By kids I was meaning young adults, people 17+ of playing age, but I take your points. Social media has been instrumental in getting interest over here due to the lack of TV coverage and can quite categorically say that it has created enough interest to take potential players to complete games on YouTube and such.

A TV deal would be a definite longer term goal, but short and medium term for emerging nations live and on-demand streaming is the best option in getting footage out there. Quite honestly I'd rather have people who get interested enough to try out having watched some highlights or jumped on some Twitter hot plays. It's not necessarily about what the mainstream is showing, it's about getting interest out amongst the players' social groups. It's the incremental growth driven through word of mouth and social media which is making the difference.

What helps us then is people in the traditional heartlands taking an interest, watching the games online, sharing with their circles and such. The demand has to start somewhere.

Thats not particularly true, Football for example has a gigantic following in China. Both internationally and more recently domestically.

Rugby League needs to capture the imagination of the Chinese people, and it needs to do it before Union or American Football decide to make a move.

Just came across this article from August: rugbyleagueweek.com.au/rugby-lea ... se-market/

Just came across this article from August: rugbyleagueweek.com.au/rugby-lea ... se-market/

Soccer in china is taking off. I wouldn't say rugby is flying in Japan - I heard a rumour from very strong sources that Japan RU were about to put out announce that their Super Rugby franchise will not be competing next year....then all of a sudden their national side beat the Springboks and all of a sudden they found a lease of life from somewhere.

I would love it if the NRL can achieve with PNG what SL has with Catalans.

m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/34769880 This is not good for rugby league in the states.

m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/34769880 This is not good for rugby league in the states.

From what I understand, the competition is going to be called the Super Pro Rugby League, or something similar. It definitely includes "rugby league" in the competition title, despite it being a union competition.