Why did you think it would be a good idea to shoot down an event that is over a year away, that was announced six months ago and that you seemingly know next to nothing about? You are aware that people are being paid a lot of money to organize this event, and the chances are that they have probably put a bit more thought into it than you? Sadly in RL we just constantly shoot ourselves in the foot, because everything that happens is hounded down by closed-minded morons like the ones on this thread before even being given a chance.

Jesus, you like the word "moron" don't you? Keyboard warrior of the highest order. Let's not argue about the RFL and choice of "venues"

What I will say is, it hasn't really "worked" over the last few years has it.

Put your dummy back in

What hasn't worked? There hasn't been a World Cup in the last few years, the last one was in 2008 and made a reasonable profit. I just don't understand why the first reaction of RL fans to anything that happens is to complain and wish failure. It's just ignorant stupidity in my eyes.

I meant big stadiums haven't worked. In the last world cup we couldn't even fill wigan for England v Australia. They didn't even bother to open the upper tiers at wembley in the 4 nations. The crowd will be shocking at cardiff, my point was that playing at smaller stadiums and it being full looks far better for the sport than an empty national stadium.

I trust you'll be attending the games at Leigh, St Helens, Warrington and Rochdale, then?

What has that got to do with the venue of England v Australia??

I don't see how you can think hosting the opening ceremony of the sport's global showpiece event at Warrington of all places would be a good thing from any perspective. Equally, the crowd at Wembley last year was a hell of a lot bigger than any recent international matches and on top of that it actually felt like a big event, it gained more mainstream publicity than any RL international for years in spite of empty seats. I don't understand why people are so paranoid about empty seats, there are empty seats at Wembley for most England football internationals, does that mean they should all be played at Villa Park? We all complain about RL's treatment in the media, but it's certainly not going to improve and we aren't going to grow by hosting major international events in places like Warrington and St Helens. And aside from this double-header (which I'm pretty sure the OP did not realise was a double-header), England's other group games are in Huddersfield and Hull, the final is in Manchester and there are only two other games in the entire tournament that aren't being played at established RL grounds, so it's not as if there is any sort of reason to complain about the heartlands being ignored or anything like that. And yes, Cardiff may not sell out, but you can bet that if even half the people complaining would actually get off their backsides and get behind the game and the sport instead of sitting at home and moaning about empty seats then it would be a success. That's my issue with threads like this.

Best post for a while....Absolutely no reason why the opener cant sell out....and it should IMO - The only two things which will stop it is RFL ineptitude and RL fan apathy. We'll both be rightly held equally to blame....If Olympics Women Wendyball can get 40k at Cardiff we should be able to sell it out twice....Every self respecting RL fan should be there as with the final if we ever want our game to get the credibility it deserves!

i am a bit put out that they have some fixtures on the same day miles apart so you can't watch be at both games....Sat 9th

Eng v Fiji in Hull and Ireland v Aus in Limerick......there are others as well

So RL in South Wales is a growing sport and they get a decent size event from time to time with a fantastic stadium. What the problem with this, the so called fans in the North won't travel for a few hours south to watch. What is it, an hour and a half more than a trip to Hull and it's not like it massively puts the cost of a coach up.

I remember going to Swansea to watch an international game at the football ground around 1998 (can't remember who), we ran out of mini busses from Aberystwyth Uni to take people down to the game.

If the game is played in the M62 corridor, what does it actually do to pull more people in? The fringes won't travel, but when it's on their door step then there's a good chance they will.

Totally agree. I may like to criticise the RFL at every opportunity (it's like shooting fish in a barrel at times) but for the game to grow we need to support their ideas no matter how wacky. After the success of the Olympic and Paralympic games they should be plugging national pride at every opportunity which was one of the reasons I got p*ssed off at the article that started this thread.