Mid Season International

[gingerjon]

8 minutes ago, BristolDevonCharlie said:

Maybe on here but not in the wider world. This is fully open season for RFL bashing for most. It is a shame as it all taints the fact that we have an international in the calendar and if (and that is a big if) France are at full strength at home, it should at least be competitive like in 2021. 

It is poor regardless of who is the organising body. If the RFL are taking stick then I'm okay with that too. They deserve it. This bizarrely awful day is the only thing confirmed in England's diary so far this year.

[The Phantom Horseman]

For the people who are complaining about there being no Toulouse players available, which eligible players in the Toulouse squad do you think should be selected? Marcon and Marion played in the last game against England (the 64-0 defeat) but neither are anywhere near international class really. Maybe Belmas but he's not really up to the standard either. If Championship players are selected you'd think it would be more likely to be players like Cozza or Jouffret.

[ATLANTISMAN]

The RFL have been waiting for several weeks for the french to sign off on it, the  delay was mainly caused by Stade Toulousian who have now signed off on the deal for stadium corporate facilities etc.

With only 10 weeks to go it's a huge challenge to get this all organised ,we will be doing our bit  sponsorship naming rights will assist also with corporate and organising press conferences.

We need as many fans to buy into this as possible and also France to put out a full team.

I won't hold my breath and expect the usual suspects to be pulled out a week or so before, let's see i will be back at the Dragons this Saturday and our radio man on the ground Jason Costigan will knowing him ask the question regarding availability of Dragons players.

Add the others listed and it could be a pretty decent team doesn't need any Toulouse players at all.

Fingers crossed 

 

P

[Barley Mow]

2 hours ago, Whippet13 said:

Lots of strong criticism of the RFL here, but unless I'm mistaken it is the French who are organising this event. They have likely decided the scheduling of all 3 games based on their views what will do the most for them on a tight budget. It is their 90th birthday party, they are not a wealthy organisation and just getting this event on is probably quite an achievement. Let's consider this before jumping in and bashing the RFL.

I place (most of) the blame with the RFL.

The Championship is a RFL competition, the RFL chose to programme an international break for Super League but not for the Championship.

It is obvious that Toulouse must have a week off if there is to be an England v France international, the RFL decided not to programme that into the fixtures.

Edited April 17 by Barley Mow

[Damien]

5 hours ago, Pulga said:

English RL deserves everything it gets. Why should the Kangaroos taint their brand by playing England?

What brand? Sure Australia always have a quality team but they rarely play and their organisation of internationals is no better.

[Pulga]

17 minutes ago, Damien said:

What brand? Sure Australia always have a quality team but they rarely play and their organisation of internationals is no better.

Is it really no better? Playing as curtain raiser is pathetic.

[marklaspalmas]

59 minutes ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

For the people who are complaining about there being no Toulouse players available, which eligible players in the Toulouse squad do you think should be selected? Marcon and Marion played in the last game against England (the 64-0 defeat) but neither are anywhere near international class really. Maybe Belmas but he's not really up to the standard either. If Championship players are selected you'd think it would be more likely to be players like Cozza or Jouffret.

Let's be clear. Two of the best players who will now be unavailable to France because of the TO/Fev match actually play for Featherstone.

[Damien]

25 minutes ago, Pulga said:

Is it really no better? Playing as curtain raiser is pathetic.

I know it pathetic. Australia do curtain raisers too though. They are hardly the beacon to follow on this.

Edited April 17 by Damien

[RP London]

1 hour ago, BristolDevonCharlie said:

Maybe on here but not in the wider world. This is fully open season for RFL bashing for most. It is a shame as it all taints the fact that we have an international in the calendar and if (and that is a big if) France are at full strength at home, it should at least be competitive like in 2021. 

Lets be equally fair that in the wider world people are probably not going to know there is a champ match on afterwards.. and that in itself speaks volumes of where we are today.. 

any RFL bashing is merited on much of what they do as its so unbelievably tinpot its ridiculous and the fact the wider world doesnt really know what is going on in a sport they hardly know is testament to the work/nonwork done by the RFL for the past 20+ years. 

[RP London]

16 hours ago, Tre Cool said:

Still sounds better than Magic Weekend in South L**ds

it does... sadly

[gingerjon]

I had thought that the Great Britain scraping past Burleigh Bears before going on to be utterly embarrassed in the 1999 Tri Nations was the lowest ebb.

Turns out, I just didn't have the imagination.

[Barley Mow]

9 minutes ago, RP London said:

Lets be equally fair that in the wider world people are probably not going to know there is a champ match on afterwards.. and that in itself speaks volumes of where we are today.. 

any RFL bashing is merited on much of what they do as its so unbelievably tinpot its ridiculous and the fact the wider world doesnt really know what is going on in a sport they hardly know is testament to the work/nonwork done by the RFL for the past 20+ years. 

Are people in the wider world going to know about the internationals, never mind the Championship match?

It looks as though it won't be on TV, just on SL+. I can't see there being much promotion of it to anyone who isn't already following RL.

Edited April 17 by Barley Mow

[gingerjon]

2 minutes ago, Barley Mow said:

Are people in the wider world going to know about the internationals, never mind the Championship match?

It looks as though it won't be on TV, just on SL+. I can't see there being much promotion of it to anyone who isn't already following RL.

A little non-leading test for you and anyone else.

You're an RL fan. Will you be telling any non-RL friends about these international games whether that's encouraging them to attend/try to watch/follow the games?

[Barley Mow]

1 minute ago, gingerjon said:

A little non-leading test for you and anyone else.

You're an RL fan. Will you be telling any non-RL friends about these international games whether that's encouraging them to attend/try to watch/follow the games?

Personally, if it was on TV I would mention it to people and encourage them to watch it.

If it's on SL+ then I may still bring it up in conversation, but it will be less likely and I'm less likely to suggest people download an app, etc specially for it.

[RP London]

5 minutes ago, gingerjon said:

A little non-leading test for you and anyone else.

You're an RL fan. Will you be telling any non-RL friends about these international games whether that's encouraging them to attend/try to watch/follow the games?

I have already done so with my mates here, "date for the diary" as will see whether a tv channel picks it up to decide what to actually do, if on SL+ it will be beer and a BBQ at ours... they just want a beer and happy to watch RL. I may even look to go depending on my son and what he has planned with GCSEs/post GCSEs etc.

Edited April 17 by RP London

[Damien]

1 minute ago, gingerjon said:

A little non-leading test for you and anyone else.

You're an RL fan. Will you be telling any non-RL friends about these international games whether that's encouraging them to attend/try to watch/follow the games?

I know for a fact that if I told RU folk that I know to watch this match on TV they are very likely to extract the urine out of it.

[Worzel]

2 hours ago, BristolDevonCharlie said:

Maybe on here but not in the wider world. This is fully open season for RFL bashing for most. It is a shame as it all taints the fact that we have an international in the calendar and if (and that is a big if) France are at full strength at home, it should at least be competitive like in 2021. 

Oh please. The French rugby league barely has 2 francs to rub together. Does the NRL expect Fiji RL to organise and pay for internationals?

If the RFL had any strategic gumption they'd understand it is their role to lead the development of northern hemisphere rugby league, and that it is in its own interests to do so. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

45 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said:

Let's be clear. Two of the best players who will now be unavailable to France because of the TO/Fev match actually play for Featherstone.

I didn't like to say that, partly because to be honest I don't think Lacans or Springer would be selected either unless several players are unavailable. But the point that three or four of the best French-qualified players in the Championship don't play for Toulouse is a pertinent one.

[crashmon]

I'll probably watch the game if it gets picked up by TV (even if on Red button), but not downloading an app I'll use just once to watch it. Also would it be free, or would I have to pay to watch it?

 

[RP London]

1 hour ago, crashmon said:

I'll probably watch the game if it gets picked up by TV (even if on Red button), but not downloading an app I'll use just once to watch it. Also would it be free, or would I have to pay to watch it?

 

 I would guess you just arent all that bothered, which is fair enough, but its not the fact you need to download an app its that its just not appealing for you. after all downloading an app is really easy, then delete it afterwards. I am sure if it werent such a dog job of an arrangement for the match you wouldnt find it such a pain. 

 

I dont have an issue with it being on SLTV or whatever its called, though a proper channel would be better.. BUT the whole thing is rubbish and badly put together. I will support it (even if I have to pay to watch I expect) because something is better than nothing, but the RFL are just throwing money and opportunity away by arranging things so late, without proper gaps in the fixture schedule etc etc

[crashmon]

Yea I travelled to the game last year, but right now it seems that the RL just don't care.  I'd probably have gone to France for it if it was not just a warm up for a lower tier game.

Can you imagine England v France in football as a warm up to Bastia vs Preston ?

[Pulga]

12 hours ago, Damien said:

I know it pathetic. Australia do curtain raisers too though. They are hardly the beacon to follow on this.

The problem is t that there is curtain raisers, it's the order. 

The headliner should be the test, not the Championship game.

[Damien]

5 minutes ago, Pulga said:

The problem is t that there is curtain raisers, it's the order. 

The headliner should be the test, not the Championship game.

Yes we know that. Everyone has criticised that and have done so since January.

That is quite different than the point you made regarding Australia and their brand. Australia are no better, frankly we should be following no examples in Rugby League on how to do this as internationals are done so poorly across the board. Its real arguing that one is a little shitter than the other stuff.

[Click]

God how embarrassing this all is.

I am usually excited for any fixtures England get announced with, I would have more excitement for another Combined nations team rather than France mid-season.

Not sure how many times we have to face them mid-year before we say it doesn't work.

The majority of Catalans biggest players will withdraw in the weeks leading up to the game, as usual. And I don't blame them for it either, it is unfair for the whole of SL to get a week off, but Catalans are effectively all playing an extra game.

Won't even go into the fact that Toulouse - Featherstone is the headline game apparently.