World Cup Bidding

[Coco]

It's not a moan. When was the last time England played Australia 8 years ago. The NRL have treated the international scene as a joke. 

The facts speak for themselves. The attendances for the last set of internationals show that there is not much interest in these games. I am providing a view, which is supported by evidence. It seems you don't like anyone's views but yourself. 

This is called a general forum to discuss views in topics based in rugby league. I am sorry you can't handle my opinion supported by evidence.  It's one opinion out of hundreds, which I am entitled to provide.  You seem to only want to hear what you want. 

[BristolDevonCharlie]

44 minutes ago, Coco said:

It's not a moan. When was the last time England played Australia 8 years ago. The NRL have treated the international scene as a joke. 

The facts speak for themselves. The attendances for the last set of internationals show that there is not much interest in these games. I am providing a view, which is supported by evidence. It seems you don't like anyone's views but yourself. 

This is called a general forum to discuss views in topics based in rugby league. I am sorry you can't handle my opinion supported by evidence.  It's one opinion out of hundreds, which I am entitled to provide.  You seem to only want to hear what you want. 

Given that the attendances for each of the England v Tonga games were bigger than the average attendances for the 2023 Super League season at each of those grounds, I would say it shows there is an appetite for the international game. 

Plus, that was a Tonga series. With NZ or Australia in 2027 & 2028, the likelihood is average crowds will be significantly higher. 

Also, the most watched game of Rugby League on UK TV in 2023 was the third Tonga test. More than the Challenge Cup final. 

I know it will not please parochialists but progressing International Rugby League is the only way of stopping the sport shrinking!

[JohnM]

If there had ever been easy answers to the questions surroung Rugby League at International level, I'm sure we'd have by now a thriving International scene. 

It's more complex than "chicken and egg" and more like "what existed in the universe before the big bang." 

I think the decline started in  the 1960s, when rugby league in England was dying on its feet, some 60 years ago, but with a brief revival of internationals in the late 1980-1995 period. Ove.r that period theres been some great games Vs Aus to attracting big crowds and lots of media attention: we had stars, we had characters, we had a competitive team, we had the funds, we had ..... Since then, SuperLeague and its wars, summer rugby, societal changes, lack of imagination from an ineffective International body, no money to run a high-energy event-driven program, a congested fixtur list (though no worse than when we had the Challeng Cup, the Regal Trophy and BBC2 floodlit competition) . Having the game on pay TV has injected money into the game, that's true, but at the expense of general exposure in the free-to-air media. 

 

[Toby Chopra]

49 minutes ago, JohnM said:

If there had ever been easy answers to the questions surroung Rugby League at International level, I'm sure we'd have by now a thriving International scene. 

It's more complex than "chicken and egg" and more like "what existed in the universe before the big bang." 

I think the decline started in  the 1960s, when rugby league in England was dying on its feet, some 60 years ago, but with a brief revival of internationals in the late 1980-1995 period. Ove.r that period theres been some great games Vs Aus to attracting big crowds and lots of media attention: we had stars, we had characters, we had a competitive team, we had the funds, we had ..... Since then, SuperLeague and its wars, summer rugby, societal changes, lack of imagination from an ineffective International body, no money to run a high-energy event-driven program, a congested fixtur list (though no worse than when we had the Challeng Cup, the Regal Trophy and BBC2 floodlit competition) . Having the game on pay TV has injected money into the game, that's true, but at the expense of general exposure in the free-to-air media. 

 

There aren't really that many fewer games on terrestrial now. We still have the challenge cup and internationals on the BBC, including recently wall to wall coverage of a world cup.  And now even a few league games on C4, when there were never league games shown on Grandstand. 

From your list, I think it's rugby league's struggle to keep up with societal and economic changes that's been the biggest challenge.

By contrast Australian rugby league has been able to remain at the forefront of Aussie sport and society, and now they don't need matches against England/GB to attract attention.

I really do think the international game is the best chance we've got to change things here - all the years successfully bringing southerners to high level internationals but failing to entice them to club games tells me that.

But unfortunately the Aussies and Kiwis don't need the same thing, so I fear we're just not going to get what we need from them.

[Anita Bath]

There were league games on the BBC back in the eddie waring days…and challenge cup/ john player trophy, floodlit cup, end of season play offs, county cups.

[JohnM]

2 hours ago, Toby Chopra said:

There aren't really that many fewer games on terrestrial now. We still have the challenge cup and internationals on the BBC, including recently wall to wall coverage of a world cup.  And now even a few league games on C4, when there were never league games shown on Grandstand. 

From your list, I think it's rugby league's struggle to keep up with societal and economic changes that's been the biggest challenge.

By contrast Australian rugby league has been able to remain at the forefront of Aussie sport and society, and now they don't need matches against England/GB to attract attention.

I really do think the international game is the best chance we've got to change things here - all the years successfully bringing southerners to high level internationals but failing to entice them to club games tells me that.

But unfortunately the Aussies and Kiwis don't need the same thing, so I fear we're just not going to get what we need from them.

Agree with a lot of that but iirc there used to be regular and frequent league games on BBC on a Saturday, which is why Eddie Waring became a national figure.  In addition there was also BBC Floodlight comp. Aussie tours used to last 6 weeks, with internationals interspersed with club Vs Aussie games.

 

Yes, C4 showed several games and did a great job, but the few Cup games on BBC in no way matched up the coverage of the Waring years. Oh for a new Mo. 

I'd like to add that the coverage of the game on BBC TV News and Sky News is minimal, though recently there were some mention on BBC News about playoff games.

Be that as it may, I feel that an opportunity existed with the Tonga tour to make a much bigger "event" out of it.  Organising it in the way was organised missed that, though Wane did inject some jeopardy into the series.

Edited November 10, 2023 by JohnM

[Fevrover]

1 hour ago, Anita Bath said:

There were league games on the BBC back in the eddie waring days…and challenge cup/ john player trophy, floodlit cup, end of season play offs, county cups.

Captain Morgan Trophy.

[Exiled Wiganer]

6 hours ago, Coco said:

The international scene makes no sense at all. Are there fans interested in the world cup and also the international scene. I am more excited about next year's Super League. and NRL. After what the NRL have done to the international scene, I tended to ignore the international game. 

From the attendances from the last set of internationals, the numbers have shown that the fans don't want international games. I would not have a problem that they cancel the next world cup. It's just my thoughts. 

This is all you ever write in this incarnation. 

[Exiled Wiganer]

4 hours ago, BristolDevonCharlie said:

Given that the attendances for each of the England v Tonga games were bigger than the average attendances for the 2023 Super League season at each of those grounds, I would say it shows there is an appetite for the international game. 

Plus, that was a Tonga series. With NZ or Australia in 2027 & 2028, the likelihood is average crowds will be significantly higher. 

Also, the most watched game of Rugby League on UK TV in 2023 was the third Tonga test. More than the Challenge Cup final. 

I know it will not please parochialists but progressing International Rugby League is the only way of stopping the sport shrinking!

They have an agenda, and have had the same one for years: it’s Mind Your Place League Peasants. I suspect they had issues with one or both parents. 

[eal]

What keeps the game relevant in Australia is the domestic comp, what keeps it relevant in the UK is internationals. Square post meet round hole.

[JohnM]

11 hours ago, Fevrover said:

Captain Morgan Trophy.

That was a rum one.

[Anita Bath]

1 hour ago, JohnM said:

That was a rum one.

It was another competition for first round losers wasnt it? In the good old days when the top 8 teams entered competitions in the first round, not the last 8.

[JohnM]

7 minutes ago, Anita Bath said:

It was another competition for first round losers wasnt it? In the good old days when the top 8 teams entered competitions in the first round, not the last 8.

[Griff]

1 hour ago, Anita Bath said:

It was another competition for first round losers wasnt it? In the good old days when the top 8 teams entered competitions in the first round, not the last 8.

It certainly was not.

It was actually a competition for first round winners.

[Anita Bath]

7 hours ago, Griff said:

It certainly was not.

It was actually a competition for first round winners.

Well I was close! 
 

First round winners in JPT went into second round of that cup and first round of the rum and cola cup. 

Yes we had half-baked ideas back then too!

[Fevrover]

11 hours ago, JohnM said:

Warrington 4 Featherstone  0 at Salford the final.

[Griff]

2 hours ago, Anita Bath said:

Well I was close! 
 

First round winners in JPT went into second round of that cup and first round of the rum and cola cup. 

Yes we had half-baked ideas back then too!

County Cups, actually.

I don't know where you're sourcing your information, but maybe look around for an alternative