Sir Kevin Sinfield Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 With the World Cup no longer taking place at the end of the year it’s a great opportunity to resurrect the Four Nations tournament. Tonga and Samoa were keen to play in the World Cup, get them over for a Four Nations tournament with England and France. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedfordshire Bronco Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 51 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said: With the World Cup no longer taking place at the end of the year it’s a great opportunity to resurrect the Four Nations tournament. Tonga and Samoa were keen to play in the World Cup, get them over for a Four Nations tournament with England and France. I agree. If no Pacific nations then how about Jamaica, France, Wales Or an Aussie 13 from SL? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dockhouse Host Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 54 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said: With the World Cup no longer taking place at the end of the year it’s a great opportunity to resurrect the Four Nations tournament. Tonga and Samoa were keen to play in the World Cup, get them over for a Four Nations tournament with England and France. Yes I would love to see International Rugby go ahead. I want to see Wales, Ireland and Scotland play, without drawing large amounts of players from the NRL, it would give players based in the UK the opportunity to play for their Country. I'm a huge believer in the international game I believe it should form a major part of our engagement strategy regardless of level, playing for your country is more important than trying to make it look like NRL 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hallucinating Goose Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 27 minutes ago, David Dockhouse Host said: Yes I would love to see International Rugby go ahead. I want to see Wales, Ireland and Scotland play, without drawing large amounts of players from the NRL, it would give players based in the UK the opportunity to play for their Country. I'm a huge believer in the international game I believe it should form a major part of our engagement strategy regardless of level, playing for your country is more important than trying to make it look like NRL Well said, no matter whether you're playing in Brisbane in front of 50,000 or at New River in front of 50, you're still wearing your country's shirt and all those caps count so it shouldn't matter what the game looks like, how many are there, where its played, in what context its played, its still an international sporting event and that ultimately is what matters. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dockhouse Host Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 11 minutes ago, The Hallucinating Goose said: Well said, no matter whether you're playing in Brisbane in front of 50,000 or at New River in front of 50, you're still wearing your country's shirt and all those caps count so it shouldn't matter what the game looks like, how many are there, where its played, in what context its played, its still an international sporting event and that ultimately is what matters. Fully agree, if we don't accept it may be 50 people made up of mainly family members and wait until we can guarantee a bumper crowd and high standard then we may be waiting for ever. Start somewhere and build Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hallucinating Goose Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 14 minutes ago, David Dockhouse Host said: Fully agree, if we don't accept it may be 50 people made up of mainly family members and wait until we can guarantee a bumper crowd and high standard then we may be waiting for ever. Start somewhere and build Correct. One of the most entertaining internationals I have seen in years was Greece v Scotland at New River in 2019. Greece gave Scotland a great game and pushed them hard for an hour.There was about 150 people in attendance and I was one of about 400 people watching the youtube stream. Just because it was at a small ground with a small crowd and the teams were made up of lower division and semi pro players did not mean it wasn't a very entertaining game and did not mean 34 players didn't receive international caps that day. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dockhouse Host Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 1 minute ago, The Hallucinating Goose said: Correct. One of the most entertaining internationals I have seen in years was Greece v Scotland at New River in 2019. Greece gave Scotland a great game and pushed them hard for an hour.There was about 150 people in attendance and I was one of about 400 people watching the youtube stream. Just because it was at a small ground with a small crowd and the teams were made up of lower division and semi pro players did not mean it wasn't a very entertaining game and did not mean 34 players didn't receive international caps that day. Brilliant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NW10LDN Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Personally, I would like to see England play annual games against France and Jamaica. Doesn't matter if only 100 people turn up but it's time to start focusing on our own backyard. Let the Aussies do their own thing. They obviously don't care about internationals. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hela Wigmen Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 52 minutes ago, NW10LDN said: Personally, I would like to see England play annual games against France and Jamaica. Doesn't matter if only 100 people turn up but it's time to start focusing on our own backyard. Let the Aussies do their own thing. They obviously don't care about internationals. It definitely does matter if only 100 people turn up. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leyther_Matt Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Let the players have a rest and concentrate on making 2022 as good as possible rather than dragging out this dead duck of a season. 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hela Wigmen Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 2 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said: Let the players have a rest and concentrate on making 2022 as good as possible rather than dragging out this dead duck of a season. This is my thoughts now. Is it sixteen and counting postponements now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NW10LDN Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 12 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said: It definitely does matter if only 100 people turn up. It hasn't before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnoco Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 37 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said: It definitely does matter if only 100 people turn up. 100 today, how many next time? It's always about instant results in RL. Let things develop 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnoco Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 29 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said: Let the players have a rest and concentrate on making 2022 as good as possible rather than dragging out this dead duck of a season. Yeah because all RLs problems will be gone by next March. Ignoring a problem rarely leads to a better solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leyther_Matt Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) 21 minutes ago, Johnoco said: Yeah because all RLs problems will be gone by next March. Ignoring a problem rarely leads to a better solution. Nobody is going to be capable of putting on a good spectacle with a month or two’s notice at the end of a physically and mentally draining 8 months or so. Flogging the players until they’re dead on their feet is very much part of the problem. Edited August 7, 2021 by Leyther_Matt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedfordshire Bronco Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 55 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said: Let the players have a rest and concentrate on making 2022 as good as possible rather than dragging out this dead duck of a season. Or we can make some internationals..... Get some exposure with non RL fans..... Will do RL some good in the long term 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leyther_Matt Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Just now, Bedfordshire Bronco said: Or we can make some internationals..... Get some exposure with non RL fans..... Will do RL some good in the long term But will those players be capable of putting on a show worthy of attracting - and, more importantly, retaining - those non RL fans? Lord knows they’ve been struggling to string together two decent games in a row on Sky because they’re all either playing twice a week or end up not training for a fortnight and then not playing for another week or two on top of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedfordshire Bronco Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 1 minute ago, Leyther_Matt said: But will those players be capable of putting on a show worthy of attracting - and, more importantly, retaining - those non RL fans? Lord knows they’ve been struggling to string together two decent games in a row on Sky because they’re all either playing twice a week or end up not training for a fortnight and then not playing for another week or two on top of that. ****s sake mate.... Every other sport makes it happen 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Taylor Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) Forget the Four Nations. European Cup, start with England, France, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. Two years after the World Cup. Let's start the competition in France - lots of good stories in France at the moment with Catalans & Toulouse. Then further expand to your Germany's, Spain's, Russia's and so on. New competition, commercial & tv revenues. On top of that, there might be some bigish scores, but without playing, competing then nobody will get better. If RL is to attract new audiences, more money - this has to be the way forward. Edited August 7, 2021 by Chris Taylor 2 2008 RFL Wakefield & District Young Volunteer of the Year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hela Wigmen Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 39 minutes ago, Johnoco said: 100 today, how many next time? It's always about instant results in RL. Let things develop 0. Because no credible sport builds an international game involving one of the top three nations on the planet from crowds of 100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Hallucinating Goose Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 32 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said: 0. Because no credible sport builds an international game involving one of the top three nations on the planet from crowds of 100. Playing devils advocate, your use of the word credible is what some of us here are essentially saying is the problem with rugby league. This sport is so obsessed with image and trying to prove itself to other people outside the sport all the time instead of just thinking, we have an amazing product, let's just put some games on and enjoy our sport. We don't think that though, we dither about, indecisive, not wanting to make decisions because we are scared some randomer is going to have a chuckle at our expense. I think we've forgotten what a sport actually is, a game people play together for entertainment and enjoyment. I personally don't give a what people think of rugby league, they can think what they want about the sport, more fool them for not actually watching a game and finding out more about the sport and realising its the greatest sport in the world. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnoco Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 38 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said: 0. Because no credible sport builds an international game involving one of the top three nations on the planet from crowds of 100. It does if it has to. Credible isn’t just about getting 10000 to a game in Wales then nothing afterwards, it’s more like getting 13 playing and 200 watching in Llanfffddsdtttgggijijijjiuhugugggooggpoggpfghoch - or Cardiff. RL has never had any patience - less so than me in traffic- and it has to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnoco Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 1 hour ago, Leyther_Matt said: Nobody is going to be capable of putting on a good spectacle with a month or two’s notice at the end of a physically and mentally draining 8 months or so. Flogging the players until they’re dead on their feet is very much part of the problem. So…we’ve never had internationals after a full season? Strange as I recall attending many fantastic ones. I also aren’t sure that out of any times in RL history, the players have been less flogged. In fact, why flog the players to the extent that they play every week? Maybe make it fortnightly to ensure they are rested? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnoco Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 If the players rest in the woods for the 2022 season and nobody sees them, do they make a sound? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Kevin Sinfield Posted August 8, 2021 Author Share Posted August 8, 2021 8 hours ago, Chris Taylor said: Forget the Four Nations. European Cup, start with England, France, Wales, Ireland, and Scotland. Two years after the World Cup. Let's start the competition in France - lots of good stories in France at the moment with Catalans & Toulouse. Then further expand to your Germany's, Spain's, Russia's and so on. New competition, commercial & tv revenues. On top of that, there might be some bigish scores, but without playing, competing then nobody will get better. If RL is to attract new audiences, more money - this has to be the way forward. I understand the sentiment but England would win that competition easy, if we get Tonga and/or Samoa over we have World Class opposition who stand a genuine chance of winning games and the tournament. That’s why I’d go for a Four Nations tournament featuring those sides if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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