Yes I know , but they have beaten every other country in that time , they have won 5/6 nations competitions and they have a dozen other countries to play that in any given year either they can beat or they can lose to , that is called an international ' scene '

Yes they put the Italians in , so that was 5 countries the Italians could play that would test them to different degree's , and there was at the same time another 5/6 countries that they could play , that they were capable of beating , that is called an International ' scene '

We have never had an International ' scene ' , When the French won the world cup we had a chance , their dropping off all but killed that chance , 3 teams does not a ' scene ' make

What has that got to do with the disinterest in the International game ?

Nothing

A different issue and a different problem

And it goes back to your chicken and egg comment.... the teams you mention will play 9 international games during the regular club season. As a sport, there is a commitment to the international game at all levels

We are not there yet but we could get closer... we could play a 3 game series against the Welsh or the French (or both) during the season (and commit to it despite the initial results) or we could invite the Kiwi’s or Kangaroo’s over for a full tour and a three match test series during the summer season but the barriers to this would be from within the game not outside

I actually think we see the same problem but you see the solution as the international game growing to demand respect and attention whereas I see the answer as the people in the game committing to grow it despite the pain that may bring to individual clubs. The problem with my answer is that I don’t see the attitude in the game changing any time soon and the problem with your answer is if the people in the sport don’t commit to build the international game then who will?

Try that in Britain and you get arrested

I still maintain that if the grass-roots is sound then the international scene will progress accordingly - it's not a chicken and egg situation at all - start at the bottom and work up - it's simple !

the fate of Britain is in YOUR hands ! the powers that be cannot arrest 60 million people ! just the usual handful of people who try to put up some resistance

I agree that the grass roots are vital but I would invest in both ends and meet in the middle!

They have 9 teams to play against , we dont , so we play 3/4 games , but we already know who we will beat and who we will lose to

Playing the same teams over and over doesn't work , especially if you already can guess he result


We cant even get clubs up and running successfully 30 miles from the heartlands [ in fact we cant even get clubs IN the heartlands running successfully ] [ in fact we cant even get SL clubs in the heartlands running successfully ] so it is going to take quite a while to get countries up and running to the current top International level

And International RL will never be taken seriously until they are up to that level , then the problem will be that the fans will not go to watch us get beat by France and the Lebanon , much like Championship fans wont watch their teams play amateurs in the Challenge Cup and SL club Fans wont pay to watch their teams play Championship clubs in the Challenge Cup

That's just the way it is and it isn't going to change in a hurry

Personally , i'me that pi553d with the RFL and the SL clubs I wont pay to watch any SL or International games again , as far as I am concerned it is a different sport to the one I watch in the Championships

Would that be your money or somebody else's

Maybe the SL clubs will all donate half their SKY money to help

Thats what I admire about the French.

If something gives them the shíts they dont meekly accept it.

Classic example seems to be when the French Truckies get the s*its with their government over the price of fuel. They burn things, blockade the ports and Paris and bring the country to a standstill until the government sort the problem out.


The poms start a facebook group and have a bit of a whinge.

And thats it.

Since 1991, Great Britain has played New Zealand in 25 Rugby League test matches – Great Britain has won 14 and New Zealand 11

I hope you placed some decent cash on these results as you already knew who would win and who would lose?

And if I'm correct we have won one series and drawn one against them in that time , the Kiwi's have won 2 3/4 nations and a WC

I don't know

What I do know is that when GB or England play New Zealand in Rugby League, the result is entirely unpredictable despite what anybody on these boards may say (and, back the point of the conversation, a darn site more unpredictable than the four All Black wins of the last four weeks which have drawn over 257,000 supporters at an average attendance of 64,312)

I’m afraid that your assertion that the competition is the key is not holding up to the stats – the difference is the attitude to and profile of the international games in the respective codes... 56,807 Scottish fans and 46,302 Irish fans turned up to watch their side play a team they have never beaten