England v Tonga series

[Dave T]

I might go on Sunday to St Helens. 

My wife offered to buy me tickets as my Father's Day gift (Wire hospitality) fell through. 

But I'll be honest, I'm not sure I can be bothered. And I hate that, but it's true. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

2 hours ago, Just Browny said:

So this is happening with games on Sunday 22 October  in St Helen's, Saturday 28 October in Huddersfield and Saturday 4 November in Leeds.

Who's going and how confident are England fans feeling?

I'm going to game 2 at Huddersfield. Looming at the stadium map last night, it looks like very few tickets have been sold so far. I have heard adverts for the series on Heart and seen electronic ads in Huddersfield Town centre and the centre of Leeds, so hopefully sales will pick up on the back of a decent opener.

Going to 2 games ....looking forward to it

Anyone know how the sales are going/ have gone ?

[RigbyLuger]

17 minutes ago, londonrlfan said:

Tbf, Hull would've been a better choice than Headingley.

Headingley is great for those who also want to stand, as an option, and seemed to do well for the women's games there last year. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

I might go on Sunday to St Helens. 

My wife offered to buy me tickets as my Father's Day gift (Wire hospitality) fell through. 

But I'll be honest, I'm not sure I can be bothered. And I hate that, but it's true. 

If I can make it from 180 miles away you can do it from Warrington 

You'll love it once you are there 

[Dave T]

Just now, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

If I can make it from 180 miles away you can do it from Warrington 

You'll love it once you are there 

The main reason I can't be assed is basically because I just didn't love international RL 12m ago. 

I loved the opener, even with failed ceremony, it was a great event, the others I attended were pretty rubbish days out. 

[Bedfordshire Bronco]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

The main reason I can't be assed is basically because I just didn't love international RL 12m ago. 

I loved the opener, even with failed ceremony, it was a great event, the others I attended were pretty rubbish days out. 

I'll go along with that I had some rubbish experiences at the WC .....the Sheffield and Coventry games I went to were rubbish though the Headingly games were good

I still think you'll enjoy it .....I think it will be a comfortable England win first game then a tight two more 

[NRLandSL]

23 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

1. Welsby 2. Young 3. Farnworth 4. Wardle 5. Johnstone 6. Williams 7. Smith

I suspect he’ll pick something different though. 

Personally I think England have 3 of the best 5 Wingers in world. I reckon Makinson has to be in the side, And I think Shifting young out to the centres is what they should do. He is a natural centre after all and debuted for Newcastle there, also it’s likely he could play there next year for the Roosters. But then again that’s pushing Wardle out of the side which is pretty criminal after this year.

But that goes to show how goods englands backline is, probably the best in the world right now.

[Rovers13]

3 minutes ago, Bedfordshire Bronco said:

I'll go along with that I had some rubbish experiences at the WC .....the Sheffield and Coventry games I went to were rubbish though the Headingly games were good

I still think you'll enjoy it .....I think it will be a comfortable England win first game then a tight two more 

If England win one I will be surprised tbh. 

[Rovers13]

Wouldn’t say it’s the worst GB/ England team I’ve ever seen but it’s close. 

[Just Browny]

Makinson is still a good Super League winger, but I don't think he has been as much a stand out this year as in previous years when he would have been one of the first names on the England teamsheet. His hard running from backfield has not been as punchy and at some times he has verged on the crabby.

On the wing, and on form, Johnstone should be in there and then for me it is any one from Young, Davies, Marshall, Ashton, Charnley or Makinson.

[Tommygilf]

From the Championship/League 1 meeting there was a massive amount of concern from the RFL regarding this test series and the amount of money they need to make from it. 

50k tickets minimum was the number bandied about, from the concerns raised, it appears that number has not yet been achieved.

[GeordieSaint]

22 minutes ago, NRLandSL said:

Personally I think England have 3 of the best 5 Wingers in world. I reckon Makinson has to be in the side, And I think Shifting young out to the centres is what they should do. He is a natural centre after all and debuted for Newcastle there, also it’s likely he could play there next year for the Roosters. But then again that’s pushing Wardle out of the side which is pretty criminal after this year.

But that goes to show how goods englands backline is, probably the best in the world right now.

I disagree on Makinson. He’s a great winger. But I think he’s done at the international level (injuries and waning pace) and won’t be in the side come 2026. So build to that. 

[crashmon]

36 minutes ago, Rovers13 said:

If England win one I will be surprised tbh. 

I'd be amazed if Tonga win one....  Be interesting to see how Tonga perform on tour....  One game might be close, but this has England 3-0 written all over it

[Eddie]

26 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

From the Championship/League 1 meeting there was a massive amount of concern from the RFL regarding this test series and the amount of money they need to make from it. 

50k tickets minimum was the number bandied about, from the concerns raised, it appears that number has not yet been achieved.

I doubt it will be 30k tbh, as sad as that is. 

[Guest]

Off to St Helens and 3 of us to Huddersfield.

Might do the wheelchair game the week after unless Leeds is the decider.

Not sure why you wouldn't go to see quality international RL.

[DoubleD]

I'm attending all 3 but was surprised/concerned by the availability of tickets left. The RFL have advertised it plenty, but there really could do with a week's gap after the Grand Final to allow for a proper build up. Both this series and the Pacific games feel very much like they're afterthoughts (which they are). All the momentum from the World Cup has been thrown away again. The series should have been set in stone and tickets on sale following the World Cup last year, but alas this is international rugby league and it's always half arsed

[The Masked Poster]

Although I haven't got tickets yet, I'm going to Huddersfield with 2 others. All 3 of us were once regular RL game goers and hoping for a decent game. 

[Damien]

46 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

From the Championship/League 1 meeting there was a massive amount of concern from the RFL regarding this test series and the amount of money they need to make from it. 

50k tickets minimum was the number bandied about, from the concerns raised, it appears that number has not yet been achieved.

And it's entirely their own fault.

[The Hallucinating Goose]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

I might go on Sunday to St Helens. 

My wife offered to buy me tickets as my Father's Day gift (Wire hospitality) fell through. 

But I'll be honest, I'm not sure I can be bothered. And I hate that, but it's true. 

In all honesty I'm the same. I was gonna travel across to Huddersfield when it was announced but I just aren't excited enough for this series, and like yourself, just can't be bothered with the hassle. 

[Damien]

20 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

I'm attending all 3 but was surprised/concerned by the availability of tickets left. The RFL have advertised it plenty, but there really could do with a week's gap after the Grand Final to allow for a proper build up. Both this series and the Pacific games feel very much like they're afterthoughts (which they are). All the momentum from the World Cup has been thrown away again. The series should have been set in stone and tickets on sale following the World Cup last year, but alas this is international rugby league and it's always half arsed

The timing is fine. Its entirely the unambitious venues that are the issue.

[Tommygilf]

I think there will be a late surge that might tip it over the 50k for the series mark, but they really have dropped the ball in all aspects with this one.

I genuinely reckon that swapping either hudds or headingley for Brentford or another suitable ground in London would have led to larger crowds at both. Instead I fear that it will look like that in the supposedly RL mad north of England nobody gives a toss.

[DoubleD]

1 minute ago, Damien said:

The timing is fine. Its entirely the unambitious venues that are the issue.

It's not really, players should be in camp and there should be a proper build up with interviews from both camps, building momentum in the media. As it is, people are still digesting the Grand Final and we're days away from the first test

[Damien]

1 minute ago, DoubleD said:

It's not really, players should be in camp and there should be a proper build up with interviews from both camps, building momentum in the media. As it is, people are still digesting the Grand Final and we're days away from the first test

I don't think this is the case at all. I have seen and received plenty of marketing for these tests. I have not seen anyone indicate they are not going because of this.

Put these matches back a week and play them at the same venues and the result are exactly the same.

[DoubleD]

1 minute ago, Damien said:

I don't think this is the case at all. I have seen and received plenty of marketing for these tests. I have not seen anyone indicate they are not going because of this.

Put these matches back a week and play them at the same venues and the result are exactly the same.

It wouldn't be, there'd be without doubt a rise in sales

[Just Browny]

11 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

it will look like that in the supposedly RL mad north of England nobody gives a toss.

It isn't really that it 'looks like' that though; quite a few people don't give a toss.