Thanks mate appreciated

Hoping that the four nations gets a better broadcast budget than the warm up game?!

But I'm actually quite excited about this 4 nations teams are at full strength barring one or two but the replacements are equal in ability and we are not a weaker side for them not being in the team!!

Selling out Int RL isn't the fault of the fans!
Its down to format stability over a prolonged period, marketing and effective pricing. Consumer interest and confidence in the product will be grow with that in place.

What papers haven't you been reading?
Int RL gets more column inches than the domestic game gets in total each press.

If the format continues it'll become a part of the RL calendar we as fans will make an event, as we have domestically with new Wembley, the GF, Perpignan and the Magic weekenders.

We can only blame the RL bodies for letting down the international growth ot the sport by pulling the plug on tests for a generation not the fans or media.

It's not all the fans fault, BUT how many fans would prefer to see their club play in an SL match verses an international?
I've been to a couple of RU Home Nations matches and being in a full stadium with a close fought contest and a 50/50 fans split is a really good experience - even if the quality of play and slow slow ball is boring.
I'm going to the Olympic Stadium and Coventry (and have purchase top price tickets) as they are close enough to me, but I'll watch the rest either on the Beeb or the web for nowt. Logistics show we can't have a 50/50 split.
The international game is really important for RL but until they run stable comps, like RU, it'll be on the back foot on the international stage.

RU has a strong international format that it has developed over many decades, and going professional at club level has helped enormously.
The thing RU has though is a lot more political in-fighting between the clubs and the authorities.

Ignoring the hooray henries (and that anti-League BBC commentator Ian Robertson), I do struggle with RU because most of it's so slow. There are skilled players but the skill is different to that in league.

Give me RL anyday (except the best try ever which I mentioned a few days ago - Gareth Edwards 1973 All Blacks v Barbarians - but I have to admit the Mark Coyne try in the SOO was phenomenal, as pointed out by an RL fan!)
The commentary on the Beeb for the Edwards try was sublime - that really adds to it.

Unfortunately,one of the worst things that happened to our game was when RU turned professional.

Perhaps it didn't do us too many favors but it was up to the NRL and RFL to keep our own house in order.
They let down by dropping the tests and World Cup.
RL had a real grip in Wales on the late 90's to kick on, we let that go down the swanny. More recently, about a decade ago, Ireland gripped the country, the RFL chose not to develop further or even play the odd final there pre Wembley completion.

Ironic, isn't it, the one thing they were against for so long, and indeed the reason for the split, was to be something that marginalised us a lot more

Indeed it is ironic & when you look at both codes the management in RU are more professional & better connected than our bods, & the sponsorship is by worldwide brands. Hopefully Roger Draper may benefit the game as a whole now he's at the RFL.

The management of the RU has had loads of problems over the years. In fact it has been shambolic at times. You cannot just blame RL management. Watching the National Anthems last night (Scot v Aus) and comparing what would happen at Murrayfield would tell you something. We just have not got the fan base apart from a very small area. It is much to simple/easy to blame those at the top.

RL is a passionately supported regional sport, that's it.

Lomax my scapegoat.

It's will soon be Watkins when you realise you're not singing him. But bless you for believing!