OTT generalisation you say?
Try this one on for size. The threads that invariably get the most traffic on supposed rlfans forums are the ones when anyone dares seem to defend union and a number of dribbling idiots start an imaginary troll hunt.
The FIRST poster........they guy who opened pandora box is the one who has gone for the OTT generalisation.
The posters who claimed burgess would be bored/play any position have also gone OTT with their ignorance of what's involved in playing union and now we've had the totally OTT claim that 82,000 at twickenham are all brain dead sheep.
As for me being mr secure? I am secure in that I know how much the RFU make from the sheep, how little many RL fans know about playing union and that I have never heard of any other person who doesn't like a sport going to the trouble of subscribing just so they can watch the sport they don't like......re-read the last bit and tell me that the op doesn't need their bumps felt!
The bbc and media don't need to be involved in an imaginary anti league campaign.......leagues own fans are it's Achilles heel. Who in their right minds would embrace a sport that has fans who spend their lives blaming public schoolboys for their sports inability to get even the basics right.....chippy doesn't do it justice

I agree with a lot of what you said, but I wonder why Castleford v Wakefield is not national news, when Gloucester v Bath is. It's not like those places are any more of a metropolis that Wakefield is. They market better to (probably) more affluent people and watch in a fairly nice stadium. But that shouldn't mean it is national news. It should mean they get good crowds though.....which they do.

Now you are intentionally ignoring the context and wording of the post you refer to or you're actually not clever enough to understand what was said.

I suspect it's the former because that helps you continue in your quest to paint RL fans as ignorant or deluded "moonies"

Transparent!

I was on a stag do in Bath a few weeks ago and we went to watch Bath Vs Toulouse. The game itself was low intensity, error strewn and noticeably lacking game time atmosphere to say the scoreline was so close in the end (19 - 21).

My main observation was how fanatical the people of Bath were in their turning out for the game. The whole city seem to turn out and it creates a carnival atmosphere around the streets of Bath. We were out until about 2am and there were still loads of fans out in the pubs in their Bath shirts. It was comparable to Challenge Cup final day but on a smaller scale.

Whether these people are genuinely interested in the rugby or whether they see it as a social thing is probably the big question here. There were a hell of a lot of well dressed well-to-do looking folk who seemed more interested in the drinking and socialising than what was actually happening on the field. It kind of reminded me of Polo, more a case of a place to be seen than what's actually going on. That said, I was kind of envious when I compared it to our equivalent. The Rugby League attitude seems to be get in and get out as fast as you can without conversing with the locals in any way shape or form! I suppose comparing the city of Bath to the likes of Wakefield and Castleford is like comparing chalk and cheese but the product we have is far superior and I wouldn't swap a high intensity RL derby in a gritty Northern city for a hob nobbing RU borefest in an architecturally stunning Southern city.

I've been to 1 NRL game in Melbourne which was pretty flat, and the last SOO game at Lang Park, in the terrace behind the sticks, and the atmosphere was incredible - borderline frightening. London fans, while small in number, have always been very passionate about the game.

Finally we're in agreement!

I'd think location of stadium has a lot to do with it, in the old days when Craven APrk was on Holderness road the fans would go in all the pubs before and after. Now its surrounded by fields and council estates everyone gets in and out as quick as possible. That and most northern pubs wont let you in wearing a RL/soccer shirt. The well to do gentry must be more civilised or get less drunk on their G&T's maybe?

I know. Ask Hughes and that prick MacKay if there's one who is a little too enthusiastic from the far side of the world!

The perception of bath v Gloucester in the eyes if the public is a romantic vision of upper middle class folk sipping champers from hampers on the tailgate of the range rover.
Pie and a pint in a back street boozer before ko may be what many of us prefer, but it's not aspirational in the eyes of middle England and if thatcher did anything at all, she made us all believe we could do better for ourselves.
And you're right about marketing......Sam burgess is the pin up boy of bath school kids at present.......given he's hardly touched a ball, thats pretty impressive

Maybe because the following week Bath will Play Northampton and Gloucester Sale and as such there is a national interest in the game/result.

Whereas Cas and Wakey are likely to play teams in the M62 Corridor the following week. Hence why we need teams in London, the SW. SE etc

Give over, despite all their advantages they're mainly centred around the M4 corridor

Absolute Bollox as well you know it is.

If we are comparing the European Super League (blame those besky french...) with like for like....have fun working out which is which below...red dots https://i.imgur.com/JDB8UOb.png" >

It seems Sam Burgess' own RU coaches at the Bath club are, not surprisingly, happy with his defence. After less than a full game of Rugby Union, they see him as their "enforcer" & it is already expected he will be in the England RU team. To quote the Press Association today:

Sam Burgess will make his full debut for Bath on Friday night accompanied by a ringing endorsement from the Aviva Premiership club's coaching staff.

Former rugby league star Burgess features at inside centre against Recreation Ground visitors Montpellier in the European Champions Cup.

Burgess' previous two Bath appearances were off the bench following his recovery from a fractured cheekbone injury suffered during Australia's NRL grand final in early October.

The 25-year-old will be partnered in midfield by Jonathan Joseph as Bath look to complete a quickfire Pool Four double over Montpellier after beating them 30-5 in France six days ago.

Burgess' competitive rugby union career so far totals around 50 minutes, but he is already being touted as a contender for England in this season's RBS 6 Nations Championship.

A week before the Six Nations starts, England Saxons will face the Irish Wolfhounds in Cork, and it is thought Burgess is likely to make the Saxons squad for that January 30 encounter.

"Sam getting more game-time is a massive bonus for us," Bath head coach Mike Ford said.

"He is going to be our enforcer, with the way he defends. We're pleased where he is.

"It's a bit disappointing that it has been raining in both games he came on in (against Harlequins and Montpellier) because we didn't have much chance to use him. But what he has done, he's done well so far."

And Ford's coaching colleague Toby Booth added: "The best way for Sam to learn is by getting out there. But it is not just about Sam, it is about what is best for Bath.

"We know from last week that he will bring plenty of physicality, and it will be good for our game-plan to have that.

"It's a strategic decision to get him out there for more minutes."

Gutters, you forgot the map of Italy with their 2 {i think} professional clubs. I didn't know the M4 was spread over 7 European countries

So is everyone looking forward to seeing big Sam in action tonight?

Surely we've all subscribed to BT Sports by now??