Spot on. Amateur and schools rugby is the entry point for both future fans and players. At least 6 of my friends regularly go to Twickers to watch England. Only because they played Union at school. That's why I get so annoyed at the backwards attitude at so many amateur clubs.

And a Defeatist attitude won't change that. The reason there isn't a BIG demanded (there is a demand) for it down south because there is not affinity to rugby league and the best way to change that is develop it in to schools with incentives. Majority of people who i know who like to watch union sociably only watch it because they played it in school. To be honest they wouldn't be able to tell you which players came from which amateur clubs unlike most league fans can.

Could you just inform me of how you intend to develop it in schools?..... Its just that in all the schools that I visit, there is less time and effort for overall sport as a whole, due to both cuts and less than enthusiastic teachers, so I'm curious as to how you propose suddenly burdening them with a sport which many will just see as a isation of a sport they already provide for their pupils?

Create school leagues in different districts, Provide those schools with correct equipment, provide coaching for there pupils and P.E teachers, Have cash incentives for Schools depending how they place in those leagues and now a lot of schools are academies they will want it more. Give those kids something to work for a scholarship to a district Academy and then allow those Academies to play each other. There is a pathway right to the top and an easy way to be scouted. Its an opportunity that most kids will never receive and a potential career.

Main incentive for the School=Cash
Main incentive for kids= chance to go on trips and a pathway to regional academies
Main incentive for Parents= See above
Benefit for Rugby league= A country with some affinity to rugby league

Now i know this costs money but its much better to spend money and effort on this than waste it away to clubs that will never get further than they already are.

I'm not buying that. The rugby football-15 scrum is dying a death, they will then have to go to 13-a-side, and their ruck area makes the sport too forward dominated, also it's chaos there, have you played 15-a-side r football?

The product on the pitch is vastly inferior to League.....in fact, it's inferior to most team sports, but that has little bearing on Rita's assumption that Union will always dwarf league in popularity stakes on the world stage. Have the BBC started blowing the 6 Nations trumpet yet? They claim to get 4.5 million as an average for each of their 15 games...slightly more than the RLWC2013 Managed.

The Scrum is a major area of concern in the professional game but it is not problem in the amateur ranks, but I'm keen to know why you think that the supposed demise of the scrum would see Union shed their wing-forwards?

well surely in this day and age when players are threatening to sue about dangerous work environment and long term health issues occurring from it and we all know what scrums do to peoples spines it will soon be out of the game, not even mentioning all the negativity that comes from scrums outside the Uk.

That would be the plan to have youth development officers go in to schools spend 6 weeks with the teams and teachers and set them up. I know it would take the right group of people and quite a bit of financing probably more than Rugby league can afford but its the only way school and the next generation are going to have any affinity to rugby league. Also the people you hire to organize and develop this would have to be highly motivated and dedicated, it certainly won't be easy far from it be well worth it.

If rugby football-15 had un-contested scrums then there would be too little space on the pitch, as there would be in-effect two more wing-forwards on the field, so surely then that would then force the IRB to go to 13-a-side, surely.

Ay, the 1 or 2 day a year Welshies come out of the woodwork during the 6 "Nations". It's amazing what brainwashing can achieve.

I doubt it, and the names not Shirley

Insecurity is a curse that afflicts certain types of RL fan......it is a concern that the NHS won't be able to cope if the RLWC Legacy fails to materialise

Ay, insecure, indeed. As B Fittler said a couple of years ago, "We shouldn't doubt ourselves".

It's a fantastic sport that gives the half-backs a genuine chance to shine with ball in hand, that's what attracts me to the sport as a former half-back. And you rarely get lesser skilled forwards trying to disrupt the halfback at ruck.

Actually, London Irish Mockney who moved here 4 years ago, hasn't attended a Union game other than internationals since the 1980's, doesn't watch club union on TV unless it's on in a pub and who is a Rabid London Broncos fan.....that Obvious eh 2.4375:5