The "plan" of the RFL is probably to do that as well. It doesn't mean it's going to happen.

Tickets for the mighty RU World Cup going for £2.50. Smoke and mirrors.

This is accurate, as is Lefty's analysis. We do have a genuine chance to capture interest with GOOD international matches, though, if they are seen on terrestrial TV. Several non-RL friends down here watched the England v NZ semi at the RL world Cup and were blown away. One said to me : 'who are these heroes?' He'd simply never seen RL as a sport that represents the country until that match. We won't grow as big as Union internationally but we can continue to improve. There's another reason, to Lefty's points, that folks go to Union internationals. There is a genuine 'sense of occasion' at them. I went to a few games ( corporate entertainment of clients ) last time the RU WC was in UK, including the final. It's like the old joke: 80 minutes of thrilling atmosphere and entertainment - then the match kicked off. The NZ series next month is a GREAT chance to pick up where the WC left off.

Some well connected marketing & media men wouldn't go amiss at the RFL.

That's a fair comment too, and is the same for every other minority sport. RL fans always compare the coverage it gets with RU - and some advocates of either code even compare them to football which is another stratosphere altogether - but it does okay compared to other minority sports. England RL is seen as representing English RL fans, in the same way as the national hockey team for example would only be viewed by most people as representing fans of that sport.

The only way to change that is for it to become a much bigger contest. England football, RU and cricket teams are seen as representing the whole country because you don't need to be a regular viewer of any of those sports to enjoy the big international occasions. RL is seen as representing northerners and ultimately being won by Australia. The average armchair sports fan in Reading or Watford isn't going to connect with that in the same way the equivalent viewer in Hull or Leeds who has absolutely zero interest in their club Premiership probably can still connect with the England RU team at tournament time.

A competitive GB V Aus series would be bigger than the World Cup but I don't really see how it's going to happen so personally I'll stick to just enjoying Super League and let the more popular sports get on with it. Much as some would like to pretend it is, it really isn't rugby union's fault that rugby league isn't more popular!

Unfortunately, most sports on the world stage that UK international teams are involved in usually finish up with the same regular permutations of winners & not including the British sides. A masterstroke was pulled for the RLWC seemingly by employing the lady who was the mastermind behind the organisation & marketing of the competition. We could do worse than make her an offer she couldn't refuse to take Rugby League in general by the scruff of the neck & drag it as a business into the 21st century.

Love it or loathe it I've just watched the finest game of rugby of either code in the Scotland vs Samoa game

You must have missed the nrl grand final then? Wales and Australia back to the norm

[quote="Dropkick Murphy]

A competitive GB V Aus series would be bigger than the World Cup but I don't really see how it's going to happen so personally I'll stick to just enjoying Super League and let the more popular sports get on with it. Much as some would like to pretend it is, it really isn't rugby union's fault that rugby league isn't more popular![/quote]

Perfect

In 13 pages, I think we can sum the whole debate up in this one paragraph.

Let's not get a chip on our shoulder because the 3 point code gets a lot more people through the turnstiles, than our sport. Yes, I wish more people came and viewed the product, but, you can't press gang people into turning up. For some reason, International RL hasn't "floated some people's boat" in the last couple of decades. This can be explained by

a) lack of English/GB superstars. We don't have Edwards/Hanley/Gregory (x2)/Davies/Schofield/Lydon/Sculthorpe/Farrell playing for us, anymore. In recent years, we've simply had v. good SL players who just aren't International quality, or have just not shown it at International level. I give you Sinfield and Ellis. Sinfield, despite his importance to Leeds, has barely had any good games for England. They've just been above average. Likewise Ellis. He "tore it up" in the NRL. Not so, in an England shirt.

b) Lack of success. People will simply give up on sides that aren't getting results. The biggest fluff up on GB'S behalf, was not winning that 1997 series against the Aussie SL squad, when hardly any of the "names" came over. That's the worst touring Aussie side I can remember , yet they still won the series.

c) We only really have the Aussies and Kiwis to play. You're not going to get too excited about playing a load of Championship players donning the red of Wales ,are you. Likewise France. Half the Catalans squad (who don't travel well at the best of times) and a bunch of makeweights.

Let's not get too downhearted. We all know we have the best game on the planet, but the majority of the public aren't exposed to it. I like a certain band, who will remain nameless. Their stuff isn't fashionable or even catchy, but, their stuff is a thing of beauty, and even the majority of critics (not that I pay ANY attention to them) say they're superb, but they've sold only a few records (one Top 10 album). Contrast this to Peter Andre. Complete 5h1te, yet numerous hit records/albums.

I'll stick to my product being better, just not as popular.