They wouldn't do that, would they? I mean why would the RFU want to damage a more attractive, viewer friendly easier to understand code? Absolutely no reason I can think of

The World Cup fixtures were released 18 months ago, before the date of the SL Grand Final would even have been public knowledge.

But no, you're right. It's clearly a conspiracy. Let's put some vinegar on those massive shoulder chips while we're at it.

The RWC2015 organising committee should have clearly avoided having any games in one of the biggest cities in England during October, just in case.

I played rugby union as well as league, so I quite enjoy watching the World Cup and the six nations.
What intrigues me is how anybody could contemplate winning the World Cup with Barrit playing in the three quarters.
Lancaster is a coach of limited capabilities, his player replacement strategy is bizarre.
Pulling players off when the team is winning and playing reasonably well.
Some of the criticism of burgess in some of the broad sheet newspapers is extremely unfair.
Give the lad the ball at the right time and place he will produce the goods.
As for swing low sweet chariot, how that dirge is supposed to inspire anybody is beyond me.

Did you read the piece in the Mail?

They should have their World cup where ever and when ever they want and when it doesn't clash with an RL game I want to attend or watch, I'll be tuned in. But they shouldn't bitch if it clashes with other sporting events. Heaven fore fend that the 2 governing bodies actually talk to each other to minimise clashes.

The converse argument to that is the fact that the GF has been held on the first or second weekend in October, at OT, for the last seventeen years. Consequently, if it wasn't deliberate (which to be honest, I don't suspect), then it was relatively stupid.

With regard to the Daily Mail, anyone who gives that rag the time of day on any matter whatsoever, is clearly lacking sufficient mental capacity to achieve a currently publicised and widely accepted anthropological classification.

I read that RWC wanted to use Old Trafford, but MAn Utd turned them down due to the GF being an annual event

Yup.

But there's absolutely zero evidence that the RWC scheduling was done in any way to damage or detract from the GF.

Convenient though eh.

But so what.

I'd be amazed if the SL Grand Final even featured in the thinking of the organising committee when allocating venues. They would have wanted one England game in the north so they can give the impression of it being a "national" tournament, which immediately limits your choice of potential venues on size grounds. The Uruguay game is the only one you could conceivably take "on the road", so you're looking for a 50,000-plus capacity stadium in the north of England available on the second week of October and with a playing area big enough to accommodate a full size rugby pitch.

Realistically, once Old Trafford was available either the Etihad or St James's Park become the only two viable options.

Just playing devils advocate.......

I'm sorry but the RWC schedule wasn't dreamt up one afternoon in the members bar a Twickers. There would have been draft schedules with alternative proposals for key dates. All these would have been submitted to the various statutory consultants and, at which point, it would have become very clear that there was a clear clash with the GF. Your point about the size of the stadiums is very valid, the timing of the game is something more interesting. Personally, I think they were forced down that route due to other fixture conundrums but to suggest that they would be unaware of the RL GF is simply not believable.

You're right. It's not like they approached Old Trafford first and were told it wasn't available due to the SL Grand Final taking place...
A game that's been held in that stadium, around this time of the month for the last 17 years.

The RWC committee wouldn't have given it a second thought

Well it would obviously have been one of the first things to be apparent when Old Trafford pulled out. And with the planning and police involvement, travel, etc etc etc it's not like they could be planned on the same day on accident.

Personally I think it might backfire a little a better attended, closely fought GF up against an at best boring one sided game and as a game we should look at it as a challenge to make it the biggest and best grand final ever. This year should have been a big one. If anything it should have been THE big one. No cheap tickets, all premium tickets. 1 year where we really really go for it, massive pyrotechnics, a really big band massive fan park etc. Even if we made a loss on it this year it was a chance to change the paradigm.

As it is we are left with knock down Nigel wondering why his new wonder structure hadn't had them flocking and dusting off his £5 ticket and a free beanie hat offers.

Just one kn*b head writing a few lines in the Wail online. I hardly think that's something to be surprised at, imagine it was written on the VT, just one more psychiatric patient with access to the internet and a keyboard.

The first they would have been made aware of the GF date is when Old Trafford turned them down. AFAIK the 2015 SL Grand Final date wouldn't have been public knowledge in early 2014.

So having decided they quite fancied a game in the north only to find their first choice unavailable, why wouldn't they go to the next best alternative?