England v Tonga series

[Guest]

12 minutes ago, meast said:

That last 20 minutes and extra time at the Emirates and GB v Australia at Wigan in 2004 are up there with the best atmosphere's I've been part of in sport.

proper spine tingling moments!

You would think a Samoa test in London, maybe not Emirates, might be a good sell off the back of that. 

Edited October 23, 2023 by Leonard

[meast]

7 hours ago, Eddie said:

I was pleased this morning when a bloke at my work who’s a die hard Union fan and is quite dismissive of league told me he’d watched yesterday and really enjoyed it. 

A colleague of mine who isn't a big "rugby" fan and is more into the premier league told me he watched both rugby games but found the union "boring as f***" but thought the league was "ace!"

[17 stone giant]

2 minutes ago, Leonard said:

You would think a Samoa test on London, maybe not Emirates, might be a good sell off the back of that. 

Brentford.

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

16 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

I remember him from my occasional visits to rlfans.com about 20 years ago.

I feel like he was relatively old back then, so is he no longer about?

Yes I assume he died about 20 years ago

 

Edited October 23, 2023 by Hull Kingston Bronco
Typo

[Gomersall]

10 minutes ago, Hull Kingston Bronco said:

Yes I assume he died about 20 years ago

 

No I never.

[Gomersall]

19 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

Brentford.

If they want to play there then they need to be negotiating now IMO.

[Northern Eel]

4 hours ago, tiffers said:

Organic social media posts are free - or near as free.
We should absolutely be doing this to our core audiences when the cost of sale is so low.

Especially as there is a tiresome rhetoric from some so-called RL fans that they 'didn't even know there was a game on'.

[17 stone giant]

17 minutes ago, Hull Kingston Bronco said:

Yes I assume he died about 20 years ago

Wow, yet he still gets a mention, such was his impact and contribution.

His name liveth for evermore.

The rest of us can only dream of such recognition.

[Hull Kingston Bronco]

4 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

Wow, yet he still gets a mention, such was his impact and contribution.

His name liveth for evermore.

The rest of us can only dream of such recognition.

The original internet "I like both sports, but..." rugby union troll. God rest his soul. 

[thehullram]

Right, after reading on here about how RL fans need to get off their a*** and support the International Game, I have booked 5 tickets for Leeds. Anyone else going to get a group together and buy some??? 

[JohnM]

4 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

Not for me. At least certainly not arrogance, controversy or niggle. There's enough childish nonsense in the world as it is. I find those things off putting rather than something that attracts me.

I watch loads of sport and most games have none of those things (not in any prominent sense), but they're still great contests. The only story for me is who wins the series etc.

My fondest rugby league memories are GB v Aus from the early 90's. I don't recollect any great controversy. It was just great games between two major sporting rivals.

If the sport goes down the route of manufacturing nonsense and conflict, click baiting and hyping stuff like tabloid newspapers and crappy websites do, then I'll be going elsewhere.

If I want that sort of garbage, I'll watch Eastenders.

That's your opinion, but not mine. Having attended most of the internationals held in the UK in the late 1980s until the mid 1990s, I have to say your attention must have been elsewhere. The pre-match sledging from the Australians, the constant criticism of match officials, the century -old sporting rivalry all helped provide the media with sporting headline material that raised the awareness of the game nationally and helping deliver match attendances that did the games proud. 

[Rugbyleaguesupporter]

Around 600k tv rating for match according on rugbyleagueontv x account 

[17 stone giant]

38 minutes ago, JohnM said:

That's your opinion, but not mine. Having attended most of the internationals held in the UK in the late 1980s until the mid 1990s, I have to say your attention must have been elsewhere. The pre-match sledging from the Australians, the constant criticism of match officials, the century -old sporting rivalry all helped provide the media with sporting headline material that raised the awareness of the game nationally and helping deliver match attendances that did the games proud. 

Well, the century old sporting rivalry exists no matter what.

So, the only question is, do you want more pre-match sledging and do you want constant criticism of match officials?

Because if you do, both of those things are extremely easy to achieve. People don't even have to believe what they're saying - they just need to say it.

Personally, I would hate to see that sort of nonsense make a return. Let it stay in the 1980's and 90's, or whenever it was that you think it was prevalent.

[bobbruce]

3 hours ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

 

Give me one reason why not

 

3 hours ago, Bamboozle said:

Is that the patter you layed on Claire?

No that is

[JohnM]

2 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

Well, the century old sporting rivalry exists no matter what.

So, the only question is, do you want more pre-match sledging and do you want constant criticism of match officials?

Because if you do, both of those things are extremely easy to achieve. People don't even have to believe what they're saying - they just need to say it.

Personally, I would hate to see that sort of nonsense make a return. Let it stay in the 1980's and 90's, or whenever it was that you think it was prevalent.

As you are perfectly well aware, you are basing your opinion on a false premis just to be argumentative.  Personally, I hate to see that sort of nonsense. 

[Gomersall]

7 hours ago, JohnM said:

That's your opinion, but not mine. Having attended most of the internationals held in the UK in the late 1980s until the mid 1990s, I have to say your attention must have been elsewhere. The pre-match sledging from the Australians, the constant criticism of match officials, the century -old sporting rivalry all helped provide the media with sporting headline material that raised the awareness of the game nationally and helping deliver match attendances that did the games proud. 

Bobby Fulton in particular was world class at **** stirring.

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

Bobby Fulton in particular was world class at **** stirring.

I think we need a half time mascot race. Covers a few bases:

1. Half time entertainment for those wanting an all round experience at the match and are not just there for the the RL.

2. Brings back the biff.

3. Kids like mascots.

4. Can be plenty of pre-match needle in the build up.

5. Cheap.

Feels like an easy win.

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

11 hours ago, 17 stone giant said:

Brentford.

Yep...the right size and it's a fantastic stadium too

[Damien]

3 hours ago, Gomersall said:

Bobby Fulton in particular was world class at **** stirring.

He had no shame either and was great at trying to bend everything in the Aussies favour. And it worked most of the time too.

[Gomersall]

37 minutes ago, Damien said:

He had no shame either and was great at trying to bend everything in the Aussies favour. And it worked most of the time too.

The irony being he was born in Warrington

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

The irony being he was born in Warrington

Hence the lack of shame.

[JonM]

13 hours ago, Bamboozle said:

So England RL should play an international in a city where you once got your end away?

Problem is, it's my meant to be a 3 match series, not a one-off..

.

[JonM]

9 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

The irony being he was born in Warrington

Being born in a stable doesn't automatically make you a horse...

[Guest]

42 minutes ago, JonM said:

Problem is, it's my meant to be a 3 match series, not a one-off..

.

At least it might provide a compelling pre-game narrative for the BBC.

Especially when Claire Balding turns up.

[meast]

The problem with having a bit of needle and sledging etc is that in today's social media, outraged, take-life-too-serious social there will no doubt people who can't accept banter and want to take things further.

I think the English/British, despite having an underlying respect for the shackled ones also have a loathing of them too and will probably show a lot more open respect for the likes of NZ and Tonga who give them a bit of a slap now and again