Bristol bids to host 2013 RL World Cup

Got a bit of time before heading out for the Sonics game today (A team at home to Swindon St George, K.O 2.30pm if anyone fancies an amateur game etc), so thought I'd put my two penneth in.

I've been down in this neck of the woods for nearly a decade now, and have been involved with the Sonics since we launched in 2002.In that time I've seen the club struggle, build and now flourish. From scraping one open age team together (with muppets like me making up the numbers) we now have 2 open age sides, six junior clubs in the city (aunched a few weeks ago) and more and more schools are taking up our offer of coaching and competitions. Furthermore, as has already been pointed out, FiltoN College has recently added a Director of Rugby League to its Bristol Academy of Sport programme - the idea being that within a year or two we'll have an U18 team, hopefully in the Gillette Youth League.

It's still relatively early days for the sport of Rugby League in the city, but we're in a much healthier state now than we've ever been. Certainly, there seems to be more knowledge of the sport in the area than there has been, and we enjoy very good links with a number of local union clubs - five, for example, are hosting junior sides for us, with another couple equally as enthusiastic. In terms of adult players, we have a dedicated core now who would name League as their first choice code, plus many others from a union background who are just as keen on League. After being here for nine years, most union players know who we are - and many have either tried the sport, or have declared an interest.

Like Sheffield City Council, Bristol City Council see events as a way of bringing people to the city. And like Sheffield, they were involved in the football WC bid. Both councils/cities are in a strong psoition to bid (and have) for 2013 World Cup matches. Both places have the infrastructure - sporting facilities, good transport links, loads of hotels, vibrant city centres - to put in strong bids.

There are many reasons why using big cities as hosts for RLWC matches makes sense. Cities give you a bigger population to aim your marketing at. Big cities often have a strong sporting history and culture. And big cities are often populated by people with a variety of backgrounds, including those who have moved from "traditional" RL areas (be it the North of England or Australia/New Zealand etc) at some point in their lives.

Last time round, the RLWC played a match in Gloucester, on a rainy night. There were still 3, 500 there - not a huge figure, but given the game (Lebanon v New Zealand if I'm correct) and the conditions, not awful. If it had been played in Rochdale, Oldham, Sheffield, Gateshead, Doncaster etc, there would have been few more. Ditto the 4000 (including me) who turned up in Reading to see NZ vs the Cook Islands. A poor crowd, for sure, but similar to what we'd have got up North. The problem with those two areas was that they were pretty "random" - little or no community RL there at that point, or schools work.

Bristol has both of those, plus clubs like Swindon, Somerset Vikings, Gloucester etc within easy reach. It's easy to get to from London and the North either by car or rail/coach. And Bristol is a fine city.

The bid may or may not be successful. If it isn't, we've not lost anything. If it is, it will certainly give a boost to League in this part of the world - and that can only be a good thing IMHO.

We're realistic enough to realize that it comes a bit out of the left field, and it may not fit in with the RFL's plans. But if it does, we'll do everything we can collectively to market the game successfully and use it as a springboard for further grassroots development - particularly in schools. Sheffield, who I would also like to see get games for obvious reasons, would do the same.