Sun 22 Oct: International: England v Tonga (at Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens) KO 2.30pm

[DavidM]

36 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

Are you ‘aving a giraffe?

No just a bacon sandwich and a cuppa tea 

[crashmon]

5 minutes ago, crashmon said:

I live in surrey... to get to MK takes me at least 1 hour and thats assuming no traffic holdups on the M25 / M3, M25 /M4 and M25 / M40.  In reality it takes me about 1 1/2 hours to get to MK

But again its another huge missed oppertunity by the RFL.  Most Neutrals watching that game on the BBC will not be living around Hudds or Leeds, and those people who might have decided to go watch it live are not going to do a 6 hour round trip (using your example) to go watch them. 

Edited October 22, 2023 by crashmon

[Gomersall]

7 minutes ago, crashmon said:

I live in surrey... to get to MK takes me at least 1 hour and thats assuming no traffic holdups on the M25 / M3, M25 /M4 and M25 / M40.  In reality it takes me about 1 1/2 hours to get to MK

We buy any car.

[Ragingbull]

Enjoyable game.  Just booked tickets  for next week.  Hope plenty more do as well. 

Current ticket siuation:

Neither top tiers open and only selling every other row in the tradional away end and  and far side stand.

 Bottom tier behind the posts is open but mimimal tickets sold for that stand. 

Expect/hope ticket sales rapidly improve this week 

Edited October 22, 2023 by Ragingbull

[crashmon]

 

4 minutes ago, crashmon said:

But again its another huge missed oppertunity by the RFL.  Most Neutrals watching that game on the BBC will not be living around Hudds or Leeds, and those people who might have decided to go watch it live are not going to do a 6 hour round trip (using your example) to go watch them. 

I had a few of the friends round watching the game with me on TV, who I took to the SF last year. Every signle one of them asked me when are they playing in London (or in the South in General).  I had no answer......   If you had a game in London I could probably have got another 20 or so people going next week based on the game today)....   But they not going to travel all the way to Yorkshire for a live game....

It is a shame... I told them maybe if they were lucky our grand kids might get to see England play live but I doubted we would see it in our lifetimes

[Dave T]

15 minutes ago, DoubleD said:

You can see the selling of alternate rows in the north stand. Crowd was respectable if somewhat disappointing. Others loss for missing a great test match 

My only gripe was that Saints hadn’t opened some of the F&B facilities so there was over 30 minutes wait at the start of the game and at half time. I gave up waiting and so didn’t buy anything but it’s really poor

This isn't a Saints thing. It's the same at many grounds the RFL use for England games. You get the level fo service you pay for. 

The facilities are often below a standard SL game for internationals. I have absolutely no doubt it contributes to people just watching at home or in the pub. 

[Harry Stottle]

54 minutes ago, Johnny Ringo said:

He's still a great player, but it's an area he needs to work on . 

If his club coach can't teach him no one will.

[Gomersall]

1 minute ago, crashmon said:

 

I had a few of the friends round watching the game with me on TV, who I took to the SF last year. Every signle one of them asked me when are they playing in London (or in the South in General).  I had no answer......   If you had a game in London I could probably have got another 20 or so people going next week based on the game today)....   But they not going to travel all the way to Yorkshire for a live game....

It is a shame... I told them maybe if they were lucky our grand kids might get to see England play live but I doubted we would see it in our lifetimes

That’s a bit dramatic mate. If the Kangaroos tour in the next few years I’d expect them to make sure one game is in London.

[Leyther_Matt]

2 minutes ago, Dave T said:

This isn't a Saints thing. It's the same at many grounds the RFL use for England games. You get the level fo service you pay for. 

The facilities are often below a standard SL game for internationals. I have absolutely no doubt it contributes to people just watching at home or in the pub. 

In a slight defence (or at least offering some understanding situation), there’s absolutely no doubt Saints had hedged their bets on not being lumbered with a load of stock for the next 6 months that they can’t get rid of. A problem that doesn’t occur when using the bigger football grounds….

Enjoyed the day anyway even if it all felt a bit low key all in all. Really do think this weekend should have been a warm up game (at exactly the same venue) ahead of a humdinger of a first test in London next week (ideally West Ham at 7pm as I’m at Charlton v Bolton ). Ah, well maybe next year!

[Leyther_Matt]

Mikey Lewis simply has to play for me next week btw 

[dkw]

50 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Over the last few years, I am sure people have been fed up with me saying that the area we have been furthest behind the Aussies is the kicking game.

Today, Harry Smith showed the value of a game management half with a strong kicking game.  His kicks played a big part in ensuring the Tongan's didn't get any momentum from play one and forced them to come away from their line and tire them out.

The value of a game management half cannot be underestimated. 

Great seeing Harry become the player I hoped he would. I thought he was going to be something special after seeing him take the young Aussie side apart years ago for England academies. 

[Dunbar]

Just now, dkw said:

Great seeing Harry become the player I hoped he would. I thought he was going to be something special after seeing him take the young Aussie side apart years ago for England academies. 

Indeed. His kicking game was a standout in those two matches.

[Gomersall]

Just now, Leyther_Matt said:

Mikey Lewis simply has to play for me next week btw 

As Williams is still banned I think that’s a given.

[bobbruce]

4 minutes ago, Leyther_Matt said:

Mikey Lewis simply has to play for me next week btw 

He should probably play for England I don’t see any benefit in him going to yours to play for you. Plus it’s just a bit weird. 

[Guest]

9 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

That’s a bit dramatic mate. If the Kangaroos tour in the next few years I’d expect them to make sure one game is in London.

Or he could go anyway. I did. 

[dkw]

5 minutes ago, Dunbar said:

Indeed. His kicking game was a standout in those two matches.

Him and Mustafa from Leeds were outstanding, the Aussies has no answer to either of them. Smith controlled the games and they just couldn't handle Mustafa down the middle.

It's took a while, longer than I hoped as Lam seemed hesitant to give him the freedom to play, but this season he has really stepped up.

[Futtocks]

A bit more Mikey, just for OF.

 

[welshmagpie]

Booked a table at a town centre pub in my little corner of the Midlands to watch this with a couple of lads I used to play rugby league with. 
 

I find it always useful to document the interactions that the general folk have with rugby league when we requested it for the main screen in the pub with commentary on.

Group of lads and their girlfriends behind us with the standard comments:

”rugby League this ain’t it!?”

”big boys them - f*** that!”

”Is this a World Cup or something?”

”Nah - they had that last year I think!” - brownie points to him.

One of the lads walked past our table a little later and asked if “England were that sh** nowadays?” - we explained how Tonga had risen as an RL nation and it was more a reflection of their improvements.

Turned out he spent a year in Australia and had watched “That Thurston in the final. Queensland is it? Mad for it the Aussies. Then that Tomkins came over as the MVP and looked bang average. Mad ain’t it!”

An old bloke did what old bloke’s often do and stopped square in front of the TV on his way to the bar and looked bemused that A) England had an RL team B) people were watching it outside of the north.

”Good on ya!” was his sole remark our way as he settled back down to watch the football. 

A gentleman in a West Ham top asked if we’re watching the rugby and if the football was going on the big screen instead? We apologised and said we’d be looking forward to this game for ages - he was fine about it and acknowledged how the league boys don’t mess around with any of the “fancy pantsy” stuff like these footballers do. He quickly scurried back to a screen with the football build up - habits are clearly hard to break aye! 

All in all, glad we ventured out - lots of curious looks, lots of engaged eye balls. Harry Smith’s assist even garnered a couple of muffled ‘phwoar’ 

Edited October 22, 2023 by welshmagpie

[Midlands hobo]

38 minutes ago, crashmon said:

But again its another huge missed oppertunity by the RFL.  Most Neutrals watching that game on the BBC will not be living around Hudds or Leeds, and those people who might have decided to go watch it live are not going to do a 6 hour round trip (using your example) to go watch them. 

At least one of the games could be somewhere south. I get many football clubs are not keen on their pitch being used in the season. However midlands hurricanes Alex stadium holds more than enough and would be good for the Jamaican community who got behind their WC side. 

Also Worcester Ru ground is currently sat empty. Good finger to the RAHS RAHS to hold international RL in a defunct premiership teams ground 

[The Masked Poster]

I sat down to watch the game but an unexpected family crisis meant I had to go out. I saw the first 15 and the last 10 minutes but it has been enough to whet my appetite for next Saturday in Huddersfield. Looking forward to a good match and even a loss won't be a disaster in terms of selling the final game. 

See you In Huddersfield! 

[Rene_Artois]

2 hours ago, Dr Tim Whatley said:

Sensational insight from Robbie Hunter-Paul there. With then minutes to go and Tonga 12 behind..."they know they have to score in the last five or ten minutes"

Thanks for that 

I loved that

[Northern Eel]

Enjoyable day out. Passable crowd, relatively low-key atmosphere, rugby was fine, looking forward to Huddersfield. Lewis and Smith were terrific. 

[GeordieSaint]

Thought some of the Tongans were injured considering the amount of time some were laying around the ruck. Agreed on some quality in the side - missing even more quality too! 

Edited October 22, 2023 by GeordieSaint

[GeordieSaint]

He hasn’t changed…

He also thinks Radley is our best player.

[Rovers13]

4 minutes ago, GeordieSaint said:

He hasn’t changed…

He also thinks Radley is our best player.

I don’t think we’ve seen radley at his best in an England shirt tbh, but he’s our best player is a bit of a stretch. But im also not so sure we have a manninga Lockyer schofield handley type player anyway, I think this England team is just that a team. 

Edited October 22, 2023 by Rovers13