What would be better to develop the game in France than having a game like France v Australia in the world cup played in Toulouse? I think they should have a France group game in each of Toulouse and Avignon and a Wales group game in each of Wrexham and Cardiff. Not exactly like I'm suggesting playing the final in Paris and the semi finals in Cardiff and Edinburgh is it?

Gradual growth of the game building a strong amateur base leading to a pathway to the professional game and international selection?

Not difficult to say, very difficult to achieve, but if the future of the international game is still in the same state in 2021 as it is today, (oh, and it was in 2013, 2008, 2000 and 1995) then its longevity isn't assured.

How about the ENGLAND RLWC 2021 actually develops the game to a wider base in ENGLAND?

By 2021 wouldn't it be ideal if Hemel, Gloucester, Oxford, Coventry or the Skolars were in SL, or that the RLWC provided the platform for more new (semi) professional teams across the whole of ENGLAND.

If they're expanding to 16 teams I've guessed that the format may be the same as the last two but with four teams in groups C and D instead of 3 and with no inter group games. I think that would probably mean that the groups would look something like this for example:

Group A

England
Australia
France
Lebanon

Group B

New Zealand
Samoa
Scotland
Tonga

Group C

Papua New Guinea
Ireland
Italy
Canada

Group D

Fiji
USA
Wales
Cook Islands



If this was the format then I've come up with a set of fixtures which I think would work well and not sure too many people could moan about as a large majority of them are in Yorkshire/Lancashire and there's only four not in England:

England v. Australia at Olympic Stadium Saturday afternoon
France v. Lebanon in Avignon Sunday afternoon
New Zealand v. Samoa at Langtree Park Sunday night
Scotland v. Tonga at Halifax Monday night
Papua New Guinea v. Ireland at Castleford New Stadium Tuesday night (I've assumed Castleford's new ground will be ready)
Italy v. Canada at LSV Wednesday night
Fiji v. USA at Rochdale Thursday night
Wales v. Cook Islands at Wrexham Friday night
England v. France/ New Zealand v. Scotland Double Header at St James Park Saturday
Papua New Guinea v. Italy at LSV Sunday afternoon
Australia v. Lebanon Sunday night Hull
Samoa v. Tonga at Warrington Monday night
Ireland v. Canada at Salford Tuesday night
USA v. Cook Islands at Craven Park Wednesday night
Wales v. Fiji at Cardiff City Thursday night
New Zealand v. Tonga at Headingley Friday night
England v. Lebanon at Huddersfield Saturday afternoon
Australia v. France at Toulouse Saturday night
Papua New Guinea v. Canada at Halifax Sunday afternoon
Samoa v. Scotland at Castleford Sunday night
Ireland v. Italy at Warrington Monday night
Fiji v. Cook Islands at Rochdale Tuesday night
USA v. Wales at Craven Park Wednesday night

I've gone for France to have their group game against Lebanon/whoever it actually is to be in Avignon as they've shown they can get good crowds there for French games. I've also gone for them to play Australia in Toulouse as I think that could get a pretty good crowd.

I've gone for Wales to play a group game at each of Wrexham and Cardiff City although that one could be at somewhere else in Wales that might be more suitable than Cardiff City but isn't Wrexham. I went for the Wales v Fiji game in Cardiff too as I think that would be the easiest one to sell and they could get a decent crowd for it if there was a big push.

I think a double header of England v. France/ New Zealand v. Scotland is perfect for St James Park. Also when England play there is either no other game that day, another game in the same stadium or a game in France as this means attendances shouldn't be affected at other games by people choosing the England game instead.

I don't think having group games in Scotland or Ireland would work as to be honest there isn't that much interest there. You could potentially have a game in the likes of Bristol again and I wouldn't mind that but they've said about 80% of the games will be in Lancashire/Yorkshire and for the games not being played there I'd prefer them to be high profile games or Wales/France playing at home.

For the knockout stages I've gone for:

Quarter Finals

Winner Group B v. 3rd Group A at DW Stadium Friday night
Runner Up Group A v. Winner Group C/ Winner Group A v. 3rd Group B at Villa Park Double Header Saturday
2nd Group B v. 1st Group D at Hull Sunday evening

Semi Finals

Double header at Wembley

Final

Old Trafford



The quarter finals would likely be:

New Zealand v. France at DW Stadium Friday night
England v. Papua New Guinea/ Australia v. Scotland Double Header at Villa Park Saturday
Samoa v. Fiji at Hull Sunday evening

Having the double header this way would also mean people were buying tickets knowing that England would be there even if they beat Australia (unless they had a disaster of a tournament and finished 3rd).

Wembley double header for the semi finals worked well last time and the final at Old Trafford sold out so can't see any reason to change either of them.

I don't think anyone could be too unsatisfied with this: most of the games are in the heartlands, there's games in Wales and France to develop the game there plus there's big events in London, the midlands and the north east and they're all on Saturdays so easy for people to plan for.

I'm sure they could come up with something better than this (knowing the RFL actually maybe not?) and they do have a few years whereas this was knocked up in about an hour but I think if it was something close to this then it could be a very good world cup.

Or use the appeal of the world cup to showcase the game to as man people as possible by putting some games on in different areas to the "heartlands".

I agree that organic growth would an excellent way to grow the game but interest can be sparked in different ways and certainly, any youngsters that witness a world cup game, close to where they live, may just be inspired to get involved with the game.

It's naive to think that the game will just grow by itself, it needs massive investment of bothe time and cash, it wont just happen.

I think we'll all agree that a clear development plan needs to be in place for the 2021 RLWC so that the impetus isn't lost, which unfortunately it was after a sucessful 2013 RLWC.

Yeah I agree there, they need to get events like double headers in big grounds sorted a lot further in advance than they have for this years Four Nations and then market the hell out of them.

2013 was brilliant, but we can't afford to forget the history of this competition. We are still recovering from the disaster of 2000; which was in part caused by getting over excited about the relative success of 95.

Sally Bolton took a lot of praise in 2013, but the unsung heroes were the steering committees in places such as Bristol, where like-minded individuals worked hard to turn what had the potential to be a dull midweek-game in November into a success. We need venues that genuinely want to host a game for reasons such as civic pride and the knock-on effect for local businesses. It's the RFL's job to get into the town halls (we will have even more egotistical elected-mayors by 2021) and sell the competition, using the data from last time.

A lot of people saying that 2013 was brilliant - I can't remember a single thing about that World Cup marketing wise.

What's the obsession with double headers? As a spectator, sitting in a cold stadium in November for about 6 hours is not fun. Especially if it's somewhere like Okd Trafford with a tiny concourse.

You don't remember that ridiculous dance?

I think staging games in big stadiums outside the heartlands works better as a double header as it's easier to market it as an "event" as opposed to just one rugby match and easier to sell tickets to non rugby league fans.

You don't remember the advertising at stadiums? Grubber and Steed? For a sport with sod all money it was very well done.

I don't really know what you expected. What marketing do you remember from the latest football or Union world cups?

Marketing is a real buzz-word on this forum, but what does it actually mean, in rugby league terms?