really?

That's good,shrewd coaching imo.
Since the CC has moved it has a bigger impact on the SL season plus the additional fixture with the magic weekend it makes the Team changes for early rounds a necessity,plus it gives other squad members a run out whilst resting some of yer regular 17.

you can read your post as saying that teams see the CC as a waste of time

I think the CC needs to be rethinked, since they moved it to the final being at August Bank holiday I think that has damged it as before it was a nice prelude to the start of the season

Yes. The only time people who normally dont even mention RL, talk about it is usually around the CC Final. It's one of only 2 times a year (the other being the Grand Final if we're lucky) that RL gets a mention on the BBC main news. It's the most publicity RL gets all season. To lose it would be a disaster.

"England lose to Australia today, Johnny Wilkinson kicked some goals but still they lost..cut to the video... and New Zealand beat a spirited Wales side at the Millenium stadium this evening..cut to video....


some footy news







Oh and England have qualifed for the Four Nations Rugby League final and thats the sport"


BBC News on Saturday night



yeah your probably right

speaking of channels / times / coverage - why have they decided to go head to head with the biggest thing on tv on Saturday, granted most league fans won't watch X Factor over the final, but not a great move for new fans we seek, unless they are trying to capitalise on the Jedward backlash.

I think that the BBC pays lip service to RL and have done nothing to promote the sport whilst holding the rights to the CC. View that with the 6 Nations RU coverage and promotion. The BBC should not have a devine right to broadcast the CC and get the rights for a knock down price.

We may knock the likes of Eddie and Stevo but SKY have done wonders for RL and it would be better then Claire Balding and the coverage the BBC currently provides.

Because that's where Sky have a hole in their schedules to fill, between Soccer Saturday and Spanish football probably.

That's what happens when you have one channel with a monopoly on coverage.

its not that I dont enjoy it, I think we as a sport have changed it for the worse

Its only just over 10 years ago that I finished an exam and rushed to Headingley to wave our lads off to Wembley and being very excited

I just think our game (in the sense of both teams and fans) have lost the sense of value of the cup. Ill be honest if we had got to Wembley this year I would have been seriously worried about our Super League run given how close the final was to the start of the playoffs

Not at all just a reaction to the number of fixtures and the CC moving.
99 times out of a 100 you'd expect the SL clubs to beat the likes of Donny,Batley and Gateshead for example whilst been able to rest 4/5 of their 1st choice 17 so like i said shrewd coaching and handling yer resources astutely.

Also I remember us resting players in SL games as well.

if we got rid of the Challenge Cup


would it be beneficial?

what to? Rugby League or the Super League?

In terms of the no of fixtures yes!
I'd much rather we ditched the magic weekend played straight home and away,restored the CC to it's original schedule and had a top 6 in the play-offs.