Sat 23rd Oct: Intl: France v England KO 2.30pm (TV)

[John Drake]

Discuss the International France v England here.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

Gutted I can't be there but will be there if not next year the one after (if there is one!) Taking 4 of us to a pub in Luton and going to make a bit of a boozy rugby league racket where no one expects ('Off the Wall' if anyone about!)

If anyone is at the game take some pictures in the ground for us please!

A packed out nail biter on the Beeb would cap a great year for getting French league where it should be again (I'd take it being within 18 points though!)

[Northern Eel]

2 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

Gutted I can't be there but will be there if not next year the one after. Taking 4 of us to a pub in Luton and going to make a bit of a boozy rugby league racket where no one expects ('Off the Wall' if anyone about!)

If anyone is at the game take some pictures in the ground for us please!

A packed out nail biter on the Beeb would cap a great year for getting French league where it should be again (I'd take it being within 18 points though!)

Don’t get your hopes up for either of these. Looking forward to the return of the international game, at least. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

2 minutes ago, Northern Eel said:

Don’t get your hopes up for either of these. Looking forward to the return of the international game, at least. 

No hopes being raised here on the result 

You don't think the crowd will be decent then?

[Sir Kevin Sinfield]

England by 60 points 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

3 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said:

England by 60 points 

Think those days are gone 

[ATLANTISMAN]

Very sunny today around 21 over the border but expect wind.

England by 30

Crowd no more than 3/4000 tops although I hope I am wrong.

French federation badly needs to be a professional set up and not volunteers Luc Locoste seems to be on his own and I sense the usual village club led infighting.

P

[Northern Eel]

57 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

No hopes being raised here on the result 

You don't think the crowd will be decent then?

Unless there are massive walk-ups, no. 

EDIT: Tanya Arnold has just stated they are expecting a sell-out. I assume she's not had a quick peak at the ticketing website to check her sources!

[Phil]

Heart says France head says England by a good old margin.

Hoping for a decent cohesive display by France, hoping they can start to set a platform for the future 

[Gerrumonside ref]

BBC says they’re expecting a sell out

[Scubby]

33 minutes ago, ATLANTISMAN said:

Very sunny today around 21 over the border but expect wind.

England by 30

Crowd no more than 3/4000 tops although I hope I am wrong.

French federation badly needs to be a professional set up and not volunteers Luc Locoste seems to be on his own and I sense the usual village club led infighting.

P

Ticket sales look woeful. Why didn't they give it to an area that has been starved of top class RL like Avignon or Carcassonne?

Looking forward to the game regardless 

[RS]

I’m in Perpignan now and I’ve seen two fans with shirts on in the usual gathering areas. Pretty disappointing.

Still think with no COVID and a fixed date very good numbers would come from the UK.

To be fair there has been radio advertising. 

[Ray Cashmere]

39 minutes ago, ShropshireBull said:

Yeah I am a massive Francophile and think we have a responsibility to grow it there but that means questions have to be asked what happened not to fill the ground.  Hopefully it is more than predicted and I have to eat my words.

Next time we have more time for everyone to plan but how much advertísement was there for game at Catalan Dragón games .

Carc is also half way between the two French SL clubs. 

Completely agree. If Catalans can sell out in a week for a semi final and TO can get 9,000 for a Championship Final then something has gone seriously wrong for France v England not to be close to a sell out.

The appetite is clearly there but that has to translate into consistent attendances.  

[The Daddy]

1 minute ago, Ray Cashmere said:

Completely agree. If Catalans can sell out in a week for a semi final and TO can get 9,000 for a Championship Final then something has gone seriously wrong for France v England not to be close to a sell out.

The appetite is clearly there but that has to translate into consistent attendances.  

The match was only organised a few weeks ago, not sure what people are expecting 

[JonM]

 

2 minutes ago, The Daddy said:

The match was only organised a few weeks ago, not sure what people are expecting 

The most recent non-WC games at Perpignan:

France v Jamaica  2017 Att: 4850

France v Scotland 2011 Att: 10313

Both the championship final and super-league semi-final were arranged with less notice than this game.

[JonM]

I'm not sure L'Independant did us any favours with the crowd by printing the results of the last 10 France/ England matches though. Crowds of 16 866 and 14 276 for the most recent France/England games, in 2011 and 2016, both at Avignon.

[Ray Cashmere]

I don't think its unreasonable to expect the Gilbert Brutus to have 8-10k (even at short notice)  given Catalans average crowds, the success of Catalans and Toulouse recently and the RL interest in the wider region through the Elite 1.

 

[Chris22]

We are hardly in a position to criticise a potentially poor attendance for this fixture. We have played the fixture at Leigh with crowds of 5,000 recently too.

[JonM]

Just now, Chris22 said:

We are hardly in a position to criticise a potentially poor attendance for this fixture. We have played the fixture at Leigh with crowds of 5,000 recently too.

Lack of competitiveness works both ways I guess. Turning up to watch France get thrashed by England in a friendly vs playing a game that might be close vs Scotland or Wales in a competition with something at stake.

[Ray Cashmere]

3 minutes ago, Chris22 said:

We are hardly in a position to criticise a potentially poor attendance for this fixture. We have played the fixture at Leigh with crowds of 5,000 recently too.

This isn't an attack on France or expansion. Both are essential for our long-term existence. However, that doesn't mean we shouldn't have high standards.

I'm just as (and trust me, a lot more) critical of Rimmer, the RFL and SLE but their collective failings should not be an excuse for others. 

[Archie Gordon]

The BBC's insistence that this is a sell out is a bit odd.

[Cardypaul]

Let’s hope France win for the good of the game 

[RS]

Even the Dragons club shop is closed. I reckon about 5,000 in the ground approaching KO

[EastLondonMike]

I think this will actually be closer than some are expecting. 
looking forward to an International between England and France.

should be a staple of the RL calendar.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

Sam Tomkins is the local idiot in his village, just bumbling round speaking sh*t French.