I find it quite hard to believe that our game against Saints isn't considered by the BBC to be far and away the best of the two ties for the prime time Saturday slot, it being first against second in SL and also the pedigree of both sides in cup competitions over the last decade and more.

Nothing has been confirmed as yet it is all conjecture at this point

Exactly what I can't get my head around either Biff.

In terms of "prime time" I wouldn't be surprised if the Friday night game gets more viewers than the Saturday afternoon one, whichever one is chosen.

I would think the BBC see it no different to you. Have you seen what the alternatives are on Friday night TV? I would not be surprised at all to see a bigger TV audience watching a game on Friday evening, rather than Saturday afternoon, whether it is us V Saints, or Hull KR v Warrington. Hence why they are considering the better tie for the Friday evening, to see if they can get even more of an audience.

I don't understand this....

Headingley [iIS IN[/i Gods favourite town so why the trouble getting there??

We're hosting a party on the Saturday so I really hope we're playing on the Friday night.

If it's Friday it's an even shorter turn around, could be an issue for our Dad' Army.

I may be wrong (usually am) but I thought the BBC had both semis and that one was on Sat afternoon and the other on Sunday afternoon. I think Rhinos will be at Huddersfield and HKR will be Langtree Park.
It makes no difference, I'll be there and the Rhinos will be at Wembley.

Probably won't find out until a week before the game itself anyway knowing the RFL...

Currently in discussions with Sky, BBC and the four competing clubs to determine who plays where and when.

Leeds v Saints at Warrington on Friday 31 July.

Hull KR v Warrington at Leeds on Sat 1 Aug.

Confirmed.

Could be proved wrong, but I can't see how a Friday night game is going to lead to anything other than a lower attendance than it would have got on a weekend.

Can't see the logic either of playing Hull KR - Warrington in a stadium that holds 19k. Going to be two-thirds full at best.

Yes I can see why they've tried it. When the key dates of the season were announced the semis were always booked for the 31st (Friday) and 1st (Saturday) so it's not something they've come up with last minute. Don't think they'll have even known then that the Community Shield football would be on the Sunday at the time they decided to do a Friday instead.

Having a CC semi on a Friday night might be a little different but Friday night RL is commonplace usually so shouldn't feel too weird. Probably because we are either at the rugby or watching rugby on Sky people forget that Friday night tv around that time is usually dire. IF they splash it across the stations in the build up and really promote it well they could do well viewer wise especially given the teams playing.

Probably will hit the attendance but that'll be of secondary concern to the tv people (yes unfortunately all sports have to cater to them) and it's not like the semis have been doing that impressive recently anyway for numbers.

True but like ANY sport you have to try accommodate the tv people



Perhaps the only one available that's in the middle of the two. I know the football season doesn't kick off until the following week but the likes of the Hudds, Doncaster may have friendlies lined up for that date.