I'll say it all for you right now.

"We were tired because we had to play that extra game against Wales as a warm up and we play so many games so our players were tired and saints and leeds and its just as hot in Townsville and...and...and.."

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fair enough to both counts. England need a warm-up game before the Tri Nations, it'll be a chance to give the Grand Finalists a week to freshen up physically and mentally, but also blood fringe players at the top level.

Resting the frontliners in a test match that's played away from home is sensible and logical. GB needs more depth, the fans want to see how the young players do.

Wales need and deserve a top-line game against elite European nations, especially against the regional power England, and this is the best way to develop the international game.

I thought we were talking about League

'Brewary Field is not at a good enough standard for Super League, however it is good enough for an international, ya know, the pinnacle of the game...'

When the international game in the rest of the world is going from strength to strength, the RFL continues to make a joke out of it in this country. This is just one joke in a series of jokes which makes me think the World Cup is going to be a disaster in the RFLs hands

Think the world cup will be a great competition, but that will largely depend on fans.
With some fans saying it'll be a disaster four years before it actually takes place you could yet prove me wrong.

The WC just gone was a great competition, but the RFL treat the international game with much less respect then even the Aussies do. The fans wont flock to most of the games. Not because they wont take to international RL, its just I can see the RFL making the competition seem so insignificant

Guess I'm just a half full person. Have started saving already. Hopefully a grand in the bank will get me all over the tournament and great final tickets.

For someone living in the north, it won't cost much to see all the games as most will be held on the m62, and while I'm not exactly saying we should go all out like the 2000 WC failure, a tournement held primarily on the m62 corridor in tiny grounds will barely do anything to expand the game

I would imagine a London will get at least a group game and probably the final.
Scotland, Wales and Ireland will get games as will the RFL's new favourite thing Doncaster's Keepmoat. With only twelve teams planned to be involved that suggests a fair percentage will be outside the M62 corridor.

The RFL said that most games will be in the heartland. That to me suggests that not all home nations group games will be in there own country (which they should) and not many games will be in London (and a few should). Also the venues announced for the upcoming 4 Nations, and every other international for a good few years now, suggests the RFL will be equally small time when it comes to the WC.
If the RFL go and prove me wrong when they announce the venues for the WC then I will change my stance but for the time been I'm wishing it was in Aus again

Two games in France and one at the Stoop, isn't it?

Precisely. They put a rematch of last year's World Cup Final, played in a city with thousands of expats from both countries, in a stadium that can only hold 12,700. I know mid-size venues in London are scare, but I consider it small-time thinking.

how do you know it's not the biggest stadium in london that was available??

He doesn't.

exactly..


its in all likeihood that the stoop was the only stadium available....

There are only about 54 million stadiums across england these days, they probably just scraped in.

Sadly, there's a few less than that now (or at least some are in dis-repair) since they stopped making Subbuteo ....

Isn't the stoop being expanded anyway?

The amusing part is that there is a warm up against Wales, they would be better playing last years squad v the squad that played France this year.
What will Wales do for them?

Grrrrreat, but we're talking about London town.


Give us a hard work out. Allow us to run through some set plays.
To be honest I think the Welsh lads will get just as much if not more out of the game.

Aye, right.

Like they did last year against a scratch England side you mean?

The Welsh being competitive in the short term seemed to be reliant on the Crusaders overseas players qualifying through residency. That idea has been scuppered by the UKBA.

One of the supposed drawbacks from an Other Nationalities side is that the players involved wouldn't take it seriously. With the state of the Welsh and French international sides at the minute it has to be worth a go - even a half-d Other Nats side would be more of a challenge than anything the Welsh or French have put up in the last two years.

Glad you agree.
As I said, it will be a work out nothing more.

Yeah sincere apologies to Jonesey and others, as we all know the Welsh national rugby league team exists only to benefit England and we are dropping the ball by not having a side good enough to help you guys out by giving you a competitive game.

After you have been so nice to us and all. You might have had a bit of a work out but unfortunately someone grassed up about 6 of our eligible players and got them deported. I have no idea who could have done this



CLEARLY we should have instantly had a team full of international quality Welsh players the INSTANT we formed a team, even though such a team should not have had a franchise in place of some "traditional" scouse suburb or pit village around the M62.

I'll tell you what Jonesey, your seemingly endless series of "does anyone else find this amusing?" threads posted across all boards, which all, without exception, contain as their main point some dig aimed at the Crusaders reveal the most hilarious thing about you is the desperate hatred you have for us. Which part of Widnes do you come from exactly?

I've thoroughly enjoyed learning the 13 man code over recent years, but honestly, SOME (though by no means all) of you that post on here are amongst the most bitter w4nkers I've ever encountered. I have finally discovered where the Drones get their whingeing poms jibe from.

When we play England we will lose, and lose heavily (unlike in the amateur internationals where we have won easily for several years now).

Sorry if that makes you irate and critical. But since neither I, nor you, are playing in this, I shan't pay any further attention to your gloating and criticism.