Was listening to the radio while driving and heard that they are planning a magic weekend type of thing with the top southern teams playing up here at football venues. Newcastle and Citys grounds were mentioned. They said that their code was struggling up here and it is an attempt to bolster the support for it. Just been reading the Chris Hill thread and the post about Lewis - I think - is right. I personally think that he would prefer a code that uses both RU and League rules that would give it instant national coverage. I read a column in the Guardian some years ago that sort of predicted this when RL was on a high and they couldn't beat the Welsh in the 4 Nations. For me the only way this would appeal to me is if we use RL rules. Maybe the RU bubble is about to burst as there seems to be a lot of clubs that are struggling. Like us there are only maybe three that run at a profit.

The difference is though - in Rah Rah everything revolves around the international game.....and I can't see them overhauling the rules there anytime soon!! So, there is no way they'd countenance a club game structure played under hybrid/league rules as a pathway to a Six Nations/Tri Series/World Cup played with the 'kick & clap' rulebook!!

A 'hybrid' league would need to evolve as a seperate entity.....and what with the RFL's recent announcements around the re-structuring of our game - and the potential introduction of clubs from 'Union' areas being introduced into Ch1 in 3 years time, I reckon it will be our sport that 'evolves'!!

RU has the geographical spread brought about by the 100 years of apartheid post 1895, this means it has a playing market to generate gates to 'events' - Sarries normally get sub 10k as an example yet 80k at Twickers.
The bonds at the highest levels in the Banking, Media, Finance and Insurance worlds ensure massive corporate take up, FFS RBS were still sponsoring the 6N's after their collapse!!!
We need to understand our strengths and play/market to them, for example the next 'Big' things to come out of the game are RL bred players in Farrel and Ford - why? Is it because RL coaches in flair and vision, whilst coaching out fear? We must use the RL production line to sell to Kids in Leicester or Gloucester etc the concept that if they want to go all the way in RU then they need to have a RL upbringing!!
This gets the grassroots participation that is needed to sustain expansion, so that in 10-15 years we can expand in the Bristols/Coventrys etc of the country.

Went to Twickers last year to watch England v South Africa. Great day out much better that the Challenge Cup final both before and after the match. The one fault was the i had to watch on the pitch. The RFU marketing and events team and the RL game would be awsome!
Dont thik I would go again as the match was plain boring.

Twickers





cant get a word anymore posh