I was brought up on GB and Kangaroo tours when you only got to see the Aussies once every four years outside of a WC. This heightened the anticipation. Then came the new millennium and it seemed like Australia were/are here if not every year then every other year which took the shine off it for me. You can have too much of a good thing.

This thread remnds me why we need common sense people like you back Cata.

I have a sken now and again (does that count as poetry?), but the whole site has gone a bit daft. Discussion has been replaced by threats and insults. Far too many keyboard warriors, not enough thinkers and listeners.

Cata is a poet
though he doesn't know it
he fills the many pages
just like the other sages
always ready with great words
to put down any RL nerds
who think they know it all
but never equal to Catas' call
he's right when he states the forum is worse
when many of the members curse
the answer is to make Cata king
so he can put right everything..

anon (aged 3)

It would make it even easier for NZ to remain world champions and would be amusing to see Australia in third and fifth position (presuming nsw could beat France or USA!)

Sounds a great idea lol.

I think we can compare favourably with the RUWC in regards to winners, finalists etc.

RU has had Australia, England, New Zealand and South Africa as winners ( 4 ) and France as finalists ( 1) and Wales as semi finalists.

RL has had Australia, GB and New Zealand as winners ( 3) and France as finalists ( 1). RL has had Wales and Fiji as semi finalists.

I think the last RLWC in Australia was a big success. Decent crowds even for lower tier matches, a sold out final with an upset producing a new winner. PNG and Fiji emerging from the pack to become decent competitive teams.
The whole tournament making a profit.

This next RLWC in England has the potential to be a big success. I certainly hope so. The organisation of it to date has been very good, the launch night, the venue bidding process, the early availability of tickets, the success of the qualifying tourament games.

It might well come down to an Australia, New Zealand final but that was the final in the last world cup in the UK and we got a 40,000 attendance for the final, which I thought was pretty good. However, going from the results in the last four nations England have a very decent chance of beating NZ and qualifying for the final which should result in a sold out final.

An opening ceremony and a double header involving Australia, Wales and England at the millenium stadium looks like a great idea and should have a very good attendance.

Likewise a double header semi final which, if things go according to plan will have the top three, Aus, NZ and Eng plus a fourth to be decided qualifier at Wembley should also draw well. The ticket prices are also reasonable to all the games so that should also encourage us all to go.

Other games should also be a great success. The French home games at Perpignan and Avignon should draw top attendances. The Welsh games at Wrexham, one a possible qualifier for the quarters and the actual quarter final should they make it have the potential to galvanise the Welsh to get behind their country.Thet have done it before.

The game at Rochdale, if marketed well in Rochdale has the potential to produce a decent attendance. There is a decent sized Fijian enclave there, being traced to the Hornets bringing Fijians to their town decades ago and the chance to see the always entertaining Fijian team in Rochdale could be a good draw.

Cumbria has two games involving Scotland, one against a South Sea islander team. These will maybe see decent crowds as all three Cumbrian teams are on a roll and Scotland is really close. In any event, the council at Workington has agreed to upgrade Derwent Park to a decent standard for the games so that in itself is a plus.

There are a host of games in the heartlands from Hull to Warrington and all points in between. If we can't support them, we should give up and abandon the idea of a world cup but I think the RL public will rise to the occasion given the right marketing and ticket pricing arrangements.

The games at Bristol for a minor game ( USA v Cook Islands) and Limerick ( Aus v Ireland ) might not be huge but a bit of missionary endeavour cannot hurt. The teams around Devon, Bristol, Gloucester, Northampton might rally round and get behind that fixture.

There have been several RLWC finals in England with over 60,000 attendances and I think we can do that again.

Rather than being discredited, I think the 2013 RLWC has the potential to be a huge success and put International RL in the national spotlight. I am looking forward to it immensely and will be going to as many games as I possiby can. The very year 20 (13) is even a good omen for success.