And yet all the worst teams at the world cup come from the north!

The game is widly played and watched in the south of englan, Hemel Stags being a good example of a community club building on firm foundations. Being fair some of the established Northern clubs don't really off a lot to the game.

League freak,

Another query:

You know your avatar? Is it descriptive of you? You know, that you're actually a bender?

Not judging, just curious. I know how some of you colonials are fond of your homoerotic tight shorts and are proud of your record in all-male full contact sports.

Where did you get that lie from. It's not played in Cornwall for a start, nor Rutland, Herefordshire and probably some others

How do you know that?

He's right - unless some fan plays it with his kids in the back garden. There aren't any registered teams in these counties.

Yeah no clubs from Cornwall, Herefordshire, Rutland, Westmorland, Berkshire or Buckinghamshire

Having said that there is I believe a military side in Berkshire, and maybe schools sides in the Aylesbury area of Buckinghamshire (but not sure if there still is).

Anyway back to the thread the RFL prioritise expansion from outside of England or London so going to be more difficult for the game to expand to the rest of England at a large level. The game isn't going to die out outside the north, and the number of towns playing will gradually increase over time, but I find it hard to see it becoming much higher standard without a serious effort put in

Glorious Bender League Freak,

Where did I say that you have issues? Is that your guilty conscience? Honestly, come out of the closet or stay in. Nobody really cares. I was only curious if you were trying to send us a subtle message through your choice of avatar, Bender.

he says with a sheep in his

Damo, since when has athletics been big?

From the RFL. Whether they were talking about amateur teams or in schools I don't know.
I thought Westmorland was now a part of Cumbria and there's plenty of rugby league played in Cumbria.

Depends how you define counties, as if you want to go on the current administrative subdivisions you'll find huge numbers don't play rugby league, you can't use the 1974-96 counties. But if you want to exclude Westmorland then you have to at least include Isle of Wight.

But yes I'd like to see evidence of rugby league in those counties, as champions schools certainly isn't universal, in the midlands I think it's 'just' based on Telford, Redditch, Coventry, Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham, Chesterfield and Northampton and maybe surrounding areas. Certainly there's nothing in Herefordshire or Rutland, so that in itself proves the statement a lie

Does make you laugh when folk say rugby league is confined to the M62 corridor.
Afetr you've pointed out the obvious ones like Cumbria, London and South Wales you point them to the Summer Conference