The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

[The Phantom Horseman]

At a RL World Cup event today - multiple journos relating that Ms Dorries said "I’ve always quite liked the idea of rugby league and my long standing memory is that 2003 drop goal. I think we were drinking Bloody Mary’s at the time… but wow, what a moment that was."

I'm genuinely still not quite sure that the journos aren't all engaged in some elaborate parody, but given who it is, maybe not.

[Jughead]

Maybe she really enjoyed Kevin Sinfield’s drop goal deep into extra time between Leeds and Saints in the Challenge Cup?

[ATLANTISMAN]

Embarrasing

[Dunbar]

And I always thought Nadine Dorries's best work was Animal Magic.

[RP London]

31 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

At a RL World Cup event today - multiple journos relating that Ms Dorries said "I’ve always quite liked the idea of rugby league and my long standing memory is that 2003 drop goal. I think we were drinking Bloody Mary’s at the time… but wow, what a moment that was."

I'm genuinely still not quite sure that the journos aren't all engaged in some elaborate parody, but given who it is, maybe not.

got to admit i saw the thread title and had a horrible sinking feeling... seems it was justified! FFS!!!

[DavidM]

19 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

And I always thought Nadine Dorries's best work was Animal Magic.

In the bath with her pet sea lion ?

[John Drake]

4 minutes ago, RP London said:

got to admit i saw the thread title and had a horrible sinking feeling... 

Yes, so did I... 

Now, listen up everyone, if this thread stays on the subject of Ms Dorries' comments at the World Cup press conference, then it'll stay open in here.

If it strays into political point-scoring of any kind, it'll be drop-kicked into the politics sub-forum.

Thanks.

[Jughead]

9 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Yes, so did I... 

Now, listen up everyone, if this thread stays on the subject of Ms Dorries' comments at the World Cup press conference, then it'll stay open in here.

If it strays into political point-scoring of any kind, it'll be drop-kicked into the politics sub-forum.

Thanks.

Can I drink Bloody Mary’s whilst you take the drop goal, like that great day in 2003?

[John Drake]

2 minutes ago, Jughead said:

Can I drink Bloody Mary’s whilst you take the drop goal, like that great day in 2003?

Hopefully it won't be necessary.

[gingerjon]

52 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

At a RL World Cup event today - multiple journos relating that Ms Dorries said "I’ve always quite liked the idea of rugby league and my long standing memory is that 2003 drop goal. I think we were drinking Bloody Mary’s at the time… but wow, what a moment that was."

I'm genuinely still not quite sure that the journos aren't all engaged in some elaborate parody, but given who it is, maybe not.

The audio is now available.

Hopefully this wonderful moment will be included in the official World Cup mural.

[redjonn]

27 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Yes, so did I... 

Now, listen up everyone, if this thread stays on the subject of Ms Dorries' comments at the World Cup press conference, then it'll stay open in here.

If it strays into political point-scoring of any kind, it'll be drop-kicked into the politics sub-forum.

Thanks.

it has already by the implications behind the comments.

[kiggy]

I think she must have had a few breakfast Bloody Mary's this morning too.

[Tommygilf]

In all seriousness though, this belies the practical reality that British RL exists in. Lots of people, especially those who aren't sport inclined (bad for this to include the Secretary of State) just do not know there are 2 codes of Rugby, its all just egg chasing. 

This works for us in some ways, and massively against us in others.

[Man of Kent]

Leaving aside the fact Dorries is not overly blessed with intelligence, this perhaps shines some light on the ignorance about rugby league among the wider public in this country.

If there's one thing that shows we don't figure in the national consciousness as much as we'd like - or as much as we used to - it's this. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

23 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Yes, so did I... 

Now, listen up everyone, if this thread stays on the subject of Ms Dorries' comments at the World Cup press conference, then it'll stay open in here.

If it strays into political point-scoring of any kind, it'll be drop-kicked into the politics sub-forum.

Thanks.

Apologies...I nearly put it on the politics forum instead but felt it was probably more relevant to the RL forum, maybe I should have put it there instead.

[ckn]

Nadine Dorries is John Inverdale and I claim my £5.

[gingerjon]

43 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

In all seriousness though, this belies the practical reality that British RL exists in. Lots of people, especially those who aren't sport inclined (bad for this to include the Secretary of State) just do not know there are 2 codes of Rugby, its all just egg chasing. 

This works for us in some ways, and massively against us in others.

We're not so invisible that the vast majority of people don't know that rugby league is a thing.

They may not know the differences - even if they watched ten minutes of one and then ten minutes of another, they'd assume it was the same thing - and most certainly won't know why rugby league exists but complete ignorance of our existence is not common.

[Dallas Mead]

I’d best not say what I’d like to politically, but it does confirm that RL is only in the conscience of an absolutely tiny percentage of the people in this country.  Sadly.

[Dallas Mead]

1 minute ago, gingerjon said:

We're not so invisible that the vast majority of people don't know that rugby league is a thing.

They may not know the differences - even if they watched ten minutes of one and then ten minutes of another, they'd assume it was the same thing - and most certainly won't know why rugby league exists but complete ignorance of our existence is not common.

It really IS common.

[Chrispmartha]

People know RL exists, but even if they don’t know the difference Id expect the Minister for Sport to.

[Dave T]

She knows RL is a thing. She knows she's not at Twickenham or similar. She isn't very good with detail and this is just another example of that. 

When Oliver Dowden was involved he wasnt doing this, I'm afraid it is a reflection on her, not RL. 

[Mark S]

TBF the tournament is getting million of £’s worth of free PR at the moment. 

[DI Keith Fowler]

The whole thing is doing numbers on Twitter. Not an awful outcome in terms of exposure. We might pick up a few FBPE types (follow back pro expansion) off the back of this. 

[JohnM]

She later addressed her mistake on Twitter. "Like Jason Robinson I may have switched codes in my speech," she wrote. "Both league and union have a rich heritage in the UK. Obviously I've followed rugby league much less in my lifetime, but I'm looking forward to watching England (and all the home nations) in the RL World Cup this autumn. Rugby League World Cup chief executive Jon Dutton said the secretary of state had "clearly made a mistake" but added he was delighted she was there to support the launch of a report into the event's social impact. "The sport is 127 years old but needs a tournament like this to have more visibility. We want more people to be educated on what a wonderful sport rugby league is - and also, what a wonderful sport rugby union is." he added.

"We've had a conversation and we look forward to her coming to the tournament."

Billy Vaughan, vice-chairman of Portico Vine rugby league club in St Helens where the event took place, said: "I thought it was comical. No detriment to her, somebody writes that speech for her, they just need to do their research. It's a little bit disrespectful to the various codes and there's a big difference in the codes."

[Tommygilf]

19 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

We're not so invisible that the vast majority of people don't know that rugby league is a thing.

They may not know the differences - even if they watched ten minutes of one and then ten minutes of another, they'd assume it was the same thing - and most certainly won't know why rugby league exists but complete ignorance of our existence is not common.

Assuming that Rugby is one thing is very common.