So do I, sponsor 2 players and chuck a few bob in other areas. Its the ones who have walked I meant.

Smokey has his vision and even though its a version of the emperors clothes he is passionate about belittling any alternate opinion - don't rise to it, pity him instead as change is on the horizon.

Do you mean re. ticket sales?

Despite Smokey's caricature, I'm not sure I qualify as a 'critic' on this one, because I haven't criticized RLWC ticket sales nor the way in which they've been conducted. I entered the thread in agreement with a poster who suspected that we'd still have problems of large numbers of empty seats in some games - but this isn't a 'criticism', its just what I worry is true. I don't know if its 'different' because they may already have this sort of plan, but FWIW I'd have a back up plan to fill them for the sake of TV. Sure, the cynical RU press might comment that we had to give seats away, but your average viewer doesn't care much and a few snide comments are worth the benefit of full stadia...its just SO much better for the brand. Besides, if the free seats are given to various public servants such as army, etc. its a bit hard to knock without coming across as mean-spirited. I also totally understand why you wouldn't go public with the back-up plan when paying tickets are still on sale, so (no doubt to Smokey's surprise) I'm not sat here steaming with rage because I haven't seen such a plan yet.

That’s the difference between you and RLbandit and me is honestly couldn’t not care less what changes are made if they work. I don’t want the game to suffer so my ‘side’ gets their way. I don’t want franchising because I like it, I want it because I think it is the best way to go for us. If we went to P+R I wouldn’t want it to fail so that we would go back to franchising. I would want it to succeed.

You two on the otherhand are so entrenched in your position that because the game has gone a different way to what you want, any success has to be ignored because if it is a success then there isn’t a reason to change it, and any negative over-played because damage to the game might necessitate change. It’s a pathetic and childish standpoint.

Been thinking back, and I am pretty sure that the same people knocking ticket sales were also went off on a big rant about how the KIDS mascots were a disgrace and proof the competition is doomed, back in November. Says it all.

To illustrate my point...

Correct, though in this instance the targets of opprobrium and ad hominem attack appear to be mainly you and gutterfax for having the audacity to apply reasoning and realism to the world cup ticket sales debate. At least it's been fun witnessing the further unravelling of TorquemádaTA and his agenda

So your 'solution' to this imaginary problem is to give multitudes of tickets away for free because you don't have faith in RL fans to support their game. Probably the same fans like you who sit at home and deathride the tournament months before it has started and ignore all evidence to the contrary.

I'm not sure which matches you think will have 'problems with large numbers of empty seats', but if there are empty seats at any World Cup match then it's the fault of RL fans. Not the RFL, RLIF or anyone else, if there are empty seats and you haven't attended the match then it's your fault, and you have no right to complain about anything if that's the case.

Anyway guys, can someone do the math for me. I want to take a few family members to an England game but the pool stages are going to be blowouts, apart from the Aus game, which is in Wales(too far to travel)

The 3rd Quarter final isn't going to cut it against 3rd place in the b pool.

When England win that game, when will their next game be? (and who might they play?)

I want to buy tickets for a competitive England game that isn't in Wales, if possible.

If not we'll just buy tickets to the final

I can't speak for other posters, but I don't *want* any negatives to affect the game. However, it's not completely illogical to hold a view ( which you may vehemently disagree with ) that there are serious problems with the incumbent leadership and if some form of 'bad' news w.r.t. their performance ( not so bad as a failed WC I might add! ) helped to shift the people that some of us (rightly or wrongly) think are a big problem, then we might also believe (rightly or wrongly) it could be a small price worth paying leaving the game in a *better* state in the not-to-distant future. I've said previously, that its a horrible thing to have to say, and if there was a better way to see the back of them, I'd take it.

It might be hopelessly naive to believe this - you are entitled to think so - but it certainly doesn't stem from anything other than a love for the game I've paid to watch for 35 years ( and played for 18 ).

It happens all the time...imagine, I don't know, that you had a Formula One team but thought the chief mechanic was useless. You want a replacement because you think its the only way to challenge for a title. Problem is, he sometimes makes the car a little faster, and people say, " no, keep him, he's doing OK ", but you believe that despite the occasional improvement, he's fundamentally not good enough. You could easily conclude that you might be better off with a few mechanical breakdowns to get the guy moved on. As I say, could be hopelessly naive, and leave you with someone worse, but it doesn't make you bitter and pathetic, nor is it inconsistent with ultimately caring about the best long term interests.

My family are all football heathens who don't care for league, so even though any game could be a day out I want to take them to an England game that matters. I'm too drunk to do the finals maths.

The first England game would be great if not for the fact it's being played in Wales!

England v Fiji will be a competitive game.

What do you think the 'serious problems' are?

I don't know. I mean, I'd buy that, but I'd rather England vs Aus or NZ in the finals. Or any Aus v NZ games.

I know with Finals games you never know but you kind of do because, lets be honest, Fiji aren't a real threat (I don't think)

Probably end up buying tickets at Wembley for the semis. Bit of a drive but w/e