Got a bit of time before heading out for the Sonics game today (A team at home to Swindon St George, K.O 2.30pm if anyone fancies an amateur game etc), so thought I'd put my two penneth in.



I've been down in this neck of the woods for nearly a decade now, and have been involved with the Sonics since we launched in 2002.In that time I've seen the club struggle, build and now flourish. From scraping one open age team together (with muppets like me making up the numbers) we now have 2 open age sides, six junior clubs in the city (aunched a few weeks ago) and more and more schools are taking up our offer of coaching and competitions. Furthermore, as has already been pointed out, FiltoN College has recently added a Director of Rugby League to its Bristol Academy of Sport programme - the idea being that within a year or two we'll have an U18 team, hopefully in the Gillette Youth League.



It's still relatively early days for the sport of Rugby League in the city, but we're in a much healthier state now than we've ever been. Certainly, there seems to be more knowledge of the sport in the area than there has been, and we enjoy very good links with a number of local union clubs - five, for example, are hosting junior sides for us, with another couple equally as enthusiastic. In terms of adult players, we have a dedicated core now who would name League as their first choice code, plus many others from a union background who are just as keen on League. After being here for nine years, most union players know who we are - and many have either tried the sport, or have declared an interest.



Like Sheffield City Council, Bristol City Council see events as a way of bringing people to the city. And like Sheffield, they were involved in the football WC bid. Both councils/cities are in a strong psoition to bid (and have) for 2013 World Cup matches. Both places have the infrastructure - sporting facilities, good transport links, loads of hotels, vibrant city centres - to put in strong bids.



There are many reasons why using big cities as hosts for RLWC matches makes sense. Cities give you a bigger population to aim your marketing at. Big cities often have a strong sporting history and culture. And big cities are often populated by people with a variety of backgrounds, including those who have moved from "traditional" RL areas (be it the North of England or Australia/New Zealand etc) at some point in their lives.



Last time round, the RLWC played a match in Gloucester, on a rainy night. There were still 3, 500 there - not a huge figure, but given the game (Lebanon v New Zealand if I'm correct) and the conditions, not awful. If it had been played in Rochdale, Oldham, Sheffield, Gateshead, Doncaster etc, there would have been few more. Ditto the 4000 (including me) who turned up in Reading to see NZ vs the Cook Islands. A poor crowd, for sure, but similar to what we'd have got up North. The problem with those two areas was that they were pretty "random" - little or no community RL there at that point, or schools work.



Bristol has both of those, plus clubs like Swindon, Somerset Vikings, Gloucester etc within easy reach. It's easy to get to from London and the North either by car or rail/coach. And Bristol is a fine city.



The bid may or may not be successful. If it isn't, we've not lost anything. If it is, it will certainly give a boost to League in this part of the world - and that can only be a good thing IMHO.



We're realistic enough to realize that it comes a bit out of the left field, and it may not fit in with the RFL's plans. But if it does, we'll do everything we can collectively to market the game successfully and use it as a springboard for further grassroots development - particularly in schools. Sheffield, who I would also like to see get games for obvious reasons, would do the same.

Yet you believe internationals are only allowed to be played in the 'heartlands'.



Well done Bristol. It will be a shame if they were to miss out on a game. They've shown how much they would like to showcase the tournament by putting a lot of effort into their bid. The more big cities interested in the game, the better.

How high is the interest for RL in Bristol incedently? Are they planning on entering the Sonics to Championship 1?

What do you define as not even close? It was 1,700 seats from a capacity crowd. I accept that perhaps a big game like Australia v. England in Wigan should have sold out but it was hardly 'nowhere near'. I suspect the reason a lot of people don't turn up are because of the prices. A Wigan fan will have to pay upwards of £10-15 more for the seat they sit in all season to watch England and I'm sure the negative connotations associated with the international set up at the moment (We'll never beat 'um, they're too good etc.) will deter people.



The bid in Bristol is well set up as has been mentioned and I believe they deserve a chance as long as the RFL market the game fairly and responsibly to set up a five-figure crowd and generate further interest.

Or perhaps fans are bored of going to the same old stadia in small northern towns and would fancy a change, perhaps an event, that isn't just your run of the mill turn-up-and-watch international marketing.



DW is closer than Wembley, but I'll be taking more people there than DW.

Completely agree with that post. I think people hugely underestimate what sort of effect there is for asking people to pay £40 for a seat that would normally cost £19 for a Super League game. The pricing structure certainly needs looking at as the only empty seats in recent Four Nations games have been for the pricy seats yet the cheap areas have been full.

Sonics are in the Championship review process. They are not jumping the gun. and are justly cautious to move at a pace that is manageable. That in itself is good evidence of how well run the club is.



Perhaps the most important developments are at Filton College. Technically it's a FE college, but it's training facilities are better than anything any SL club has access to (the words of the RFL head of performance). It is, for example, the HQ for the Kenyan Olympic team in 2012.



Filton has a championship standard stadium. It is one of 8 licence holders for the FA Women's Superleague (along with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Everton...). When it started it's basketball club it was the first in Bristol. This year they won the National League (tier 2) and have 450 juniors registered.



Last month Filton appointed a Head Coach for a new RL Academy. They'll be in the Southern Colleges league next winter, and aspire to be in the NYL by 2013 and the SL Academy League by 2014.



Separate, but related, Sonics and Filton are in a partnership agreement which gives them the capacity to step up to Championship 1 when it's appropriate. Rhinos are also involved, at top level, and have staff on the ground in the SW.



If I was a betting man (ahem!) I'd put money on there being a semi-pro team of westcountry players before the end of the decade. The World Cup would really help, and might knock 2-5 years off the time line, but the development of the game is continuing regardless.