Printer - we beat Australia in 2006 in a game they didn't need to win. Comparing that to a World Cup Final is nonsensical. As is saying we didn't score a point but ignoring the fact that the best team in the world, with several all time greats in key positions only managed ONE try against us. In the past twenty years I've seen two really top class performances from England/GB - this year's WC final and the semi final loss to NZ. Sadly both were narrow losses, which reflect the fact we simply don't have enough quality players in key positions yet.

Anyway, back on topic, I'd say the only realistic hope for growth in our sport in the near future is expansion in France and ideally a genuine north american presence (which again will need more than one team). Its a big if, but if we get a properly funded Toronto, with the ability to tap into a completely new market in terms of revenues, they at least should be given exemption from any threat of relegation for long enough to get them established.

It's a fact......6 points from a draw or 7 from the cup....when were England ever that close?

Yes.
I don't think it's about the population of a place. But about the ambition of the board. Who they could attract, weather they'd get 3/4 full or more stadiums. And I believe that Featherstone could be all those things.

France is an interesting one. For years there league was a mess. With new teams popping up, teams folding etc. But the last couple of years it seems to have sorted itself out, crowds aren't big. But from the sponsorship & media side, I'd say you could be right. Maybe do like before and have some of there clubs in the early rd's of the challenge cup? See if that works.

Personally I'd also be looking at Scotland & Ireland. Getting a foothold in these countries also opens us up to new markets and media coverage.

Number 6.

I would imagine that the game would be on sky. Otherwise what's the point of the game. Though I don't know this for sure.

Sorry, but I don't see that in the slightest.

I just can't see Fev attracting the sort of audiences that quality advertisers care about. I don't see them attracting the sort of audience that broadcasters care about and I don't see how on earth they could grow to the point I feel the sport needs to be growing at.

We need to be working to a point where 10k-12k averages are the standard for all of our heartlands club, not some unattainable ambition. I don't think that Fev, a tiny town in a saturated market with minimal corporate market to tap into, would ever achieve that.

Fair enough. We'll agree to disagree on this point, as your entitled to your view, as I am mine.

I agree about trying to raise crowds. But the figures you put rule out half of SL at this moment, and there's no gaurente that expansion clubs would be pulling in that amount regularly.
I think that we need to do it slowly. As if we dash into this and do it hap hazardly, we risk damaging RL more.

Until we up the exposure of RL, get it in the media, on TV, etc. We are not opening ourselves up to new markets. And until we get a proper international calender, we will struggle to do this. The international game is the top of any sport, and the hap hazard way we do it at the moment won't appeal to people outside of the sport. And this has a knock on effect with regards club rugby. We should be looking at getting an international calander in place now till the 2025 WC. Look at places to play the WCC (ie Canada,USA, France, Italy etc). Looking at on the road games, we should now where magic weekend is going to be for the next 5 years now.
And to be honest, we should know what format the league is going to be for the next 5/10 years now. Not debating what it could be.

There is 2 much going year by year. When what we should be doing is having a clear 5/10 year plan. With the games I put known (ie WCC being held here). And until that happens promoting the sport, trying to get in new sponsorship etc, is harder than it should be.

The Toronto v Tolouse game has been confirmed. It is on the Saturday at 12.45

Clearly designed to give exposure to 2 would be SL clubs and they (The RFL and both clubs) will be hoping that they are well received.
It does smack of favouritism and the fans of Fax, Leigh and Fev will not be happy about this but, in the grand scheme of things, this fixture doesn't decide anything and may provide Sky with some "filler".
The bigger issue is just what the short, medium and long term plans are for the make up of SL and how we can attract more fans and sponsors etc into the sport.

The game will open the Magic Weekend, and I guess it does mean that there might be a few folk there to watch it. The same fixture (first game) at the Summer Bash would have seen hardly anyone watching and absolutely zero atmosphere. As it is, it's going to be "polite applause" rather than any partisan following.

I'm not dissing the support that the two teams may have, it's just their respective fans are only going to travel for the fixture in very small numbers.

What's worse, is that Toulouse aren't competing in the 2018 Challenge Cup. Either they're a part of our competition or they're not? They shouldn't be able to pick and choose.

I don't get how they've been allowed to do that. Like you say, they're either in everything or nothing. I could understand not wanting a home draw (like Toronto last season). But to just not enter it when there's no reason for it.

Erm when we were last in the final it was only 8.

We beat them in 2006, and lost the 2003 Ashes games by 6, 3 and 4 points respectively (the latter with 12 men for 80 mins). People going on like the recent Final was the only time we've been close to them and I think Tony Smith was right afterwards in that the shoreline did flatter England, but people caught up in the tension and desire to see England win can't see that.

Top class, give over. The effort was good and it was tense but the few times we had decent field position we messed up often early in the tackle count, that isn't top class.

It's nonsensical to champion a narrow defeat over a victory just because you pick and choose games "meaning" to suit your argument. You did so to write Leeds off before the playoffs when I said Leeds would win and look how that worked out.

Featherstone could, you are WRONG....expansion lover

You were right toi have faith in Leeds. Being an old time Leeds fan I always expect us to lose.

As for 'meaning' its not subjective when it comes to answering the simple question of 'does the result affect both teams'. In the case of 2006 we won that game and got hammered out of sight by NZ and Australia in consecutive games afterwards - you know, when Australia actually had to beat us. We haven't been properly competitive with Australia except for the period 1990-1995ish.

Be intresting how many actually watch this game at the stadium (the figure will be tickets sold for the day, not how many were actually watching the game).

Going back a bit.

How are we supposed to promote the sport, or get new sponsorship into the game. When no one knows what format the leagues going to be for 2019. If us as RL fans aren't sure what's happening, what format it's going to take, with the new season just over 6 weeks away. How can we get new long term sponsorship.? How can lower SL clubs progress if they're not sure if they'll be there or not? Weather it's p&r, carry on with the 8'same or licencing. We should now know.