As someone who supports the international game over and above the club game - and that includes expensive trips down under in 2006, 2008 and 2010 - I'll be attending as many fixtures as I can possibly get to as opposed to just following England.

I mention that last bit in particular because I still recall a touring party of around 100 supporters from the UK during the RL World Cup in 2008 who I bumped into in Parramatta. They were shopping for RL goodies in a famous RL store there. I was there because I was also attending the Ireland V Samoa game at Parramatta Stadium in just a couple of hours time so naturally, I assumed they were all attending that game as well. But no, hardly any of them were interested at all and they weren't going. Even the RL store owner was offering them all free tickets to the game if they spent just $10 in the store (which most of them did spend at least anyway) and he looked as bemused as me when they all turned down the free tickets. We asked why they weren't interested... Oh, it's not England playing! The World Cup tournament held no interest for them, they were just following England.

And that's where the problem lies in our sport - insular attitudes such as above, even among those who had travelled such a distance and at such expense. They couldn't detach themselves from their one-club or one-team supporting mindset. That's why I fear the attendances for a lot of the fixtures not involving England could well be very disappointing unless ticket prices are reasonable - and by reasonable, I'd suggest between £10 and £15 and no more than that.

I'm not too keen on the Welsh double header at all - England V Australia in Cardiff is absurd. However, I think it's been arranged that way in order to avoid the embarrassment of a sp crowd for the Wales V Italy game.

Yes, many of the teams are made-up teams - Wales, Scotland and Ireland will consist of lots of Englishmen - Samoa, Tonga and Cook Islands will consist of lots of Kiwis - and Italy, USA, Fiji and PNG will consist of lots of Australians but so what? Far more preferable to some fabricated nonsense fixtures against a team of exiles which masquerades as international RL.

I hope the tournament is a success. We desperately need it to be.

Agree on all of the above, apart from the bit about Saddo ever being amusing.

Repetitive is the word i'd use.

None. International RL is a farce. If you thought 2000 was a money loser welcome to this one.

As a Rugby League fan of some 26 years or so, international Rugby League makes up some of my most vivid memories – the highs of GB beating Australia (Melbourne and Sydney in particular) to the lows of defeat (Elland Road anyone!) and then watching some of the emerging nations competing in the various regional and World Cups

It is not international Rugby League that’s a farce – it is the attitude of many of its so called fans who are simply too stupid or blinkered to see the huge opportunity that the World Cup next year offers our sport if only the whole Rugby League community were to get behind it

The frustrating and ironic thing is that the ‘club only’ supporters cannot see how international success and the profile it brings would benefit every club and every team in the country

Every so called fan of our sport on these pages who hope for the competition to be a failure just so that their opinions can be vindicated, hang your head in shame. You are a disgrace and wasted on such a fantastic sport

So just the one tournament that ruined 60 years of International RL for you then?

Well said fella.

Quote ="jonny the leyther"There are 25 group games and quater final venues have been announced, how many can you get to looking at the fixtures now? Just a rough idea? I reckon I can make 12. I'm personally going to save up and make a big effort to get to as many as possible. Can't wait now. List of the games/venues here: www.internationalrugbyleague.net ... -announced Really happy that Leigh got a Tonga game as the town has a bit of a soft spot for the Tongan players we've had over the years, I reckon Rochdale will feel the same too about getting a Fiji game.'" As many as possible Jonny. I have bought a van and I'm going to make it into a camper van for a bit of a tour. Can't wait! I guess there is only two, three at a patriotic push, nations who can win it, I guess we're not naive enough to think otherwise. For me it's all about seeing the Tonga's the PNG's and USA's becuase we won't see them here again for a while probably.

Quote ="jonny the leyther"There are 25 group games and quater final venues have been announced, how many can you get to looking at the fixtures now? Just a rough idea? I reckon I can make 12. I'm personally going to save up and make a big effort to get to as many as possible. Can't wait now. List of the games/venues here: www.internationalrugbyleague.net ... -announced Really happy that Leigh got a Tonga game as the town has a bit of a soft spot for the Tongan players we've had over the years, I reckon Rochdale will feel the same too about getting a Fiji game.'" As many as possible Jonny. I have bought a van and I'm going to make it into a camper van for a bit of a tour. Can't wait! I guess there is only two, three at a patriotic push, nations who can win it, I guess we're not naive enough to think otherwise. For me it's all about seeing the Tonga's the PNG's and USA's becuase we won't see them here again for a while probably.

Half an hour to knock the game, Saddened. You're slipping.
Of course the crowds will be low if so called fans have decided they'll be staying at home 615 days before the tournament kicks off.
I see your ignorance when it comes to club level rugby league extends to the international game. The venues are unappealing? Millenium Stadium, Galpharm, KC Stadium, Langtree Park, Thomond Park, Halliwell Jones, Parc des Esports, Gilbert Brutus, Headingley, City of Salford Stadium. Really?
If Saints get drawn against Swinton in the cup quarters, would you intentionally turn your back because you think it's a foregone conclusion? What would happen to crowds in sport if supporters only turned up when they exècted a close game?
Unfortunately your type are all too common in rugby league. It's that short-sighted 'my town is the centre of the universe' backwardness that rears its head whenever there's an international tournament. You state that the 2013 World Cup will be embarrassing and that the RFL are incapable of selling the game. What chance have they got when the people they will be targeting have decided they don't want anything to do with it before the first email has been sent or advert put in the press? It's not the RFL that's embarrassing, it's people like yourself.

The crowds will be poor if the games are poorly marketed and publicised, it would be a welcome change to see good crowds in a well organised and publicised tournament

There are those who will go no matter where and when the games are held, I was at the last world cup and there are those who will go much further to see the international game in the flesh. No need to market to them as they are definitely going (the RFL probably gave all these people £10 tickets for Wembley last year when they would have paid double that and more) No need to market to those who have already decided to go either. The key is those in the middle, how many can we convince to see an international rugby league game, possibly for the first time in a long time, possibly for the first time ever. Where did the crowds go that went to internationals in the nineties, has the destructive nature of super league, franchising and one club mentality killed that off for good?

The problems this world cup has have already started, the exposure that the national grand final coverage (that had no competition from other sports that weekend) and Wembley 2011 (in London and live on the BBC) should have been the starting point of a crescendo all the way to the tournament. Unfortunately the RFL spent most of the promotion time and money for Wembley kick starting an Exiles concept (that I see as damaging and degrading to the international game) and then when the game and tournament were over we didn't know when or where England's next game would be (or any significant international in this country) who would be playing or when the international game would be returning to Wembley.

Now we have a year with no internationals until October and none of those set to impact on the wider sporting conciousness in the country, effectively two whole years between the end of one tournament to the world cup and the RFL making noises about expanding the WCC, again something that will likely damage the real international game.

I am excited about the world cup, i think it could have been better structured, i hope that it will be a success and will try and go to as many games as I can but I am worried that 2000 could happen all over again

Bring back 1995 where people just attended games and got on with it. The internet is it's own worst enemy at times.