Well, over 50k turned up to see QLD Reds play the touring union side last week - even though they're also playing the national side, and weren't expecting to win - so if you're not the kind of person who can be bothered to go, I hope you're not representative. Or is union bigger than league down there, now?



If the international game was healthy, I might agree. But it's not. It's dying on its through lack of interest and a microscopic media profile. No-one at work (I'm outside the heartlands) knows there's a world cup this year - they all know there's a union world cup next year, even though they aren't even rugby fans. Why is there a lack of interest? In part because we wallop France, and get walloped by you lot, while you lot wallop everyone apart from NZ - and no-one's interested in one-sided contests (and the media don't give a toss, by and large). If there isn't actually competition in games, there won't be a meaningful international competition at all.

Even Sky couldn't be bothered putting on a half-hour pre-game preview for the England/Exiles game. The people who give a toss are currently a subset of the hardened club fans. If we want a healthy sport that will prosper, we have to get interest from casual viewers, and that interest is realistically only going to come with internationals and media coverage. And they're only going to care if they're competitive.

We carry on down this route, and professional RL will be confined to Sydney, with a couple of expansion clubs in Brisbane, Auckland and Melbourne. There's success and an attractive product in SOO - we could use that as leverage for the good of the game.

Or not. It's not like anyone's going to read this thread and follow up on the idea

Over half of which were travelling Lions fans.

15k Queenslanders would still be more than we convinced to go [iany[/i "International Origin" game, over here.

But you were talking about Australia, not 'over here'.

But I was replying to [iyou[/i, and [iyou[/i were talking about the number of touring Lions fans, to make the point that a large part of that 50k were tourists. The news suggests about 30k are over there to see the Lions games, so that would imply about 20k Aussies/others turning up to watch the Reds play the Lions. Which is more than have ever turned up for any Exiles game.

And who was taking about the Exiles?

Have a look at page 1 of the thread.

But you were answering to the point that 80k wouldn't attend NSW vs England in Sydney by comparing it to the Lions.

On the topic : Aussies wouldn't turn out for NSW v England because they see representative RL as a joke when it's outside their own country - the purpose of origin there is the rivalry between NSW and Queensland, whilst they couldn't care less for England RL.

I was specifically pointing out that a large number of people turned up for a state vs. international game. Do you disagree with that? I think it contradicts the claim that Aussies won't turn up for a (meaningless) state vs international match. What do you think?

Hey look I'm not suggesting Aussie fans will never be interested, but the way to get them interested is to continue to grow the international game rather than manufacturing silly concepts IMO.

If you say "Aussies wouldn't turn out for NSW v England because they see representative RL as a joke when it's outside their own country", you sort of are but the way to get them interested is to continue to grow the international game rather than manufacturing silly concepts IMO.'"

I take it back - you're not pessimistic 2) England should play New Zealand and the other Pacific nations, which would be of actual benefit to the international game whilst providing a challenge.
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Your mixing up too many concepts. I'd love us to play a 'Lions' tour again in RL , playing club and lesser rep sides midweek . Do it every 4 years and it would be great. England playing and getting stuffed by NSW or QSL? No ta it would be even more embarrassing than the normal bitchslapping we get from the Kangaroo's

As for Burgess and being an Aussie? His choice I guess but it shouldnt matter if you get a passport or not , once you've nailed your colours to a mast you should be forced to stick with it. Moving international 'allegiances' just makes RL look even more of a joke.

They get 40k a game for playing SOO, I'd want to play it as well if I was in the NRL!