Shame he had his parole request turned down yesterday....

I'll get me coat.

Jon Wilkin on BBC Breakfast this morning for about a ten minute discussion on the Challenge Cup.

I've also seen the advert a few times this week. Advert ok but certainly not the quality of their RU ads. Still, it's better than nothing and at least we still have Clare Balding as anchor. That woman is class.

Not too bad from the BBC but could do better. Glad they've been giving it some publicity and the curious will tune in to watch a live final. That's how I first got an interest in the game many years ago watching the CC Final live on the BBC.

I read on Twitter that there has just been an interview with Robbie Paul on Radio 4 discussing the Challenge Cup today. I can't say I'd have bet on Radio 4 discussing the final!

This is the story for so many people, including myself. The Challenge Cup final is probably the best bit of PR for the game that there is and yet as a competition it has been sadly neglected.

Not up to the quality of the ads for an RU cup final? Or not up to the quality of the ads for the Five Nations? Because the latter is completely understandable.

I've caught plenty of promotion for the CC over the last couple of weeks. If anything I reckon it's been better this year than in recent years.

Anyone else and that can slip, but its Six Nations

I agree with everything else you say though, there have been so many players doing appearances around the media this week, and plenty of people on Twitter who I didn't know had any interest in RL are talking about the game today.

Sam Tomkins is on Soccer AM this morning too, so I'm sure the Cup final will get a mention there too.

Six Nations, which is all I think about tbh when I think of RU and the BBC! And personally I don't see why there should be any difference since the BBC screens them both. But I would agree that the ads are better than previously. They don't make us out as northern flatcappers in the way they have done in past years, which is a step in the right direction.

Sam Tomkins talked Challenge Cup on Soccer AM this morning apparently so most bases have been covered by the sounds of it, which is excellent.

Five/Six - you can tell how long it is since I've paid attention to RU.

You really can't see why there'd be more effort spent promoting an international tournament that last a few weeks than a single domestic cup final?

I can imagine why the BBC expend more effort on promoting RU in any form because RU is the sport of the establishment but there is no other reason why the BBC should expend more effort on one of its products over the other: surely they would want to capitalise as much as possible on the viewing figures for both?

One of the few times I've met 'Stevo', Colin Murray's name was mentioned and 'Stevo' ranted and raved for a good 30 minutes on how Murray was an arrogant, patronising, Irish t****r. He said he hated having to do some work with Murray.

I wonder what Murray would say of Stevo?

I heard it! As they passed back to the main presenter he said "Robbie, before you go, can I just ask about Kyle Eastmond who has been starring at Baaath....How much of a loss to Rugby League was he?" He then handed over to a couple of presenters who were trailing the next programme and got them to confirm they preferred union, with quiet ss all round.

I could sense heads doing 360s on here. Fortunately, there aren't too many Radio 4 listening RL fans, so few caught it.

I thought the promotion of the game was ok; the pre-match packages were a bit weird though, with Sinfield reflecting on his interest in revolutionary socialism whilst on a country ramble with Clare Balding, and Robbie Paul breathlessly picking out key players - at one point, he stood behind Burrow with his name writ large on the back of his jumper, and referred to him twice as BurrowS, proclaiming him as possibly the best RL player in the world.

Balding was good value as ever - she'd be a great replacement for Eddie.

You can find the challenge cup promo on a certain video site. Exactly the same style and format as the 2001, 2010 and 2009 promos but with different video footage included to "update" it. Quiet possible early years are there as well, but I got bored at that point.