Sun 5th Nov: Wheelchair International: England v France KO 3.15pm @ First Direct Arena, Leeds (BBC Two)

[John Drake]

Discuss the Wheelchair International: England v France @ First Direct Arena, Leeds here.

[Northern Eel]

France to sneak it.

'They just wanted it that little bit more'.

Another classic predicted.

[Futtocks]

I've gone for French revenge, but it really could go either way.

[Damien]

I do like the emphasis on these teams being world's best to sell this match:

 

 

[muckymunksy]

Wheelie looking forward to this one. 

[RigbyLuger]

The game of the weekend.

[moorside roughyed]

Wish I could go. Will have to watch it on catch up. COME ON ENGLAND

[gogledd]

13 hours ago, Damien said:

I do like the emphasis on these teams being world's best to sell this match:

 

 

Ranked No's 1 and 2 in the Wheelchair RL World Rankings so that absolutely correct. I just wish that we (Wales Wheelchair RL ) had the resounrces of these two teams. 

[moorside roughyed]

Just now, gogledd said:

Ranked No's 1 and 2 in the Wheelchair RL World Rankings so that absolutely correct. I just wish that we (Wales Wheelchair RL ) had the resounrces of these two teams. 

Its a shame. Wheelchair rugby league is awesome. The more teams the better in my eyes. Some good local rivalry between England and Wales.

[Phil]

This will be the first game I’ve attended, really looking forward to it

Any predictions for the crowd? 

[Northern Eel]

23 minutes ago, Phil said:

This will be the first game I’ve attended, really looking forward to it

Any predictions for the crowd? 

I think it is going to be a good crowd, probably not too far off 3,000. The bottom blocks, which have been off sale for some time now, hold about 500 each and there have been about 6 blocks open, as far as I can recall. Then, recently, there are 4 blocks open in the second tier of seating, each of which seat about 200. Plenty of these look to have sold too.

It is going to be another cracking atmosphere though. If it can get anywhere close to the WCF then it will be brilliant, as I was totally blown away when attending that one.

[daz39]

Looking forward to this more than any other game this year, loved watching the games on TV so to finally see the sport live is going to be one hell of an experience.

An England win would be great but as long as it's a good spectacle that will suffice if not to be.

[RigbyLuger]

We can't have many more articulate spokespeople in RL than Tom Coyd. Impressive fella!

 

 

[Northern Eel]

45 minutes ago, daz39 said:

Looking forward to this more than any other game this year, loved watching the games on TV so to finally see the sport live is going to be one hell of an experience.

An England win would be great but as long as it's a good spectacle that will suffice if not to be.

I think it is a fantastic product and the atmosphere should be great. I would rank being at the World Cup Final last year as one of my most memorable and genuinely spine-tingling experiences in sport.

There is a genuine rivalry between the two teams. The last time they played, the French lost their World Cup trophy, and cried loudly about the physicality of the game, the quality of refereeing (even though they had that clown touch judge and his ridiculous pantomime performance) and the damaging of the ethos of the game. They are massively up for revenge.

Edited November 2, 2023 by Northern Eel

[sam4731]

Have we heard any news as to whether the 25th November game in Marseille will be broadcast anywhere?

[RigbyLuger]

BBC article in case you missed it, because it's not in the RL section!

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/disability-sport/67259512

[Northern Eel]

3 minutes ago, RigbyLuger said:

BBC article in case you missed it, because it's not in the RL section!

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/disability-sport/67259512

No Clausells for France is a big boost to England. That said, Alazard and Vargas are incredible players who will cause problems. 

[unapologetic pedant]

3 hours ago, RigbyLuger said:

BBC article in case you missed it, because it's not in the RL section!

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/disability-sport/67259512

According to Nathan Collins - 

"We know every time we play France it will be tough and I think it will be another fast, furious high-collision game and I feel like the team who sticks best to the game-plan will have the best outcome"

It's often said that part of the appeal of Wheelchair RL is that it feels authentically like the running game. The above sample of stunning banality is top-drawer. No mention of completing sets is the only significant blemish.

Don't normally visit the BBC site. RL is described there as "a crowd-pleasing, physically demanding game with few stoppages and plenty of pace".

[Northern Eel]

One last hurrah for the Autumn. I've had a blast at each of the test matches this year, and the fact that this is the last game for a while is bitter-sweet. I love this form of RL and with the French, there is a genuine world class rivalry.  What will be fill our time with after today? No idea.

[sam4731]

57 minutes ago, Northern Eel said:

One last hurrah for the Autumn. I've had a blast at each of the test matches this year, and the fact that this is the last game for a while is bitter-sweet. I love this form of RL and with the French, there is a genuine world class rivalry.  What will be fill our time with after today? No idea.

Well they're playing each other again in 3 weeks in Marseille. No idea whether there's been any news on broadcasting though.

[moorside roughyed]

Watching on my phone, at a family function but sat well out of the way . COME ON ENGLAND . Stuff em!

[Yorky]

TV on, drinks and snacks ready......really,really looking forward to this one. If its even half as good as the WC final we are in for a cracker

[snapski]

Hope the French touch judge from the World Cup is in attendance.

[Northern Eel]

Building up rather nicely this crowd…

 

[moorside roughyed]

Just now, snapski said:

Hope the French touch judge from the World Cup is in attendance.

So do I. What a 24 carat plonker he was