: Tue Mar 03, 2009 9:48 am  

JB Down Under wrote:

Where is Ireland at in comparison to Wales in terms of playing numbers, jnrs, TV viewers etc? If they are on par to pre Celtic then they just need a sugar daddy and welcome in!

Higher in open age playing figures (albeit not per capita of population) but behind on juniors. Not sure about TV but presumably lower per capita

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:33 am  

The only other way to increase the interest would be to do something like the NRL clubs do and take a regular fixture 'on the road' ... But which SL clubs would forego home advantage to do that ?

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 10:56 am  

AdmiralHanson wrote:

The only other way to increase the interest would be to do something like the NRL clubs do and take a regular fixture 'on the road' ... But which SL clubs would forego home advantage to do that ?

we did it for a few years. I know a fair few leicester Tigers fans who enjoyed wathing us at Welford road.
If it was planned properly and promoted well, then I could see 12,500 turn up to see Saints v Bradford. Donnybrook could host it and Saints could be reimbursed by the RFL for any lost revenue. Two big names that have not attracted 12,500 to KRoad in a while....

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 11:41 am  

if celtic crusaders do well in SL, then i think it will encourage scotland and ireland to have their SL clubs one day.

again if CC do well, then it will encourage a backer / sugar daddy or else a union club with poor crowds to try the proper version of rugby

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:43 pm  

AdmiralHanson wrote:

The only other way to increase the interest would be to do something like the NRL clubs do and take a regular fixture 'on the road' ... But which SL clubs would forego home advantage to do that ?

I would love it if Hull FC were to play here in Dublin
However while the raa raa brigade are still flourishing in the public eye we will not see a professional Rugby League game in Ireland(albeit a low key Ireland international).

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 1:50 pm  

Irish Tyke wrote:

I would love it if Hull FC were to play here in Dublin
However while the raa raa brigade are still flourishing in the public eye we will not see a professional Rugby League game in Ireland(albeit a low key Ireland international).

As you are on the ground, I will accept your superior knowledge as to how welcome a game would be, but surely 12,500 at donnybrook (is it still owned by bective?) would be a achieveable if it was St Helens v Bradford? Saturday evening game in mid-summer with no RU games, most GAA on in either the afternoon or on the Sunday? Surely 12,500 interested locals would give it a whirl.
Guinness might even throw their bulk behind it...I am sure they sell a few pints along the M62 corridor.

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 2:14 pm  

gutterfax wrote:

As you are on the ground, I will accept your superior knowledge as to how welcome a game would be, but surely 12,500 at donnybrook (is it still owned by bective?) would be a achieveable if it was St Helens v Bradford? Saturday evening game in mid-summer with no RU games, most GAA on in either the afternoon or on the Sunday? Surely 12,500 interested locals would give it a whirl.
Guinness might even throw their bulk behind it...I am sure they sell a few pints along the M62 corridor.

Donnybrook is very pro union,I believe Bective still own it and Leinster tend to play most of their games out of it as well as using the RDS occassionally.
Even if the Rugby Football League were to get an invitation to play a game there you would have to rely on the competing teams fans to make up the numbers as there is such an apathy towards League over here.
You only have to look at the crowds for past Ireland internationals here ,take away the visiting fans and you would be left with just me and a handful of locals.Even some of the early season GAA games are played out to very sparse attendances.
I do like your idea though,so I will try to whip up some support if it ever does happen,would be nice to see my B&B full of proper Rugby supporters

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 3:51 pm  

Irish Tyke wrote:

Donnybrook is very pro union,I believe Bective still own it and Leinster tend to play most of their games out of it as well as using the RDS occassionally.
Even if the Rugby Football League were to get an invitation to play a game there you would have to rely on the competing teams fans to make up the numbers as there is such an apathy towards League over here.

There was a rugby league game at Donnybrook 3 years ago - Saints Academy versus London Skolars. Its a bit of a dump though, and not ideally placed for big numbers of people travelling from Dublin City Centre.

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:02 pm  

saints35 bulls0 wrote:

There was a rugby league game at Donnybrook 3 years ago - Saints Academy versus London Skolars. Its a bit of a dump though, and not ideally placed for big numbers of people travelling from Dublin City Centre.

WTF???
46a, 64a busses, about a 2k walk or 4 euros in a cab. It has been refurbed by the way. It is also less than 1 mile from Lansdown road and that place fills up quite nicely
Why is it that anything to do with spreading the game gets shot down by some numpty with a nugget of incorrect and useless information
I know, let's kick London, Wales and France out of superleague, get widnes Leigh and the cougars back in and we can all watch the game die together.

: Tue Mar 03, 2009 4:28 pm  

gutterfax wrote:

Why is it that anything to do with spreading the game gets shot down by some numpty with a nugget of incorrect and useless information
I know, let's kick London, Wales and France out of superleague, get widnes Leigh and the cougars back in and we can all watch the game die together.

not a massive over-reaction or anything. where have I said that we shouldnt be looking to expand the game?

I was merely responding to a post that said RL wouldnt be played at Donnybrook (which it has), and offering the view that it is a dump (which it is) and isnt ideal to get to (which it isnt IN MY EXPERIENCE. We pretty much stumbled on the stadium after travelling past it on a random bus from the city.

12,000 people travelling on a few buses from Dublin isnt an ideal situation.

finally - knowing which bus to gets only helps if you have that information in advance and know where to get the bus from.