Re: International .... : Sun Jun 30, 2024 3:01 pm  

Credit goes to the RFL or whoever else arranged this game in the middle of a European football championship, if there was ever a minute chance of outsiders wanting to watch and engage with our product, it's hardly the time or the fixture to try and appeal.

Anyway, why CAN'T we have Great Britain back? The kits were always smart, the team generally more competitive against the Kiwis and Aussies. I honestly never got why they stopped it. What were the reasons?

Re: International .... : Sun Jun 30, 2024 3:10 pm  

ninearches wrote:

Perhaps the biggest help that can be given to internationals would be to get the tours back where international sides are playing so many clubs as well as Test Matches so interest can be generated at a local level. Whether there is a will for tours to be reintroduced is another matter but it feels that international teams are parachuted in then spirited out once the match is over.

Summer Rugby 1996 is given as the main reason for lack of these tours. You can see why as the opposition are playing in their League too.

Re: International .... : Sun Jun 30, 2024 10:21 pm  

Smiffy27 wrote:

I love Rugby League (of course) but we are a minority sport in this country. We only really play in a very small area of the Country & even in that area Tip Tap & Union gets a pick of the best sportsmen. We cannot be compared with them. I think Samoa will be worth watching but most in the Country won't care & many fans who support their clubs with a passion will not care too much either. Anyone who has the job of growing Rugby League in this country has a very tough/almost impossible job. I ask anyone who criticises ... what would your plan be? If you know how to pack a stadium to watch Eng v France RL match please step forward.

[Uncle Rico]

Re: International .... : Mon Jul 01, 2024 9:17 am  

Smiffy27 wrote:

Summer Rugby 1996 is given as the main reason for lack of these tours. You can see why as the opposition are playing in their League too.

Whilst it has put an end to part season signings from Down Under, wouldn't aligning the league schedules be a benefit?

'We' could have a proper organised international break or an Autumn Series post GF. Despite loop fixtures and the additional Magic Weekend match the season is too short. For fifty percent of our premier competition, 2024 ends in September and February 2025 will seem like a long way off...we have space for something there just doesn't seem to be the collective appetite for it. I'd even throw in the WCC at season end as it's the pinnacle of that season rather than a curtain raiser to the next and the fixture disruption that brings.

Re: International .... : Mon Jul 01, 2024 2:31 pm  

Yes Rico,, the timing of the WCC is ridiculous. Both teams involved could have completely different squads to the ones that did all the graft to qualify for the WCC.
As far as summer rugby is concerned ,there is usually very little difference between any of our seasons so a rescheduled programme could easily be achieved ,unless of course, tv companies are pulling the strings.

Re: International .... : Mon Jul 01, 2024 7:54 pm  

ninearches wrote:

Yes Rico,, the timing of the WCC is ridiculous. Both teams involved could have completely different squads to the ones that did all the graft to qualify for the WCC.
As far as summer rugby is concerned ,there is usually very little difference between any of our seasons so a rescheduled programme could easily be achieved ,unless of course, tv companies are pulling the strings.

Or the RFL won't bend to the NRL's schedule.