Quote: Wires71 "I agree the sport is confined to obscure irrelevant little towns (with the exception of Leeds, Manchester, Hull). But this is not because of choice, it's because RL is not a mainstream sport in the UK. It is far being Football, Cricket, RU. The game is just not that popular. I don't understand what the disconnect here is on understanding that? So genuinely, what is the overarching plan for the game's expansion to have teams from all over the world competing in an international Super league?
NRL is different in that it is the number 1 winter sport in certain areas of Australia. It's very popular. Like Football here. Did they achieve that by implanting a team 3,400 miles away or is there some other reason?
You are right I have not investigated the Toronto plans in any great detail and am basing my view on 1) the leadership capabilities of the RFL 2) Past experiences. 3) Common sense.'"
Just thought I'd point out, after your highlighted comment here, that Australia is more than 2000 miles across so distance clearly isn't that much of an issue. A quick measurement tells me it's 2087 miles between Townsville in Queensland and Auckland in New Zealand which both house NRL clubs, and if the West Coast Pirates get into the NRL it would be over 3000 miles between them and Auckland.
My view on this is why on earth would we not want Toronto to have a club? I can't say I'm very optimistic, but if people want to invest in trying then I'm very happy for them to go ahead! I think they'd probably be more likely to succeed if they did invest in, say, a Cumbrian team but if they wanted to do that they'd have done it already...
We can't stand still and do nothing, anyway, as we will only lose more and more players to RU and the NRL that way
