Nice to know we have genuine fans of the club around.

NO, NO, NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT. After this World Cup, Rugby League does not need to prove anything to our hostile cousins. The serious risk of injury in endless, mind numbing rucks, mauls and scrums is horrific. Play Leigh, Swinton and a super league club in the pre season friendlies. Let us get ready for the best season we have had in years.

Will you be attending?

Indeed, hope this "match" doesn't happen.

Genuine fans can see the stupidity and futility of such a venture.

If the idea is to convert some Sale fans, then do something more adventurous - maybe at the time the seasons overlap organise a double header or put a free entry voucher in the Sale programmme for a Salford game?

Wigan took the cross code games with Bath seriously. They had a few ex RU converts, Quinnell was one I can remember who went off injured early in the game and they had training sessions with Orrell in the build up to the game. They was still beaten convincingly as Bath played a tight game and as you say unless we practiced in the rucks we will not get any possession aswell as the risk of injury. Practicing for 40 mins of rugby union in a meaningless game is hardly going to be a great use of resources so will be interesting to see if any team preparation would go into the game.

Predictable conclusion, we will smash them at league and they will bully us at union. There are potential PR benefits off the field if marketed properly but for the hardcore Salford and Sale fans we aint going to get any enthusiasm.

Koukash is quoted as saying league is the better game. Is he trying to use a cross code game to try and emphasise his point to the wider audience?

It was terrible. There was one passage of play where Sale made about 50meters without the ball coming out of the ruck.

Erm, I'm pretty sure it's one half of each code, rather than each team playing to their own rules when in possession. Which would be silly, really.



I agree with that, but I think it's for differing reasons.

Pretty sure Salford and Sale both have better things to be doing.

This might be the first signs of a side to the Doc taking over the club that some may not like.

He like any business man wants a return on his investment and you'd think personally for him too maximise his and the clubs exposure. You can bet your bottom dollar the Doc will have an angle for doing this and also that it is unlikely this will be the last thing that some see as not needed but to him another step towards making the club generate enough money to be self sufficient.

Koukash has stated he has no expectation of making any return on his investment with Salford. Investing in a near bankrupt club with no record of ever making a profit is hardly conducive to making any money.

I agree that I can see Koukash as the sort of character who would make decisions some fans don't like and expect them to lump it. However, I don't see how he's got an angle for this cross code game. What possible angle is there? People seem to draw inferences from stuff he does as if it's all part of some sporting masterplan when in reality he just does stuff because he's impulsive.

I can honestly see him targeting some of the bigger corporate sponsors that Sale have, some people might not like RU but they have to agree that it is supported by companies that RL can only at the moment dream of attracting (I mean for Gods sake the entire elite competition last season didn't have a title sponsor). Can anyone not see that someone like the Doc would be the best sales person possible if the corporate big wigs attended a cross code game?

I would also not rule out the Doc looking at some form of joint marketing at some point with Sale when the seasons over lap and a Cross Code event isn't a bad place to start. Look at it from his point of view is he entices 500 Sale fans to watch a massively improved Salford team next summer then that's a step towards his idea of getting the ground full for games.

I suspect that there already some form of joint approach to sponsors taking place being that both Salford and Sale seem to have a tie in with RRG Toyota now.

And I really meant more that is wants to try and make the club self sufficient rather than getting a return on his money.

Seems to be getting closer to becoming reality. www.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/sto ... MP=OTC-RSS

Seems to be getting closer to becoming reality. www.espn.co.uk/england/rugby/sto ... MP=OTC-RSS

rlSeems To Be Spreading Further Afieldrl