This is absolutely true. I was not one of the people who contacted the RFL, but I know of at least two people who received a reply to a complaint e-mail. The author has forwarded me his original e-mail, plus the reply he received from Nathan Clarke, the RFL Media Executive. If it were me, I’d be inclined to copy and paste the whole thing on here and circulate it to all the RL papers, Sky and Radio Manchester, but it’s not really mine to publish, so I won’t copy and paste it.



However, I can confirm that in his lengthy and rather condescending e-mail, there is a paragraph written by Mr Clarke, which states that the Challenge Cup semi-finals coincide with a top weekend of national and international sporting events, including the finale of the Tour De France, The Open golf and Ashes Cricket, hence the kick-off time of 6pm. For anyone living under a rock, these events were all this weekend, just gone, and next weekend there is no sport of any note on to interfere with a 3pm kick-off, least of all the aforementioned events.



He then waffles on about working with the BBC to secure a telly slot which is more prime-time and describes the 6pm slot as a “coup” for rugby league.



I’m pretty sure you get the picture.



You would have thought they’d teach calendar-reading at Spin Doctor School, but apparently not.

I presume the OP will no longer attend games at the HJ either, based on the incident with Tomkins last week?



It's only 15 minutes after the traditional Saturday kick off time of 1745, don't be such pansies. If people want to drink themselves silly they will, regardless of what time we kick off.

Wouldn't let the prospect of trouble at the game put me off though I appreciate the concern given the KO time and the liklihood of people drinking all day. Bit like the GF at OT last year.



Hull and KR get a raw deal from other fans though. They have this 1% prick element which tars the rest of the 99% with the same brush. I don't think we are that far off though, and Leeds are equally as bad as Hull in my experience.



Hopefully nothing to worry about on Sunday!

Spot on. I have lived in Hull for the past three years, during that time I have been to all of our games there, internationals and a fair few games as a neutral always using public transport and going in the pub before/after in wire shirts and never had a problem. Every village has its idiot, you will see crowd trouble at every level whether it is test football, origin (quite a few arrests made at the ANZ last Wesdnesday) or amateur level. But why let a lazy, ill-informed stereotype about Hull get in the way?



As I say, people who go with the aim of getting bladdered will do that regardless and simply adjust the time they start drinking/amount based on KO time. Warrington will have just as many people who fall into that category as Hull, no two ways about it.



If you are that concerned about any perceived trouble yet want to travel to the game go on the club coach for a fiver which doesn't allow alcohol and will park right behind the stand, or use the adjacent car park so that you can sleep safe in the knowledge that you won't have to come face to face with a scary Hull fan.

If it kicked off at 3pm I'd be travelling home from work during the first half and watching the second on telly. The same applied last year when we kicked off at 5pm. As it is I will be there, as I was last year.



I couldn't care less what the reason is - the late kick offs are perfect!



As for not going because you're scared of something that almost certainly won't happen? Jesus wept.

The day i don't attend a game because of what a few people who can't take their ale might do... Is the day i pack in going to games all together..