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

[Dallas Mead]

6 minutes ago, Dave T said:

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. 

Reflection on both.  

[redjonn]

29 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

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

when FINA made decision about Trans, followed by RL Nadine mentioned both sporting bodies specifically and supporting their decisions. So she does know about RL..

I would expect she had no idea about the rules for all the sports that occur in this country... Then again I have no idea about all the rules of all the sports.

To be honest whether I like her or not or her political leaning and position in government reading the opening post above I don't see anything wrong except she made a mistake, which I hear from many people when talking rl they refer to Union they see on telly

 

[Dallas Mead]

3 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Assuming that Rugby is one this is very common.

Incredibly common sadly, even in Warrington a so called “rugby league town” there are vast swathes of people blissfully unaware of the sport.  Sad but true.

[Stanley30]

Haha this is brilliant. Got me chuckling. Up there with that time Salford got an opera singer to sing before the match and she sang that world in union song. Classic

[Eddie]

15 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.

I think it is common for people not to know that rugby league and union are different things as opposed to just rugby, certainly in parts of the country where neither code is popular (eg east anglia). I’m not talking about people who are well into sport, but the general population who have a passing to no interest. 

[Tommygilf]

To add, this identity problem wouldn't be an issue if we were the wealthier sport!

[Big Picture]

46 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.

Quite true, and considering that a clear majority of Brits has no idea that two different versions of rugby exist and think that rugby = RU hardly surprising either. It shows what RL is up against in its present form as a small regional sport with small time ways and what a job IMG has taken on with it.

[phiggins]

26 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

Assuming that Rugby is one thing is very common.

I doubt it is that common amongst people speaking at Rugby League World Cup events

[Jughead]

If she’d have said that she’s haunted by the ankle tap on McGilvray and no amount of Bloody Mary’s could have cheered her up nobody would have bat an eyelid, her gaffe has probably created more eyes on the tournament than if she had mentioned the right sport. 

[Just Browny]

Desperate to know whether a civil servant wrote the speech for her or whether she was ad libbing. It would be normal practice for a CS to do it, but the reference to Bloody Marys makes me think it was her speaking.

I don't read anything more into it than a funny gaffe which has drawn attention to a press conference I probably would have missed without it.

[Spidey]

31 minutes ago, Dallas Mead said:

Incredibly common sadly, even in Warrington a so called “rugby league town” there are vast swathes of people blissfully unaware of the sport.  Sad but true.

Sorry that's rubbish - the majority are perfectly aware, just not interested 

[Big Picture]

7 minutes ago, Spidey said:

Sorry that's rubbish - the majority are perfectly aware, just not interested 

If that was true, it would mean that IMG has just taken on an impossible job wouldn't it.

[Man of Kent]

15 minutes ago, Jughead said:

If she’d have said that she’s haunted by the ankle tap on McGilvray and no amount of Bloody Mary’s could have cheered her up nobody would have bat an eyelid, her gaffe has probably created more eyes on the tournament than if she had mentioned the right sport. 

It's certainly good publicity

 

 

Edited June 30, 2022 by Man of Kent

[Dave T]

People are a little disingenious when they talk about people not knowing there are two forms of Rugby. 

I think what people experience is non-sport fans not knowing anythibg about RL. 

If you are a sports fan, even at a casual level in the UK you will be aware that there is such a thing as RL. If we accept that RU is well known - even just in their fan base people know about RL, even if just from cross-code signings. 

Whether those people are interested to know any details about it is a different thing. I know that there is such a thing as Aussie Rules Football or Garlic Football, but I couldn't tell you much about them. 

I know some RL fans like to criticise the sport for anything they can, but this error is not a poot reflection on RL. 

[Dave T]

4 minutes ago, Big Picture said:

If that was true, it would mean that IMG has just taken on an impossible job wouldn't it.

No. Getting people interested in something is not impossible. 

In fact it happens all the time in all areas of our lives. 

Edited June 30, 2022 by Dave T

[Pie tries]

Embarrassing….

[Leyther_Matt]

52 minutes ago, DI Keith Fowler said:

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. 

Bloody hell, not more expansionists!

[Leyther_Matt]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

People are a little disingenious when they talk about people not knowing there are two forms of Rugby. 

I think what people experience is non-sport fans not knowing anythibg about RL. 

If you are a sports fan, even at a casual level in the UK you will be aware that there is such a thing as RL. If we accept that RU is well known - even just in their fan base people know about RL, even if just from cross-code signings. 

Whether those people are interested to know any details about it is a different thing. I know that there is such a thing as Aussie Rules Football or Garlic Football, but I couldn't tell you much about them. 

I know some RL fans like to criticise the sport for anything they can, but this error is not a poot reflection on RL. 

That's completely fair enough for the general population. For the cabinet member with responsibility for sports though? Nah. 

[Dave T]

Just now, Leyther_Matt said:

That's completely fair enough for the general population. For the cabinet member with responsibility for sports though? Nah. 

Indeed. It's nonsense. It's her job, and she's a top Minister. 

But, as has been pointed out, she's a bit of a laughing stock, this kind of thing is sta Dard every few days anyway, so we can maybe benefit from some coverage. 

[Desert Skipper]

Well, am I the only who thinks this equally (if not more) embarrassing for Rugby Union? The fact that the minister for sport thought that Johnny Pimms and the boys played Rugby League?

To be fair, Jason Robinson was interviewed after that World Cup game so I can understand if she was confused by the regional accent and colloquialisms.

[Man of Kent]

3 minutes ago, Dave T said:

People are a little disingenious when they talk about people not knowing there are two forms of Rugby. 

I think what people experience is non-sport fans not knowing anythibg about RL. 

If you are a sports fan, even at a casual level in the UK you will be aware that there is such a thing as RL. If we accept that RU is well known - even just in their fan base people know about RL, even if just from cross-code signings. 

Whether those people are interested to know any details about it is a different thing. I know that there is such a thing as Aussie Rules Football or Garlic Football, but I couldn't tell you much about them. 

I know some RL fans like to criticise the sport for anything they can, but this error is not a poot reflection on RL. 

There's no way an Australian sports minister would make drop such a heinous as boll_ock as this because of the popularity of rugby league Down Under so I think it does say something about our standing.

But mostly it's a poor reflection on Dorries.

[Dave T]

Just now, Man of Kent said:

There's no way an Australian sports minister would make drop such a heinous as boll_ock as this because of the popularity of rugby league Down Under so I think it does say something about our standing.

But mostly it's a poor reflection on Dorries.

The previous sports minister didn't and wouldn't do this and RL's profile hasn't changed. 

She has loads of these gaffes, it is 100% on her. 

[DavidM]

Let’s be honest , at a major pre World Cup event that’s absolute rubbish . I’m making no political or personal point , but your brief envelops sport , there’s no excuse for not grasping the basics and being able to articulate it in a PR soundbite . You knew where you’re going , have something written down and just read it out . It’s dead simple , and really , it’s your job . It does the perception no favours really . Cheers 

[Dave T]

 

[Barley Mow]

17 minutes ago, Dave T said:

...Whether those people are interested to know any details about it is a different thing. I know that there is such a thing as Aussie Rules Football or Garlic Football, but I couldn't tell you much about them...

You are Nadine Dorries. You know very little about sport, and I claim my £5! 

Edited June 30, 2022 by Barley Mow