When did we last beat the Australians in a series or world cup knockout stage match? Was it the final in 1972? Quite incredible really.

Just out of interest, would you both feel the same way if the club you support had won jack all in the time you've been watching them?

Well Leeds only really started winning anything 15 years ago, won jack all in my life time up until that point and feelings have always been international glory over club. Nothing i would have liked more than seeing us take out a series or WC during the period 90-95 when we were very close.

Each to their own though and i can see where you are coming from.

I believe so. We have not even beaten the Aussies in a single game in 11 years.

Yes. I support the game first, the country second and Saints third. I felt that way before 1996 too, up until which time Saints' main role seemed to be to lose to Wigan in finals.

Country by a hair, especially if we beat Australia in the final, it would be country by a distance if Sinfield were still captain, or if Leeds were not going into a potential transition period

Also, is it just me who feels less of a connection to the England team since we got an Aussie coach and put Heighington in the team?

I feel the same and my club haven’t exactly been successful in the 35 years I have been watching them. The ultimate for me would be to see England beat Australia in a World Cup Final with an English team (no silly heritage players) and an English coach.

I do not give a monkeys who the coach is he can be from outer Mongolia for all I care what we want is to win the world cup for god sake

It would be fantastic to see England win either the World Cup or 4 Nations.
However, the international program is still a sideshow tagged on at the end of the season and rightly or wrongly, it just doesnt have the same kudos as the Grand Final.
IMO, this is down to lack of publicity and utter lack of build up within the media and for this world cup, the total apathy from the Aussie public.
I think John Kear's observation was right, when he said , that for the Aussie fans, the World Cup comes third (behind SOO and Club Rugby.
Only when the international games are elevated above all the club and SOO, will THe World Cup be the pinacle of the sport.

It would be really interesting to hear the players perspective, although, when they are allowed to change coultry every season, it really doesnt help (even though this has turned Tonga into contenders).

Country, I'll support my home team through thick and thin and would still make the 370 mile round trip the same number of times even if we were in championship 1. However even if your team is in the doldrums special games do come around every now and again, be it beating the local bin dippers on the other side of town, an unexpected win against an in form high flying side or just a bloody good match with an exciting finish.

Exciting national games and one that really gets the juices flowing are rare as rocking horse and frankly if we can shut the Australians up and the game gets national coverage in the sports section of the news even if only a minute that WC win would be worth a hell of a lot, and worth a lot to all clubs.

I love the growth of international Rugby League ... but my club is my first love... always!

You only have to hear the crowds and sense the atmosphere to tell you how bothered the fans are about internationals.
The Aussise dont really give a damn (maybe because they know they are going to win), England are apathetic (as they know that they may get second spot, if they are lucky), Kiwis, seem to just enjoy their "footie" .
The real passion has come from the fans of Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, where they know and expect their side to fight to the last whistle and it's been superb to witness this at international level.

Have to say that the Aussie fans haven't done justice to the comp (again, because they know that they will win at a canter).

There is real passion among club supporters and a sense of "duty" when turning up to internationals.

A winning team would probably change this for England, lets hope they start to click.

I hope the Aussie squad have this attitude too



Although they are favourites without doubt, I have seen better Aussie squads than this and they will have to bring their best if they are to get through NZ and England/Tonga.

Club first.
Then the game of rugby league in this country. I want the domestic competition to thrive, bigger crowds everywhere, bigger TV audiences, more media coverage, more sponsorship, more participation at all levels starting at the schools.
And if that means England's dismal record has to continue for that to happen so be it - though it would be good if they could win.

I wonder if a WC win would go a long way to achieveing these aims, I suppose we'll after to win one to find out.

A World Cup win, followed by some decent publicity would certainly help.
As it is RL is just a small northern sport that, apart from those already interested, just doesn't seem to have mass appeal and the playstation generation are killing participation in most sports. and RL is no different.

The profile of the sport has to improve or we will continue to shrink.

Prior to Superleague it would have definitely been Country, now probably club because the international game has lost its stature at the moment. We've got too many overseas players taking key pivotal positions in super league that is diluting our selection for the same pivotal roles at english international level.
Until we produce our own 2 world class half backs we will always be bridesmaids in the international scene.

I'd be hitting the ceiling if England won the World Cup, but Fax getting promotion to SL would far, far outdo that. I was at Wembley in 1987 the last time we won anything meaningful, and 30 subsequent years of following the club through thick and thin (mainly thin) means that any future success would be savoured for a long time. Any success for England would be fantastic, but relatively short-lived.

Country for me - as I think it was before Leeds won anything (thinking late 80s-mid 90s era).

Like Roy H, I'm in my late 40s and to see England (or GB) win the World Cup and/or beat Australia in a series would be the ultimate. I think it would give the game in England a boost and whilst NZ beating Australia a few years ago ruffled a few feathers here, the sky would really fall in if England beat Australia when it counts.

Whilst 'heritage' players don't bother me that much I can sort of understand why some people get upset by them. But why do RL fans give a flying monkey about the nationality of the coach?

I don't care were the coach is from. Just that he's the best man for the job. My problem with Wayne Bennett is that he's an active coach for an NRL side. So he can't see enough games to make an informed decision of who's playing well. And his focus during the season is more on Brisbane and how they're doing, than England.

To answer the question Club. I missed Hull kr's glory years. So other than a few minor trophies haven't had the joy of seeing them win the big trophies. And it just means more, because you go all season rather than just a few games.

I agree if England won the WC it might promote the sport more. But if we had a proper international calender for years in advance & more organisation at an international level. That could also help promote it.

My preference is to have an English coach, but I'm happy with a foreign coach if they're the best option for giving us success. We're not really in a position to turn down people that can improve us.

Heritage players are present in all sports nowadays, but the more a team has, the more it devalues them as a legitimate team. If it's a short term thing while you grow the game in a particular country, then I can accept it as being a necessity. But if you're just doing it year after year and no home grown players at all are coming through, then it becomes a farce.

There's no point in having a full time coach unless we play enough games to make it worthwhile. Bennett is relying on Betts and co to help him re SL players. That's far better than just watching on video anyway, which is what an England based coach would do with NRL players. I think the biggest difference Bennett will find with England compared to say Australia or Queensland is that he's having to do more basic coaching and working on confidence in a way he'd never need to do with those sides.

The Aussies being so far ahead on the international stage has killed the international game as much as anything, for their fans and for ours, we go into tournement after tournement knowing that in the last 30 years only 1 or 2 have not been won by the Aussies, We live in hope but our minds always know what is going to happen.

so the problem is almost unfixable, if our present crop cannot win this tournement I don't know what we can do to increase peoples interest.

Id rather see Saints win the GF personally

Regards

King James

To be fair it's probably rarer than seeing the Aussies get beat.