[url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/league/5682543/PM-John-Key-opts-for-NRL-grand-final-over-rugbyPM John Key opts for NRL grand final over rugby union[/url

So another non match today and according to MSN. England have arrived!

More trouble at t'mill.
[url=http://m.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/sep/27/rugby-world-cup-revenue?cat=sport&type=articleRugby World Cup costs us millions and must change, says New Zealand.[/url
Steve Tew, the NZRU chief executive, has warned that competing at the World Cup has cost his union more than NZ$13m (£7m), a loss it could ill afford at a time when player costs were rising and the world economy was stagnating.

Something's gotta give.
The IRB have a strangle hold over everything and if the rules aren't relaxed, then I reckon after 2019.....they won't be able to command the hosting fees they have achived up to now.
Sponsors should be included in the hosting rights...if need be, add to the hosting costs, but you have to let the host union make a profit.
The RFU have a target of 3,000,000 fans at the 2015 comp.....they have paid 80 million pounds for the rights to host it.......I reckon at 50 quid a ticket, they will be hard pressed to break even..........and believe me, any soccer grounds used will not be referred to by their "sponsors" names.....the Westpac Stadium here in Wellington has had the Westpac removed and it is now referred to as the Wellington regional Stadium....

[url=http://m.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/sep/27/rugby-world-cup-2011-new-zealand?cat=sport&type=articleThere's moor trouble at that theer mill.[/url

Same already for the Olympics- the Ricoh will be renamed the City of Coventry stadium, despite never ever having had that monicker.

He's an idiot.......firstly, I think he knew the rules regarding sponsorship and revenue streams BEFORE NZRU applied to host the comp.....next up, market forces will dictate who can afford what player. Yes, the likes of Carter may go north to play for a wealthy English or French club, but International Level Competition such as this RWC are what most players aspire to.....not the Aviva Premiership.
Most of the players who have been "poached" over the last 12 months would never have made this AB's squad...they were offered decent money and they left...so what?

NZRU needs to sort its own house out before attempting to dictate to the RFU.....firstly, sort out the pricing for S15 tickets.
2006.....The Hurricanes averaged 23,300 a game over 6 home games with 2 local derbies.......6 seasons on and over 8 games with 4 local derbies they averaged 11,280.........that's why they are losing money.....that and the ridiculous $220 they tried to charge for an AB's replica.

I read in the paper this morning that England don't think Scotland will be able to cope with their attacking rugby. I learned 2 things:
1. England must be playing Scotland.
2. England play attacking rugby.
No really.

England put 67 points on a second string Romania side and everybody is now saying England are an attacking side. That result is put into context when you see Georgia then go and beat the Romanian first team and the fact that the last time England played Romania they won by 134 points

This is a terrible England team – their only attacking threats are on the wing but against a decent opposition they haven’t got the skills to get the ball to them in attacking positions

Will Thatcher stand up in parliament & say they should come home?

Awfully quiet on here considering we're in the middle of the pinnacle of the game



[url=http://www.journallive.co.uk/newcastle-sports/north-east-rugby/newcastle-falcons/2011/09/27/newcastle-falcons-revising-policy-on-signings-61634-29492404/?#sitelife-commentsWidget-bottomNewcastle Falcons revising policy on signings.[/url Concentrate on staying up first Taity.

[url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/sep/28/rugby-world-cup-australia-cost?Rugby World Cup: Australia back New Zealand over cost of participation.[/url [i'We are unable to continue making these significant losses.'[/i

I heard on the radio the other evening that the RFU is establishing a full-time 12 man sevens team in preparation for the 2016? Olympic games. How much money must be in that sport?

Union in the olympics came up in conversation at the weekend. Presumably England, Scotland and Wales will make way for a GB team but what about Northern Ireland? In international rugby union they play under the flag of Ireland but the Olympic association in the north is tied to GB.
Also, will there be a qualification process similar to that in Olympic soccer? If so, Australasia, which has a good number of the world's best teams, will see a number of it's members fail to make the actual tournament, won't it?

I presume the RFU is England. Probably in their arrogance it has not occurred to them there are other territories in the country of GB.

I prefer the 6 nations/Tri-nations myself.....




Oh dear...it's the old us and them scenario again.......Whilst the AB's might consider themselves the draw card in world Rugby, I think they might find that with or without them, the IRB will do fine......we didn't miss South Africa that much.


The ARU should keep quiet.....unless they want the B&I Lions to go to South Africa in 2013.....

Speaking of Newcastle and relegation- what the hell has happened to Leeds?

[url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/opinion/news/article.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10754847The World Cup is a facade. NZ rugby is in trouble. A view from New Zealand.[/url


Second bottom of Division 2 with one win from four. I said last year that if they went down this time they wouldn't be back for a goodly while and it's certainly looking that way at the moment. Crowds have dropped off and they're struggling to get over 2,500. I don't know if it's true, but someone told me the crowd for the cup game against Yorkshire rivals Rotherham was three-figures.

[url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/15103635.stmDisgraceful behaviour[/url

I had several sessions with Chris Rattue on the 96 GB tour & played against him in a press match (I was a guest). He was one wild child.

I went to college with Stridgeon and while he's a good lad I'm not that surprised he did something like this. You break the rules in the world cup and the governing body take no action? Surely Wilkinson knew what was going on.

To suggest any such thing is treason.

Basically, lost any good players they had left at the club when they got relegated and Caddick is refusing to continue bankrolling signings and salaries.

They need to consolidate in the second tier for a couple of seasons and concentrate on developing young players who don't just see the club as a stepping stone to bigger and better things - yes, I'm talking to you Messrs Care, Crane and Clark...

That's it. Leeds haven't recruited particularly well and have lost a lot of players to bigger teams. They got beat 52-10 at the weekend. They have a couple of Sale players at the moment who are dual registered. Iain Thornley seems to have gotten some game time but I'm not sure about Will Cliff. Cliff is a great scrum half and will be a good player at that level.

Catalancs - I think I'd like to take you up on your Newcastle getting relegated bet. I think they'll finish bottom but they won't get relegated. Seeing as only Leeds and Bristol will probably be able to get promoted on ground rules and neither of them winning the play-offs for me, I can't see anybody going up this season.

Cracking start for Sale. 3 wins from the first 4. We've got 11 players missing to The World Cup and if we can win now then we should be looking for mid table at the least when the big names return.

This guy is a fruit loop.
Both on SKY Sports (Pay TV)....
RWC 2011 Live: 221,380 (7:30pm - 9:20pm) Italy vs USA
NRL Live: 200,150 (9.55-11.35) Warriors v Storm

Yes, League is getting itself in better shape, but the crowds at Mt Smart a pretty static if you don't count the Eden Park opener.
Yes, the club are on the money with the way they are growing things, but League will get buried this weekend by the TV ratings for the RWC.

I can’t find it in the on-line version but an article quoting Shontayne Hape in the Standard tonight made me smile

“We have a big game this weekend but the New Zealand Warriors have a bigger game”. Seeing as though a 7 point loss without a bonus point would see England exit the world cup, I’m sure the England staff see it as a bigger game!