Fantastic interview. Interesting to hear he consulted Bennett in the appointment of Maguire.

Given a level playing field, there is not much wrong with the international game, I was there for the last World Cup Final in Brisbane, fantastic game, full house, great result!! job done.
I was there when The Aussies started to show GB how to play (1960?) at Swinton and at Wigan in the last test, Gasnier scored one of the best tries I have ever seen,
I also remember attending Wembley (1990s)to see GB v Oz, I actually received free tickets to the game (which was sponsored by British Gas) such was the poor interest in the game.
From any of the above points, I cannot say any one individual was responsible for the success or failure of the event(s).

That’s because he is.

He was the visionary that took RL kicking and screaming into the here and now. I shudder to think what we'd be like without his vision.

In his pomp he was every bit as good as IL is now. Getting a revolutionary coach like Lowe in is no different to IL and Madge. Making sure guys like Edwards, Betts, Wane, Radders, Cassidy, Faz were kept and bringing Wigan guys like Lydon and Greg back is the same as what IL has done now.

IL coming in was the right option as MO was well past his best but in his pomp MO was the finest administrator British RL has ever seen.

It's always, with the help of hindsight, easy to pick holes in the things that didn’t go to plan but yet ignore the excellent stuff he did.

I can't disagree with your last sentence and I respect your point of view

That Aussie game was in 1963 at Swinton (I was there to), a year after the great Boston, Ashton, Fox, Sullivan, Bolton, Murphy side had beaten the Aussies over there. I was with Murphy two weeks ago and he reckons that's the greatest side he has ever played in.

You should have heard him going on about this quick play the ball, and how McTigue would have loved todays three man tackles.

You're also ignoring the 60,000 crowds at Old Trafford, and the other big crowds at Wembley for Internationals v Kiwis and Ausssies.

I was also there for the World Cup final in Australia, but lets be honest last years years tri nations was poorly attended.

I still think we lack anyone at HQ with Mos drive and vision for the game, but I guess we'll have to agree to disagree, just for a change.

Times have changed, Saints v Wigan
Dec 26 1958, KR 29,465. Mar 27 1959 CP 47,477.
Dec 26 1975 CP 8,565 April 16 1976 KR 8,151
Biggest crowd since super League started 25,??? at DW
I can remember bunking off school in 1956 to see CC replay between Barrow and Saints and couldn't get in, this was on a Wednesday afternoon, I watched what I could from what I think was an old Timber place overlooking one of the corners of the ground, I was at the station in Wigan waiting for the train to leave when someone (out of breath) ran to get on the train to say Saints had scored to win the game (10-5??) That was the first year I went to Wembley.