Because your average insular club fan has no interest whatsoever in a game in which none of their club's players or their own national team is involved, The 2000 World Cup taught us that lesson.

The only feasible place to play it was in London where at least the expat/backpacker contingent would ensure a decent crowd if the locals couldn't be bothered turning up.

Becareful : Saddened is a Rugby Union fan posting on league sites. Ban him or get him to come out from the dark side.

And so it should do. The fact that comparisons are made between a international powerhouse of a sport like union and a regionalised minority sport like rugby league is incredible.
Anybody got the latest Premier League and BBL figures to hand?

I quite rate Jones as a player, a shame he feels the need to have a pop at us.

You're not confusing Stephen Jones the journalist with Stephen Jones the Scarlets, Wales and Lions fly half are you?

We will need to see an awful lot in the next week or two to persuade us that the Great Britain-Australia series in rugby league is really the only thing that will ever mean anything.

I can probably help with this - did you go?

For those who say he is right, how on earth does it fit in with the rest of the article?

That's the bit that's frustrating, there is no need to cover it at all, but if you do, why be it "negative?

fwiw - my view.

-Sat 8pm is a terrible slot (I would guess Sky forced the decision?)....20 million people have plans to be down the pub and 20 million are watching X-Factor & Strictly with their family.
-Stoop perceived as harder to get to than other venues (wrongly)
-District line was down that weekend.
- Aus/Kiwi market in London is smaller than norm due to recession (fewer temp jobs and many taken by Eastern Europeans)
- most of my antip mates in London are middle class RU fans and much more inclined to follow the Wallabies.

Once those 'excuses' are out of the way - the marketing drive didn't start until two weeks before the game (after Grand Final) as far as I can see.
Aus/NZ arrived in London the weekend before making press coverage minimal until final week. Even then it was sh*t.
So many people have already made plans by this time. Cripes, most of my mates are booked up for the next 8 weeks, let alone 2.
I was at the Aus v Barbarians game at Wembley last Dec and about 35k tipped up & it was still a good atmosphere. Booking a larger venue for this 4N's game would've (imo) ensured a much bigger crowd due to perceived ambition.....though it was a fantastic atmosphere at the Stoop.

I think this is to suit the australasia viewers Only speculating

ok. strange considering SL matches are played at 6pm on sat.

But wasn't that when Sky's rivals Setanta were showing the football?