I've always said we've got great untapped resources in this country. Not in London or Bridgend or wherever, but right on our doorstep. Manchester and Liverpool are home to over a million people, but hardly anyone gives two figs about RL.

We need to get the marketing departments of all clubs, the RFL and Sky to really push what we know is a great product. We have a responsibility as fans as well to support our game. If the stadiums are fuller, the powers that be have to take note.

Now obviously people aren't going to turn up to games for no reason, which the RFL need to get a grasp of. It's all gone suspiciously quiet over the past month or so over the possible structure changes. I think everyone is agreed that there needs to be a change in the system and all games need to be relevent and exciting; something that affects teams at both ends of the table.

As much as I've enjoyed us winning the vast majority of our games over the past few years, i must admit that recently I'd gone to games with mild apathy knowing the result was pretty much a foregone conclusion. I think it was no coincidence that our attendances went up at the end of 2006 and 2007, because every game was meaningful and we were going not knowing if we'd win or lose.

It would be interesting to see how well the WC games are attended (I suspect some group games will be dire) and how the RFL respond in the aftermath.

I didnt even know the liions tour was on really, no one mentions it at work but i do work in manchetser

Actually, although this post was sheer tripe, it was ironically one of your better contributions to the forum over the years.

It even had no grammar/spelling errors.

we've had liverpool Stanley and Huyton...both went to the wall because footballs bigger on merseyside.
same with Manchester..Salford are struggling to glean support and Swinton are almost defunct compared to years ago

I agree. I can't help but think that the places that *must* take off if RL is to grow are London and the SW of France.

On this I think the RFL are in the right areas. It now comes down to development.

A complete wild card would be the US. If the US took RL up with any gusto they would be world champions within 5 years.

They haven't been able to grasp it in over 100 years and there's little chance of it now or the near future. The game is too parochial.

As for the capitalist cap, that is a throw back to Victorian mill owners, "thall tek what thy are given and be grateful for it"

In Australia, the Kangaroo is bigger than the Wallaby!

In other words, unlike our country, Rugby League is bigger than Rugby Union.

RU is fairly popular in Manchester. I'm from there and live there. Within about five miles of where I live there are eight local rugby union clubs and one rugby league club (Mancunians RL). Also there is a coaching scheme from the RFU into local schools.
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We're talking about something similar on the Wire board at the moment. There is an opportunity to really push RL to the masses this Autumn with the WC. Most games being on Premier Sports really doesn't help. How many games have the BBC got? is it six or seven or something meagre like that?

But if we can fill the grounds and hope that what [iis[/i actually shown on tele be shown with positive commentary and professional outlooks and music/graphics etc. instead of the silly arguments between commentators about simple rule changes that occur, comments like "that drifted forward" (when that doesn't even matter) and stupid music for shows that make it seem like a joke (specifically talking about SL Superstars) like what you get constantly with Sky...maybe we'll be onto a good start.

The notion of trying to piggy back a 3 game series in Australia that is being shown on a format most do not have to the British people who can't get excited about the sport in the UK is laughable.

Never mind the fact the NRL is the biggest challenge to the game in the UK and you would in fact be using our main competition to try to promote our game. Genius.

The Lions tour is massive in the UK, league is massive in Australia, 2 different cultures, 2 different machines totally. League in the UK is a significantly superior spectacle to Union so what a 3 series match on the other side of the planet is supposed to do to change the punters perception of the game is totally beyond me, add to that the fact most Union people I know already talk about or enjoy Origin but still have no interest in SL.

In a time when finances are tight and a World Cup in the UK to promote I think the RFL have other things on their mind to use to drive the game forward in the UK.

I hope the spelling meets your approval. After all I would hate to go crying to the mods if one of my spelling last mistakes was picked up on. Actually I would let it slide as I am not that insecure, unlike some.

It isn't just about having a successful World Cup. It's about creating some momentum. The game has to build on this World Cup. Something major needs to be fitted into the calendar next year. Wouldn't it be fantastic if the Aussies would put aside their own parochialism and bring an Origin game over here next season in the same way that the NFL bring a fixture to Wembley? I'm sure League fans over here could fill Old Trafford or the Etihad for such a game. Show it live on terrestial TV and surely it would wake some people up to our game. Then follow up with an Ashes series next autumn, again live on terrestial TV. Sky is treating our game with contempt at the moment. Over the last three or so years they have ditched the NRL, the Championship, NRL Fulltime, the Anzac test and now State of Origin. I believe they aren't showing the NRL Grand Final either. We need more exposure on channels other than Sky. We also need a major sponsor for Super League. Even in these austere times there must be sponsors out there. Other sports find them. Why can't the RFL?

The Lions tour is not really as massive as some people make out. It's a niche interest just like RL is or like say the Ryder Cup in golf, its really big to people that are in to that sport but it doesn't reach out outside the sport. It's going to be dwarfed by the cricket Ashes and by Wimbledon for the two weeks Wimbledon is on.

There won't be any momentum in this country from a World Cup because a rugby league world cup just doesn't capture the imagination of the public, even the rugby league public.

England will lose to Australia in the opener and then beat Ireland and Fiji, then it will be one of PNG or Samoa or France and then defeat to NZ in the semis. We know exactly who is going to win every one of those games so there will be no suspense.

Then there will just be all the carping on here about it being because of McBanana and various players from (insert club you don't like) who are not up to international level, Sinfield, Ellis etc.

The spelling is fine (spellcheck is wonderful isn't it?) the grammar made it very hard to read. I withdraw my earlier remark.

I think you are trying to say that Origin is different than RL in the UK in terms of it's appeal.

You are missing the point, but that is to be expected. Hopefully others may see the angle.

Like the idea of bringing an Origin game over here - would kill to go and see it...

If the fans won't get behind the international game then we've only got ourselves to blame. And i completely agree that for RL to survive we need a strong presence in London and France. To many mediocre teams and players in the north as it is...

I went on an international tour in 2011 to Jacksonville, Florida ad played in a Tri-Nations style tournament against the Jacksonville Axemen and Helensburgh Tigers (Aus).

The set up they have an these AMNRL clubs is incredible - 1500 seater stadia (which was full for all the games), cheerleaders (have to love them don't we?), full coaching set up with Dr's and physios, assistant coaches etc. it really does rival the Championship clubs over here.

The playing standard of the Axemen was brilliant, although we beat them by 30 points or so (we were on fire that day), we lost to the Aus team and the Axemen then beat the Aus team rather convincingly - meaning we won on points difference!

What I'm getting at is that RL in the USA is as BK implied - a sleeping giant. If any of you get chance to go to Jacksonville I would urge you to go and take a game in at University of North Florida (JA's home ground). I promise you you will be amazed at the quality on show.