Exactly what I was thinking.

I've seen numerous stories on BBC Sport website about the upcoming World Cup, apparently over 50,000 tickets have already been sold and there are still 12 months left to go.

I know they're marketing it very well to the current RL fan but have you seen any advertisement outside the usual RL "circles"? Such as national/regional TV campaigns? It's hard for me to judge because I'm always in earshot of anything rugby league. Maybe it's a question for the non-RL fan which won't be answered on here unless anyone knows specific examples?

There was 10 minute feature on BBC Breakfast the other morning, with the world cup itself in the studio. I heard a piece about it being a year to go on 5Live on Friday too.

Pieces in the Guardian, BBC News, Independent, Daily Star etc, as well as the usual RL press.

Still - and to recycle a line I used on the VT - many RL fans will wilfully ignore all of this stuff, claim there's been 'no marketing' and start whining if Sam Tomkins doesn't come around to their house in person.

the main benefit of bringing GB back would be that there would be a bigger goal than england so may stop defecting therefore you would have the likes of Bridge, harrison, etc still playing for ireland. rhys evans, carvell? etc for wales. brough, ian henderson etc for scotland. therefor strengthening the home nations for world cups and giving us the lions tours again

IMO, the RFL need to make a definitive decision where their priorities are, re International RL.

We simply don't have the quality at Super League level, to REGULARLY compete with the Aussies and Kiwis. Our SL sides are using the rules (legitimately), by cramming their sides full of overseas players (residency, passports of convenience, natural quota etc).
so, do we
a) carry on regardless, and watch a lot of overseas talent, take up squad places which could be taken by young British talent. We'll have a great product to watch on telly and through the turnstiles, but Internationally, we'll just "keep on, keeping on"

or b) drastically reduce the number of overseas players (a set number, no catagories. This can be done by a player declaring his nationality when he first plays professional rugby, AND IT DOES NOT CHANGE). Fair enough, the quality of SL may dip for a few seasons (less "stars" coming over), but subsequently, we may not see potential youngsters (who could have made it big) getting disillusioned because an Aussie has taken his place, so the youngster goes to a worse club, thus his chances to shine are diminished.

With regards to GB, I'm sorry, but calling it GB doesn't wash, anymore. "Scotsmen", "Welshmen" and "Irishmen" will get their ego massaged by playing in a World Cup for their "country", get their bottoms handed to them in that World Cup, and then, want to play for England, (they all change their alliegancies .... Harrison, Evans, Bridge, anyone), because the majority of their original nation's side, is made up with players from the lower leagues. If Carvell is still Welsh (I honestly don't know), he's the only non Englishman who'd get anywhere near a GB jersey.

Yesterday, well I'm perplexed by these internationals.
SL finished 3 weeks ago, all of these players should be on a beach by now, having a well deserved break, after having their bodies battered since early February. RL has a busy 2013, and our players should be given chance to fully recover for that season, not stagnate for 3 weeks, and then play some games which we all know the outcome of. A nice long break would have been ideal.

Waiting to hear from Marco Van B regarding the England Knights v Scotland game in the Alitalia Cup this afternoon and wondering if the Aussies and Kiwi's were watching it and shaking in their boots.....

There has been radio adverts, and the trophy tour is well under way.

As for the original post, I have waxed lyrical all week so won't bore people any more. I will add though that last year Warrington beat Keighley Cougars and Swinton Lions 80-0 and 112-0 respectively. Both clubs went on to get promoted and have done themselves proud this year. Based on your logic, I presume you would have abolished both clubs and the Challenge Cup there and then?

No doubt he will sift through the channels looking for a row of empty seats to moan about- a complaint I have never understood. Some of the best atmospheres I have known at games have been when watching Leigh in the Championship in front of around 1,500 people.

Ok, so I'm a whinging nobhead, fine whatever thank you for your eloquent, considered comment. I'm also a passionate supporter of the domestic and international game who is sick of some people burying their heads in the sand oblivious to the damage to the game things like this cause.

What I do know is that you can parade the WC cup on breakfast time as much as you like but matches like yesterday undo any good work the RFL might be doing. It was a pointless exercise in rugby terms and a damaging PR one.

If the build up to the WC has started in earnest, yesterday was counter-productive. I'll be at as many WC games as I can but how many neutrals or people with a passing interest in the game will be motivated to do so based on yesterday?

Insults and abuse to the usual address please.

Australia

England -New Zealand

PNG - France

everyone else pants

We can only beat what's in front of us.

The reason some people want GB back is it's a massive part of RL history. For many people the only international RL they could genuinely imagine being excited about watching is a GB V Aus Ashes series. Other contests simply don't capture the imagination in the same way and probably never will.

Even those of you who are looking forward to the World Cup, wouldn't you be looking forward to three Ashes tests at Wembley, Old Trafford (or Eastlands) and Elland Road a lot more? Be honest.

If you could find a way to build games V clubs into the tour with the current calendar then so much the better, although I accept that is now extremely difficult.

I'm not patriotic and I don't like international sport in general. I see international football as an inconvenience and international RL as largely pointless, but even I loved Jonathan Davies scoring at Wembley. It's the only form of the sport outside club level that can truly capture the imagination in my opinion.

Rugby League's biggest problem; its 'supporters'.

Rugby League World Cup 2013 bring in Olympic experts McCann Rugby League World Cup 2013 (RLWC2013) has underlined its determination to build on the unparalleled interest in global sporting events held in the UK by appointing McCann Manchester as a sports marketing partner. Rugby League World Cup 2013 celebrated the one year to go to the tournament mark by releasing tickets for general sale on Friday October 26 2012. By the end of normal office hours on the first day of sales 50,000 tickets had been sold with the biggest interest in the ‘big three’ games: the opening double-header, the semi-finals and the Rugby League World Cup Final. www.rlwc2013.com/rugby-league-wo ... trongly-on

Rugby League World Cup 2013 bring in Olympic experts McCann Rugby League World Cup 2013 (RLWC2013) has underlined its determination to build on the unparalleled interest in global sporting events held in the UK by appointing McCann Manchester as a sports marketing partner. Rugby League World Cup 2013 celebrated the one year to go to the tournament mark by releasing tickets for general sale on Friday October 26 2012. By the end of normal office hours on the first day of sales 50,000 tickets had been sold with the biggest interest in the ‘big three’ games: the opening double-header, the semi-finals and the Rugby League World Cup Final. www.rlwc2013.com/rugby-league-wo ... trongly-on

www.warringtonwolves.org/warring ... unity-5783

www.warringtonwolves.org/warring ... unity-5783

Thanks to the RFL for listening to my suggestion. On talksport Last week I heard an advert for the 2013 Rugby league world cup....well done.......!!