England's performance against Tonga

[sam4731]

Is it better for English rugby league if we win 3 games comfortably to show that we are a worthy opponent for better teams or is it better that we have 3 close games to create a better spectacle for the casual fan?

[Whippet13]

Better for Enlish RL is:

3 capacity crowds show up v Tonga to prove we value international RL.

We kick Tongan ass with 3 clear wins.

Repeat the same next year v Samoa or whomever.

Then win the Ashes 3-0 in 2025.

However it goes, I'll be at all these games and am really looking forward to it all.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

I'm going to at least 2 games and while I want England to win I'd rather it is a close and competitive fixture than a blow out 

I agree that it is most important that it is well supported and at least near to a sell out 

[Curly perm]

I want to see good quality games between two well matched sides. What’s the point in 50-0? We get that against France and nobody is interested.

We want a spectacle and competitive games. It’d also show what international rugby league could be if everyone got behind it.

 

[eal]

Is it a foregone conclusion that Tonga will send their strongest side?

[ghost crayfish]

I have England as favourites, but not by such a margin you should be worried about winning too easily. After you lost to Samoa at the World Cup, I think you should just be hoping to win the series... Remember, as well as beating Great Britain, Tonga were also unlucky to lose to England the last time the teams played. I think it's very unlikely you'll win with 3 thrashings - there might be 1 big England win in there, but I also expect Tonga to go very close to winning at least 1 game along the way, if not 2.

 

[sam4731]

The question is, if this series was played IN NZ, would it be a different story?

[Wellsy4HullFC]

10 hours ago, eal said:

Is it a foregone conclusion that Tonga will send their strongest side?

Is it a foregone conclusion that we'll have ours?

[GeordieSaint]

I think we’ll win the Series. Have tickets for the 3rd Test. 

[Hopie]

After listening to some of the interviews this week, mainly on the BBC rugby league podcast, I think Wane sounds a bit delusional if he thinks there will be three sell outs for these games. I'd be really happy if he was right though, a good atmosphere at the games would be a bonus.

I was at the game in 2017 and it was an amazing spectacle, although all the talk of that paled into insignificance when I remember the absolute relief when the final whistle went. I've seen every England WC semi final in person since I watched the 1995 one on TV as a kid, and it hurts to see them lose so many.

On that note I want to see us win, and we need competitive games if we are to step up to beat the best later.

Unfortunately our previous tournament performance was a poor one, we didn't use the easier games to build performances or adapt team selection, and hearing players describe it as "the best 6 weeks of their life" when they let themselves and the fans down was a kick in the teeth.

We took a downgrade from our previous coach in appointing Wane, and I'm worried that players seem to just stay in the squad when they have failed in the past or are on a downward trend at the end of their careers, I'm hoping some new players can step up and justify a place in the team in this series.

[ATLANTISMAN]

Maybe a full house in Leeds if 1-1 after the first 2 tests otherwise with targeting the same old and no game outside the heartlands my Prediction

1st 12000

2nd 15000

3rd 17000 (20000 if 1-1)

With discounted tickets and the soaring costs of travel from down under they will be lucky to break even.

Do the maths.

 

 

[crashmon]

Its not going to move the needle in terms of advancing International RL in the NH. As all the games are in the M62, its going to get very little attention outside even though its on the BBC.

If england RU make the SF, then there will be RU world cup games involving England happening around the same weekends as the 1st and 2nd test, we also have the cricket world cup going on as well, plus Premier League

If you wanted to get any interest in it you needed to have a game in London. So its not going to move any needles regardless of a 3-0 blow out win for England or a close 2-1 finale

[FearTheVee]

13 minutes ago, crashmon said:

If you wanted to get any interest in it you needed to have a game in London. So its not going to move any needles regardless of a 3-0 blow out win for England or a close 2-1 finale

It's a good test for the organisers - getting three sell outs (or close thereto) for a series vs Tonga would be progress irrespective of media coverage. Half empty stadiums in the heartlands I agree will be a poor outcome.

Re: venues - people get nostalgic for the halcyon days of Ashes series and forget that the last one we hosted had games at the DW, KC and McAlpine (or whatever they are called now) and I don't think we even sold out the KC for game 2 of the Ashes. We need to build up a core support for England RL playing proper series against proper opposition as part of a proper calenda - haopefully this is stage one.

That said, I live down South and am a big believer in the latent support for the game down here as I see it in how easy it is to get half a dozen non-RL people along to a big game held in London.

Edited September 19, 2023 by FearTheVee

[crashmon]

2 hours ago, FearTheVee said:

It's a good test for the organisers - getting three sell outs (or close thereto) for a series vs Tonga would be progress irrespective of media coverage. Half empty stadiums in the heartlands I agree will be a poor outcome.

Re: venues - people get nostalgic for the halcyon days of Ashes series and forget that the last one we hosted had games at the DW, KC and McAlpine (or whatever they are called now) and I don't think we even sold out the KC for game 2 of the Ashes. We need to build up a core support for England RL playing proper series against proper opposition as part of a proper calenda - haopefully this is stage one.

That said, I live down South and am a big believer in the latent support for the game down here as I see it in how easy it is to get half a dozen non-RL people along to a big game held in London.

I took 6 friends to watch SF V Samoa last year,  They enjoyed the game, and would have gone to a Tonga game again this year (if it was in London) as a) its England, and b) they enjoyed the game and the experience around it.

Will they travel 200 miles to the M62 for a RL game not a chance.  Do they have any interest in League outside of England, no they don't, (no chance of them going to a bronocs game, although I might have got them to the 1895 final if London had got there.  Will they watch a RL game on TV featuring england, no they won't, they will be either at a football game or will have sky sports news on.   But I would have got them to go to a game if England had played a test in London.

You get one test a year in London, and you start to build up on those types of fans. Over time you never know they might start to want to watch club rugby League as well, but they sure as hell are not going to watch England on the TV if they have a union or football game happening at the same time featuring their clubs

Edited September 19, 2023 by crashmon

[ATLANTISMAN]

56 minutes ago, crashmon said:

I took 6 firends to watch SF V Samoa last year,  They enjoyed the game, and would have gone to a Tonga game again this year (if it was in London) as a) its Engalnd, and b) they enjoyed the game and the experience around it.

Will they travel 200 miles to the M62 for a RL game not a chance.  Do they have any interest in League outside of England, no they don't, (no chance of them going to a bronocs game, although I might have got them to the 1895 final if London had got there.  Will they watch a RL game on TV featuring england, no they won't, they will be either at a football game or will have sky sports news on.   But I would have go them to go to a game if England had played a test in London.

You get one test a year in London, aand you start to build up on those types of fans. Over time you never know they might start to want to watch club rugby League as well, but they sure as hell are not going to watch England on the TV if they have a union or football game happening at the same time featuring their clubs

Totally realistic comment 

 

[Jparrish]

 

Hopefully we'll see a strong Tonga squad. Such is the poor venue selection I dont think it will make too much difference on attendances if its a whitewash or we see competitive games. I just cant see many "casual fans" going to games but hopefully a few watch on BBC.

If Tonga were to pull off a win and the last game was a decider we would see a bit of a spike. 

If we win the series comfortably then hopefully we'd see NZ or less likely Aus in 24. If its a fairly close series then get Samoa or Fiji over.

 

https://www.theroar.com.au/2023/09/23/tonga-squad-taumalolo-afb-keaon-and-haumolo-to-lead-stacked-squad-on-pioneering-tour-of-england/amp/