region Because We're A Parochial Game" would be an issue.

[Tommygilf]

2 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

That would certainly be one of the benefits of rugby league flying under the radar as it does.

It says a lot about how we perceive the country though that a regional English rep side that includes where me and Bleep live would play its game of glory in Bristol. (And also I am hurt that my one game for South London Seconds doesn't get me an automatic selection).

It's a simple reality of RL right now. Even then, if they picked a northern 13 and played a warmup game against a touring world cup squad in Workington or Newcastle who would be that bothered?

North or South is one of the few subnational identities we have in England, in all levels of society, especially when they rub up against eachother. 

Regardless, Bristol gets a taste of the world cup they wouldn't have otherwise and Jamaica get a game that's not the knights. RL gets a nice exhibition game. 

[newbe]

1 hour ago, DoubleD said:

Sorry @Mark Wynn Dan Sarginson was born in Perth, WA

Played at Hemel Stags as a junior before he went to  London Broncos 

[Tommygilf]

6 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

WA is a state in Australia. They have a rep side. Playing them is not a problem.

Playing, "Australians Who We Need To Group In Some Made Up Region Because We're A Parochial Game" would be an issue.

It wasn't actually, it was "Affiliated States" - West Australia, South Australia, Northern Territories etc. So you're wrong there pal.

[Phil]

5 hours ago, Hela Wigmen said:

I think people will be hard pressed to come up with a more crackpot idea on here than lining Leroy Rivett, a player from London Skolars and a 54 year-old Martin Offiah up against a national team in a field in Bristol. 

Read the article, that’s not being suggested 

[gingerjon]

Just now, Tommygilf said:

It's a simple reality of RL right now. Even then, if they picked a northern 13 and played a warmup game against a touring world cup squad in Workington or Newcastle who would be that bothered?

North or South is one of the few subnational identities we have in England, in all levels of society, especially when they rub up against eachother. 

Regardless, Bristol gets a taste of the world cup they wouldn't have otherwise and Jamaica get a game that's not the knights. RL gets a nice exhibition game. 

I have no problem with warm-up games. And there's a very good chance I'm reading too much into this.

But lumping where I live now in a rep region with Bristol is as ridiculous as putting Chester and Newcastle in the same region and pretending either should care about the other.

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

It wasn't actually, it was "Affiliated States" - West Australia, South Australia, Northern Territories etc. So you're wrong there pal.

My error then. I do make them occasionally. I didn't really pay attention to the 2017 World Cup until it got going.

I'd regard the existence of that team as a bit of a failure then. The same was when the AFL (women, I think) held a recent Origin series and had to come up with a name for "all of Australia outside the bits we're good in". They finished bottom of the group because no one dreams of the jersey (guernsey in this case).

[Phil]

I think it’s a great idea, and who knows? In a few years time we could have a genuine “origin” game North v South with some real grit and hatred in it 

[Tommygilf]

3 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

I have no problem with warm-up games. And there's a very good chance I'm reading too much into this.

But lumping where I live now in a rep region with Bristol is as ridiculous as putting Chester and Newcastle in the same region and pretending either should care about the other.

No one is asking you to care. Its not a super serious rep team. Its a proposed select 13 with the aim to put on an exhibition warm up game for the world cup in Bristol with a team that is vaguely relevant to the city.