I got my (standard?) reply from the RFL to the email I sent today.

They do mention in it that the they have a "long-term contract" with the BBC to screen the CC until 2020.

I wonder what will happen thereafter?

Why pay for it when you can steam it for free if you look in the right place.

I won't be paying for it out of principle. I already pay too much for Sky Sports and Premier Sports for RL, and my Licence Fee goes towards the BBC stuff. I'm sure the RFL see plenty of my cash.

I bet it would get a good sized audience on maybe BBC2 on a Saturday morning when the alternatives are Saturday Kitchen or Soccer AM, both of which are incredibly tired. Lots of casual viewers looking for something to watch, having breakfast or a brew before they head out for the day.

Another concern - who the hell outside of RL circles will ever know this game takes place? Oh I'm sure the RFL will be all over social media - but unless you follow them how will you hear about it? They could advertise but that isn't cheap. I'll be surprised if they get more than a few thousand watching.


Not sure about that - if it's not on a mainstream channel how will the streaming sites get hold of it?

Whatever, I'll probably be able to watch it on YouTube a few hours later anyway.

WWE don't exclusively put everything on their network. They still have their flagship shows on national television and will still get paid for that.

I'd still have CC games on the BBC and 2 SL games on Sky. They act as adverts for the rest of the product. They may not get as much from that deal as previously, but this is where you try to plug gaps with your own income.

So I'm reading the article about this on the rfl website and I come across a bit that says it is free for people with magic weekend tickets (as others have stated). I think this is great, I can watch it for free! Oh no wait, I read the next bit which says that it is only free to people who buy there tickets from the website between a certain time period and put a promo code in...

I bought my magic tickets from my club when they went on sale a while back so I could get a train ticket and hotel before they are all booked up. Basically I'm missing out on something because I am organised.

Conning gits...

SKY has it then so I believe unless it has changed

Does anyone think they can have a go at the likely Samoan line up? They have some talented players like Anthony Milford and Carlos Tuimavave, some monsters like Cas's Junior Moor and Jesé Sene-Lefao. Salfords Junior Sau. Super League old boys Mose Masoe and Sia Soliola.

In the last game they played, the only English based player in the squad was Denny Solomona.

Hopefully that's the case this time because other wise Cas could have 3 players turning out for either team! Roberts, Moors & Sene-Lefao for Samoa and Hardaker, Gale & take your pick of a few players for the 3rd for England.

Typical attitude of a backward thinking, flat cap, RL fan, who doesn't support the international game. Sadly a number of fans and clubs share this view.

Hardly. The England team have a 3 player cap to stop it being unfair on the club sides but then if Samoa call up English based players after not doing so for their last game could leave teams further in the lurch.

Any promo codes going round to stream this game at a discount yet?

Just in case you're not being ironic:

£3.49 is the early bird price, so expect price to rise 24 hrs before KO, and if you buy a Magic ticket you get a free viewing too (if you enter promo code).

If this is going to work on any level then both teams need to field their very best side. I might be inclined to tune in if I know full well that Samoa and England are at full strength. And for me that would beEngland

1. Zak Hardaker
2. Ryan Hall
3. Mark Percival
4. Kallum Watkins
5. Greg Eden
6. Gareth Widdop
7. Luke Gale
8. Chris Hill
9. Josh Hodgson
10. James Graham
11. Mike McMeekan
12. Elliott Whitehead
13. Sam Burgess

14. Daryl Clark
15. George Burgess
16. Scott Taylor
17. Sean O'Loughlin

I would be tempted to include Liam Farrell, Jermaine McGillvary or Ryan Atkins. But that would be my squad.

Samoa

1. Peter Mata'utia
2. Antonio Winterstein
3. Ricky Leutele
4. Joseph Leilua
5. David Nofoaluma
6. Anthony Milford
7. Fa'amanu Brown
8. Sam Kasiano
9. Kaysa Pritchard
10. Junior Paulo
11. Jesse Sene-Lefao
12. Frank Winterstein
13. Leeson Ah Mau

14. Pita Godinet
15. Junior Moors
16. Sam Tagataese
17. Sam Lisone

Could include Ben Roberts, Isaac Liu, Sia Soliola, Daniel Vidot, Mose Masoe. To me that looks like a decent game!

I like your Samoa team better than your England team!

But Godinet before Brown, surely?

They're talking about Leilua playing for Oz lately. Not that that seems to make any difference these days....

In fact, I'd go so far as to say, I reckon that (hypothetical) Samoa team would beat your (hypothetical) England team.