ThePrinter wrote:
International RU have had several competitive teams for many many decades and thus can have a proper international calendar. International RL only really has 3 top teams to market competitions on and that's something that pre-dates SL. Lions tours in RU only take place every 4 years, Ashes in cricket every 2 years (give or take 6 months depending on the hosts summer). You just can't expect to get along with GB vs Australia in RL all the time with games in NZ thrown in.
But that's partly because they prioritised the international game over the domestic. While we were crowing over how good Wigan were compared to Bath, Union were investing time, money and effort in the international scene. A scene they'd already invested significantly in anyway. We never really have in RL.
We're slightly hamstrung by the nature of the game. It's easier to compete in Union. I believe the gap between England and Italy in Union is similar to that between England and France in League but you don't see the same kind of utter dominance in Union.
However, if we never start and lay the groundwork then we'll never grow. We have to realise the real growth isn't going to come from a few more people watching Leeds, Wigan or Hull. But from using the international game as a recruiting sergeant for the sport for players, supporters and sponsors. That's what Union does.