Tell me how you know that ?

What is your source?
Link ?

That's one side of it.

The other side of it is that, as a sport, fans recognise that the sport is massively undersold and desperately needs to generate revenue.

The WCS is one of the few opportunities that we have to sell the "best in the world" of our sport. It's a massive marketing, media and commercial opportunity.

And people want to give that opportunity to a club that probably undersells the sport more than any other? They want to take this opportunity and plonk it in a stadium that is half full, watched by people on massively discounted tickets?

The RFL has been backed into a corner on this one because we only have a tiny handful of clubs that can actually market themselves effectively. It cannot afford to pass up this opportunity in the name of "sporting fairness".

There should be set criteria as above.

That would have lead to Huddersfield being the third club. Huddersfield should then have been required to take the game.

Clubs like Huddersfield should have the ambition to be in the World Club Series every year. OK in 2016 they might not have got as big a crowd as the other two matches. But things build with familiarity over time:

When the Old Trafford Grand Final first started in the 1990s the ground wasn't full and people wondered if the concept would take hold. Jump ahead to 2015 and it's regarded by many as the biggest annual event in the game and Old Trafford is sold out.

The problem with your scheme is it leaves no room for last minute wheeling and dealing and shady goings-on in smokey rooms. That just wouldn't suit the motley collection of second hand car salesmen and carpet showroom owners who run the game.

Sacrificing sporting fairness so that the RFL can appear to be competent in attracting large crowds is IMO a very weak mentality. So what if JSS doesn't fill up? It never does on any other televised game whether it be a SL semi final or a Challenge Cup match. It is a football ground for football crowds.

Having dug into it, I'm pretty sure that the problem is the Giants. Here's an interview with Ken Davy from last January.

On page 5 of this

rlhttp://4fsfanzine.giantssupporters.co.uk/Issues/Issue%206.pdfrl





Sorry to say, but it looks like this one is at the hands of the Giants.


People wonder why the team keeps bottling the big games. It's because the whole culture of the club is one of timidity and weakness. Davy is deluded if he thinks that attitude will lead the club to a Grand Final win. The attitude also explains why the club doesn't even try to grow it's crowds despite years of stagnation and endless criticism.

I was brought up to believe that it's okay to fail, as long as you try your best and learn from your mistakes. It's the trying that counts. I don't see the Giants trying here. Too scared to put their head over the parapet and play with the big boys. The fans deserve better. The players deserve better.

I'm so disappointed by the events of the last twenty four hours. It's revealed to me what an unambitious operation the Giants really are.

www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2015- ... lub-series Saints are in due to their two semi final appearances, their history in the WCC and the fact that they will add value to next year's competition.

www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2015- ... lub-series Saints are in due to their two semi final appearances, their history in the WCC and the fact that they will add value to next year's competition.

Sounds to me like a cock and bull story made up to cover the fact that the club that did qualify hasn't got the balls to stand up and compete.

Quite right.I don't see how people can really argue this 3rd spot situation which is the RFL's decision now due to one club winning more than one of the trophies. If Huddersfield had won one of the pieces of silverware required this season to enter the WCS and then been snubbed, then they have every right to kick up a fuss imo.They should be using this now as extra motivation, if any is needed, to go and shake off that chokers tag and win a pot next year and gain entry on true merit, not through the back door as a reward for being the best of the also rans.

Put it down to attitude, look at the difference between Ken Davy's quote above and Ian Lenagan's below:


Ian Lenagan, Wigan Warriors Chairman said: “The inaugural World Club Series last year was a great success. Over 20,000 people attended our game with Brisbane Broncos, the highest of the series, and we plan to put on another special night at the DW Stadium in 2016.

“The Wigan Club has a long affinity with this competition and the team will be giving it their all on Saturday night at the Grand Final to be be involved in the main event this year.”

Saying Saints should be in the WCC because of former glory is like saying Nottingham Forest should be in the Champions League for winning the European cup.

I also noticed that SL clubs have to foot the bill as well if they wish to participate. Why the hell should they? That money could have better use than for a glorified friendly series which will only remind us how far away SL is from NRL stand not just once but three times.

To be honest, it's easy for Lenegan he is preaching to the choir. There's nothing difficult about getting 20k in to the DW to watch Wigan v Brisbane.

The current WCS is a massively wasted opportunity and follows the games current example of doing nothing more than squeezing an extra couple of pounds from the same people.

When Wigan are selling out the CoM and Saints Anfield or Goodison and leeds sell out Elland Road we will have something to be proud of. Something that will get us noticed. As it is, about the same amount who watch the dead rubber RU game v Uruguay will watch all three games and RL will moan about how unfair it is that nobody cares

Huddersfield didn't meet the criteria, saints did, saints, can also afford to pay for the privilege of hosting it, Huddersfield can't, saints will also be able to attract enough support to make the game financially viable ,Huddersfield won't.

No it isn't.Nottingham Forest played and won the European Cup 35 years ago and have done didly squat since Clough left years ago.Saints are last years champions, and are the most successful team of the SL era as well as having every bit as successful a season as Huddersfield. I really don't get the uproar on here