Rugby League World Cup

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no disrespect but Rugby League is a simple game, with very few rules and easily understood..
Sorry for not being clear; I meant the ability to organise and play a match without crippling someone, the contact nature of the sport etc. Even I have been moved to scream at the dozy touchline officialdom at Super League matches - I agree, we're all 'experts'. Yet another reason why soccer translates so well to the pub / TV atmosphere. I have tried quite hard (for me) to understand a bit more about soccer, and have seen a lot of good things. Partisan spectator's inability to appreciate good work by any person is puzzling. An easy audience for TV soccer broadcasts...(slightly OT, sorry)
 
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david k

david k

Hi
Location
North West
I'm continually surprised at peoples knowledge of RL and the difficulties it has in widening participation.

Good point about soccer on TV, when i go to Liverpool they will watch any lower league footy before RL, even thought they all say they like it, landlords are worried about upsetting some of the punters, not sure if this is all pubs but certainly my experience, be happy to hear from others who may have a different experience.

Lots of good points made, I suppose it comes down to a chicken and egg scenario, need more people watching and playing, people need to see it and try it to know they like it, without the exposure people wont know. Thats why the World Cup is so important as it showcases the sport. Its certainly been a success and this brings us round to the original question, will the success have a positive impact moving forward?

I dont think any leaguers would take offence at it being called a simple game, thats it USP over union, its quite easy to play 'tick' rugby, Ive been to training with RU guys and they often play league rules in tick rugby as its quicker.

Theres quite a lot of effort going into promoting tag rugby tournaments to bring more people to the sport without the need for contact, apparently with some success.

Shame about London, such promise with RL clubs growing in London from 2 to 36 I read somewhere) since the 80's.Would be a shame to lose all that previous effort.
 
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david k

david k

Hi
Location
North West
no disrespect but Rugby League is a simple game, with very few rules and easily understood......
have you stood at the touchline of any sport, every spectator knows it all irrespective of the sport ....
I think Leagues biggest problem is that it is played in the heartland of Football, it's competing with football on every level which is the traditional sport of the working classes, it has always played second fiddle to football and this will never change...

Where isnt the heartland of football? Its everywher ein the UK, it shouldnt aim to compete but to be another sport people can enjoy, after all rugby league is a summer sport
 
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david k

david k

Hi
Location
North West
You're a star :becool:. We've got virgin media but when I saw it mentioned earlier I presumed it was a subscription thing. Wrong. Tomorrow there's a state of original, a world cup game, an NRL game and XTerra triathlon to boot. I'll never have time to watch all that but I'll watch what I can.

Glad to help, i only know because someone told me! Id have missed it also
 
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david k

david k

Hi
Location
North West
Gloucester. Very much a rugby area.

oh i see, i think my point was we shouldnt worry too much about which are, regionally there may be trends but you wont find a region that doesnt have an affiliation to one sport or another and if you were looking to expand only in places that didnt affiliate to a sport you would never expand
 
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david k

david k

Hi
Location
North West
I agree but not everywhere plays Rugby League and it went summer in the 90's to try and avoid football, you can't dismiss the power of football....
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on another point taking Rugby Union as a guide.... millions watch Union internationals on TV, but relatively few will watch the Union league matches, I wonder with Rugby Leagues poor international scene for most of its life, as one of the reasons why it is poorly supported by non Rugby League fans...

I think summer rugby was to reduce the competition of football and RU but tbh theres a big overlap anyway which reduces the effect.
Summer rugby gives people the chance to watch rugby on summers evenings, many teams play all their games on a Friday night, its becoming part of the weekend scene in some northern towns. Can this spread? I think any spreading would be slow and low, but with an improved international scene it may speed up?
One quote i remember from the 90s Ru is an internation sport that has clubs and RL is a club sport that has internationals
 
Where isnt the heartland of football? Its everywher ein the UK, it shouldnt aim to compete but to be another sport people can enjoy, after all rugby league is a summer sport
Certainly where I grew up plenty of people watched football and Rugby league. Others only one. Football on Saturday/midweek and Rugby League on Sunday. The away games are generally easy to get to due to the small area Rugby League is played in which works against the sport in view of expanding it but works for the sport in keeping popularity in it's heartland.
 
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david k

david k

Hi
Location
North West
Certainly where I grew up plenty of people watched football and Rugby league. Others only one. Football on Saturday/midweek and Rugby League on Sunday. The away games are generally easy to get to due to the small area Rugby League is played in which works against the sport in view of expanding it but works for the sport in keeping popularity in it's heartland.


where abouts was that ghost donkey
 
where abouts was that ghost donkey

That would be just outside Bradford, but far enough out not to northern/bulls supporters. I was a Keighley season ticket holder when I lived there. Plenty of bradford city supporters and peole who supported city and northern/bulls.
 

nickyboy

Norven Mankey
How to expand the popularity of RL? It's a difficult one. I don't think it can come through creating professional "outpost" clubs. This creates a bit of interest but doesn't seem to give the critical mass necessary. When the pro outpost whithers there never seems to be enough grass roots interest
I believe it has to come from the bottom up. If RL are serious about expanding their geographical base (and I am not sure they are) then they have to find a way to get a lot of schools playing competitive RL.
But this is really difficult to achieve. As an example, my son attends a RU-playing school in East Cheshire. There are plenty of RU-playing schools in the area and plenty of clubs with strong junior sections. There is no RL whatsoever. The schools involved have a very strong tradition in RU and the clubs have strong links to the local communities. To get the schools playing RL on a regular competitive basis would take an enormous effort on the part of the RL and they are dealing with some very traditional mindsets in the schools and clubs.
It is possible of course, but I think the RL really aren't interested in this. In addition, the RL is relatively poorly funded and the expense of getting, for example, specialist coaches in to support schools who want to do RL would be beyond them. They seem content for RL to remain a game of the M62 corridor
 
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