England vs Samoa Series

[sam4731]

15 minutes ago, BristolDevonCharlie said:

 

 

France and Wales will both be in World Cup qualifying this autumn. Since the demotion of Italy, Scotland and Ireland it seems that only four European teams are eligible for RLWC 2025, so that is likely to be a European Championship over four weeks (round robin and final) to decide who qualifies for the World Series 2025.

Unlikely that France or Wales will play more than 3 or 4 games in the autumn window. 

Lebanon won't be doing anything much. Maybe them for a one-off game against England? (Plus they could warm up by playing Ireland or Scotland?) 

Getting Lebanon over here is probably just as hard to coordinate as Samoa. Remember Lebanon are just an NRL/NSW/QLD Cup rep side.

[JM2010]

8 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

Getting Lebanon over here is probably just as hard to coordinate as Samoa. Remember Lebanon are just an NRL/NSW/QLD Cup rep side.

It would be easier to include Lebanon in the Pacific Bowl with Fiji, PNG and Cook Islands

[sam4731]

1 minute ago, JM2010 said:

It would be easier to include Lebanon in the Pacific Bowl with Fiji, PNG and Cook Islands

It's a bit unfair that PNG can't play in the Cup after winning last years bowl.

I'd have Aus, NZ, Tonga and PNG in the cup and Fiji, CI and Lebanon in the Bowl.

[Barley Mow]

2 hours ago, M j M said:

That's not the case. Like in our sport soccer clubs flag dates their ground isn't available. Old Trafford isn't always free for the Grand Final by chance.

I don't doubt that you're right about clubs excluding dates when their ground isn't available, but isn't Old Trafford always free for the Grand Final because we programme it for the week when there are soccer internationals on?

[JM2010]

4 minutes ago, sam4731 said:

It's a bit unfair that PNG can't play in the Cup after winning last years bowl.

I'd have Aus, NZ, Tonga and PNG in the cup and Fiji, CI and Lebanon in the Bowl.

Yeah that’s a good idea. Gives the teams in the bowl something to play for 

[Dave T]

32 minutes ago, Damien said:

Wigan, Leeds and Brentford would be a pretty good spread and should get decent crowds at each.

Standard approach where we have three England games should always be NW, NE and South. Pretty much tried and tested. 

[M j M]

31 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

I don't doubt that you're right about clubs excluding dates when their ground isn't available, but isn't Old Trafford always free for the Grand Final because we programme it for the week when there are soccer internationals on?

No, sometimes it is sometimes it isn't, Man Utd have often played Premier League games away on the same weekend.

[gingerjon]

1 hour ago, Barley Mow said:

I don't doubt that you're right about clubs excluding dates when their ground isn't available, but isn't Old Trafford always free for the Grand Final because we programme it for the week when there are soccer internationals on?

Clubs are able to specify a small number of dates when their ground won't be available.

[StandOffHalf]

2 hours ago, sam4731 said:

It's a bit unfair that PNG can't play in the Cup after winning last years bowl.

I'd have Aus, NZ, Tonga and PNG in the cup and Fiji, CI and Lebanon in the Bowl.

Yeah, that would be preferable.

They want to avoid having two games a round though, in order to run down the comp.

[Anita Bath]

5 hours ago, M j M said:

That's not the case. Like in our sport soccer clubs flag dates their ground isn't available. Old Trafford isn't always free for the Grand Final by chance.

Yes but thats a know match at a known location with a well established date and large attendence in advance. Different to holding dates of unknown matches at unknown locations on unknown dates.

I am guessing nothing will be announced until after footy fixtures if they are to use footy stadiums. But its just a guess.

[BristolDevonCharlie]

6 hours ago, sam4731 said:

It's a bit unfair that PNG can't play in the Cup after winning last years bowl.

I'd have Aus, NZ, Tonga and PNG in the cup and Fiji, CI and Lebanon in the Bowl.

 

7 hours ago, JM2010 said:

It would be easier to include Lebanon in the Pacific Bowl with Fiji, PNG and Cook Islands

The Australian government is funding Pacific Champs and that was the reason Troy Grant gave why England couldn't guest in it, so that explains why Lebanon have been excluded. 

Fully understand they are 2/3's a semi-pro team but they are also ranked 9th in the world and are the highest other team available, so if you need a third game they are next cab off the rank. 

[BristolDevonCharlie]

12 hours ago, Anita Bath said:

Yes but thats a know match at a known location with a well established date and large attendence in advance. Different to holding dates of unknown matches at unknown locations on unknown dates.

I am guessing nothing will be announced until after footy fixtures if they are to use footy stadiums. But its just a guess.

They were able to announce the 2020 RL Ashes series (sadly scuppered by Covid) back in November 2019 which included three football grounds (Elland Road, Bolton and Tottenham). 

 

www.skysports.com/amp/rugby-league/news/12196/11856206/tottenham-to-host-england-vs-australia-rugby-league-ashes-test

 

[Leyther_Matt]

The key is getting in early enough with the football clubs before they’ve already used up their allotted 7 shifts

Old Trafford are pretty well versed on the Grand Final being one of those (if it isn’t an international weekend) along with Manchester Marathon, but the others would need to be a sharp shift, particularly Spurs with their NFL commitments. 

[Odsal Outlaw]

I think a 2 game series is fine if the venues are right and they get it announced! Then add a French game for a bit of variety if they have availability around WC qualifying.

[Gomersall]

2 hours ago, Leyther_Matt said:

The key is getting in early enough with the football clubs before they’ve already used up their allotted 7 shifts

Old Trafford are pretty well versed on the Grand Final being one of those (if it isn’t an international weekend) along with Manchester Marathon, but the others would need to be a sharp shift, particularly Spurs with their NFL commitments. 

I’m not sure if I’m reading this wrongly but the GF has often been played on the same weekend as the Manchester marathon.

[BristolDevonCharlie]

1 hour ago, Odsal Outlaw said:

I think a 2 game series is fine if the venues are right and they get it announced! Then add a French game for a bit of variety if they have availability around WC qualifying.

Can't see France playing five games this October / November (unless as a train-on squad warm-up pre or same weekend as Grand Final). Especially, when Catalans usually start pre-season training end of November / early December (15th Nov 2022, 4th Dec 2023), and some Super League clubs start early November. 

I imagine qualifiers will start weekend after Grand Final, so start on 19th October and run until a final on 9th November. To fit an England game will take it until 16th November, and seeing as even 2026 & 2030 World Cups are being trimmed to five weekends and likely to end early November in the future, I cannot see this happening. 

Edited April 27 by BristolDevonCharlie

[BristolDevonCharlie]

11 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

I’m not sure if I’m reading this wrongly but the GF has often been played on the same weekend as the Manchester marathon.

Manchester Marathon is in April. Matt was saying that Manchester United use it as one of their seven shifts, like they also sometimes do with the Grand Final.

[Gomersall]

47 minutes ago, BristolDevonCharlie said:

Manchester Marathon is in April. Matt was saying that Manchester United use it as one of their seven shifts, like they also sometimes do with the Grand Final.

Half marathon? I know we’ve stayed in the hotel at the OT cricket ground and seen the runners.

[JonM]

2 minutes ago, Gomersall said:

Half marathon? I know we’ve stayed in the hotel at the OT cricket ground and seen the runners.

The half marathon is on the Sunday morning of the GF weekend. The finish line (and start I think) are just outside Old Trafford.

[GeordieSaint]

Fulham if there is a game in London. 

[Hopie]

If things were going really well, Newcastle and North London would both be great locations for return fixtures, and if people who lived near those venues new about it that would be even better! Hopefully BBC1 would also be available.

If there are only 2 games then 1 could be justifiably in the heartlands but that could equally be a good venue for warm up fixtures.

Some dates to work towards would be nice too!

Edited April 27 by Hopie

[sam4731]

I've said this for years now but if you sold tickets for a tenner at any London ground you are guaranteed at least 40,000. You can't do much in London for a tenner. Advertise it on the tube as a day out for the kids and Bob's your uncle.

15,477 at Headingley last year x£25 (average I'm guessing) =£386,925

Tenner a ticket and you'd only need 38,000 which I think would be extremely achievable.

[JohnM]

1 hour ago, sam4731 said:

I've said this for years now but if you sold tickets for a tenner at any London ground you are guaranteed at least 40,000. You can't do much in London for a tenner. Advertise it on the tube as a day out for the kids and Bob's your uncle.

15,477 at Headingley last year x£25 (average I'm guessing) =£386,925

Tenner a ticket and you'd only need 38,000 which I think would be extremely achievable.

And the radio, Spotify etc.....

[BristolDevonCharlie]

4 hours ago, GeordieSaint said:

Fulham if there is a game in London. 

Even shorter than Old Trafford. Grass is 102.5 metres long. 

[Dave T]

The frustrating thing with all of this is how difficult we make it for ourselves. 

When anything gets announced we will be starting from scratch, just as we do every year. We have no ongoing sponsors (England RL's main sponsors are SL sponsors who get a bolt on), we have no England fanbase to speak of, no supporters club, we have no 'home' - we are making it almost impossible for this to succeed. 

We need regularity, to build an engaged Base, partners who help us deliver. I do think this is the closest we've been to killing Eng/GB in the 35+ years I've watched. It's a slow motion car crash.