I have watched all Aussie 4 nations games…I have come to the conclusion that International Rugby League is Dead!...Last weekends game against France drew only 6000 fans, the games against England only drew something like 15000 fans...yet Rugby internationals draw 70-80 thousand fans...No doubt they will hail this weekends final a huge success if they draw 20000 fans If International Rugby league was in good health then a final should draw 40-60 thousand...I remember the 80's when International games drew a decent crowd!...I'm afraid that Rugby League is becoming a Sydney centric sport.
International Rugby League is Dead IMO!
- Thread starter alexaki
- Start date
Juro
Well-known member
International rugby league is a far way behind international rugby union. However, it is far from dead. I feel that it is healthier now than it was, say 5 years ago. Tournaments like the 4 nations need to be played more often so it gets into the peoples' minds.
That's right … these are the building blocks. You're not going to grow RL interest in France if they only play second rate nations, to gain interest you have to be playing the best, which means Australia having to play. It's a lengthy process and may be frustrating, but it's a re-building process. For one, I think the Pacific Nations tournament has been successful. RL is huge throughout the region and to see an underdog like Cook Is. do well is promising.
AndTheKungFoSing
New member
The one thing that has annoyed me with this four nations is the fact they only played each other once!
NZTiger
Well-known member
Agreed. Needs to be longer. A southern hemisphere 'leg' followed by a northern would be the way to go, with final in the final hesmisphere it's played in (eg. switch hemisphere's the following year).
G_Strombolli
New member
@alex said:
Completely agree. And if they were serious about 'growing the sport' that's where their focus would be - in areas of the world where people actually care about the sport. Maybe I'm being sceptical saying it isn't a coincidence that there's no money in these places, but the fact that the PM XIII v the Kumuls, for instance, gets next to no publicity beyond a single AAP article is saying something.
Tigerdave
Well-known member
England v France at Keepmoat Stadium, 11529 crowd, capacity is 15000 apparently, highest crowd for a pommy v french since 1952
Aus v NZ at The Stoop Twickenham 12360, it's capacity is 14000, again not the smartest idea, should have played the game in the north.
Aus v England at JJB Stadium Wigan, 23122, it's capacity is around 25100
France v NZ at the Stade Toulouse, 12412, 19000 capacity
France v Aus a bit over 6000 at Paris, daft idea this, they would have had a bigger crowd had they played the game in the south of France
England v NZ Galpharm Stadium Huddersfield 19390, 24500 capacity there
Some perspective is needed when looking at the crowd figures, had they played all these games in league heartlands, the crowds would have been bigger.
Aus v NZ at The Stoop Twickenham 12360, it's capacity is 14000, again not the smartest idea, should have played the game in the north.
Aus v England at JJB Stadium Wigan, 23122, it's capacity is around 25100
France v NZ at the Stade Toulouse, 12412, 19000 capacity
France v Aus a bit over 6000 at Paris, daft idea this, they would have had a bigger crowd had they played the game in the south of France
England v NZ Galpharm Stadium Huddersfield 19390, 24500 capacity there
Some perspective is needed when looking at the crowd figures, had they played all these games in league heartlands, the crowds would have been bigger.
Juro
Well-known member
I hear this tournament is going to be run in 2010 and 2011 too. Let's see the crowds at those tournaments before we pull the plug, okay?
huddgiant01
New member
its in Oz next year
Japan population 127 miilion and only 80K turn up…....pathetic.......
Captain_Awesome
New member
@alex said:
Yes. France will compete in the 2010 European Cup with the winner being promoted to the 2011 4nations which will likely be in the UK
Tigerdave
Well-known member
AFL crowds double NRL crowds… I guess league is dead?
Don't know what the TV figures are like, but they were fairly good last year...
Crowds appear to be increasing, so why stop????
Don't know what the TV figures are like, but they were fairly good last year...
Crowds appear to be increasing, so why stop????
barrytiger
New member
@Tigerdave said:
Elland road holds 50,000 it will be a sell out :smiley:
parrramattaPRICHY
New member
im sure there will be empty seats
huddgiant01
New member
@barrytiger said:
no it does not :wink:
Juro
Well-known member
I saw an article yesterday talking about the NZ soccer team playing their last game to get into the world cup next year. It is interesting to read what the journo is saying about rugby union over there. Puts this thread into a little more perspective, I think…
**All Whites win would be a PR coup**
By DUNCAN JOHNSTONE - Stuff.co.nz
Last updated 09:37 12/11/2009
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/3055561/All-Whites-win-would-be-a-PR-coup
>
OPINION: The Warriors missed their chance and now the All Whites have a grand opportunity to deal a major blow to rugby in a match being played within shouting distance of the NZRU headquarters.
>
If the All Whites can beat Bahrain at the Cake Tin in Wellington on Saturday night football is set to get a huge boost that will help its cause in the sporting market.
>
It's a market that sees rugby, widely regarded as New Zealand's national game, clearly struggling as a spectacle.
>
Little more than 12,000 showed up to watch rugby's domestic showpiece in Christchurch last Saturday night while the All Whites World Cup qualifier has proven to be the hottest sporting ticket of the year.
>
Already massive in youth participation numbers, football has big plans. They are aimed at increasing football amongst kids even further and also retaining players in the game.
>
These plans are already in the pipeline but they would be fast-tracked by All Whites success.
>
Beating Bahrain and qualifying to play the World Cup finals would bring a $10m windfall to New Zealand Football and give them the reserves to ensure the future of the game here.
>
But there's also the PR stakes. At the start of their season the Warriors were being heralded as the darlings of winter as they quickly trumped St George and defending premiers Manly.
>
Some commentators saw them as being able to really eat into rugby's supposed stranglehold on the market here and the bumper crowds at Mt Smart certainly indicated that potential along with their strong TV audience.
>
But as their form tailed off and the playoffs dreams disappeared, it was left to the Australian sides to keep up the hype that league was the superior game as far as entertainment was concerned.
>
At a time when rugby was changing its rules and the sport had become a kick and chase affair, it was hard to argue that league was indeed a superior product. Different yes, but faster and arguably more skilful.
>
Watching the turgid rugby tests from up north last weekend did little to diminish that.
>
Rugby is stuck with these rules for at least another two years now and the snore-fest that was the last World Cup looks set to be repeated in New Zealand in 2011 unless some coaching genius can find an attacking formula to outwit a game loaded in favour of defence.
>
But that's where football has it over rugby and league.
>
It's the most simple of the "footballing" codes and has done little to change that down the years.
>
Simplicity is its greatest value and its greatest threat to those sitting at rugby HQ in the shadow of the Cake Tin.
>
A code needs a successful national team to front its cause and that's why an All Whites victory would ensure that Ricki Herbert's men stay in the forefront of our sporting thinking.
>
Ad Feedback The rise of the Phoenix has stirred our interest and thrown names like Leo Bertos and Ben Sigmund into our sporting consciousness.
>
Ryan Nelsen mightn't be Dan Carter but he's a damn fine ambassador for New Zealand football and at the vanguard of a growing group of players successfully plying their trade in overseas competitions.
>
But it's at home where football can really strike now - in front of impressionable youngsters and the older sporting fans holding the wallets.
**All Whites win would be a PR coup**
By DUNCAN JOHNSTONE - Stuff.co.nz
Last updated 09:37 12/11/2009
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/opinion/3055561/All-Whites-win-would-be-a-PR-coup
>
OPINION: The Warriors missed their chance and now the All Whites have a grand opportunity to deal a major blow to rugby in a match being played within shouting distance of the NZRU headquarters.
>
If the All Whites can beat Bahrain at the Cake Tin in Wellington on Saturday night football is set to get a huge boost that will help its cause in the sporting market.
>
It's a market that sees rugby, widely regarded as New Zealand's national game, clearly struggling as a spectacle.
>
Little more than 12,000 showed up to watch rugby's domestic showpiece in Christchurch last Saturday night while the All Whites World Cup qualifier has proven to be the hottest sporting ticket of the year.
>
Already massive in youth participation numbers, football has big plans. They are aimed at increasing football amongst kids even further and also retaining players in the game.
>
These plans are already in the pipeline but they would be fast-tracked by All Whites success.
>
Beating Bahrain and qualifying to play the World Cup finals would bring a $10m windfall to New Zealand Football and give them the reserves to ensure the future of the game here.
>
But there's also the PR stakes. At the start of their season the Warriors were being heralded as the darlings of winter as they quickly trumped St George and defending premiers Manly.
>
Some commentators saw them as being able to really eat into rugby's supposed stranglehold on the market here and the bumper crowds at Mt Smart certainly indicated that potential along with their strong TV audience.
>
But as their form tailed off and the playoffs dreams disappeared, it was left to the Australian sides to keep up the hype that league was the superior game as far as entertainment was concerned.
>
At a time when rugby was changing its rules and the sport had become a kick and chase affair, it was hard to argue that league was indeed a superior product. Different yes, but faster and arguably more skilful.
>
Watching the turgid rugby tests from up north last weekend did little to diminish that.
>
Rugby is stuck with these rules for at least another two years now and the snore-fest that was the last World Cup looks set to be repeated in New Zealand in 2011 unless some coaching genius can find an attacking formula to outwit a game loaded in favour of defence.
>
But that's where football has it over rugby and league.
>
It's the most simple of the "footballing" codes and has done little to change that down the years.
>
Simplicity is its greatest value and its greatest threat to those sitting at rugby HQ in the shadow of the Cake Tin.
>
A code needs a successful national team to front its cause and that's why an All Whites victory would ensure that Ricki Herbert's men stay in the forefront of our sporting thinking.
>
Ad Feedback The rise of the Phoenix has stirred our interest and thrown names like Leo Bertos and Ben Sigmund into our sporting consciousness.
>
Ryan Nelsen mightn't be Dan Carter but he's a damn fine ambassador for New Zealand football and at the vanguard of a growing group of players successfully plying their trade in overseas competitions.
>
But it's at home where football can really strike now - in front of impressionable youngsters and the older sporting fans holding the wallets.
barrytiger
New member
@huddgiant01 said:
ok 40,000 then it will be a sell out
Have we forgotten the World Cup? PNG, Somoa, Tonga, the Maori's and Aboriginal teams were great to see. Rugby league is alive and kicking, nothing will kill this product, there just needs to be some focus put back into the international scene. I think the World Cup and the 4 nations has done so.
My problem is the calender and the scheduling of tournaments etc… I dont know when the next 4 nations is, I'm not even sure about Test matches anymore except for the Anzac Test (which should be the best of 3 games). More consistency in the scheduling of matches and more emphasis on the game at an international level wouldn't go astray.
To say it is dead is wrong imo. I'm actually cheering for the Kangaroos again as they aren't a sure thing anymore and thats with the supposed backline of the century. The gap is decreasing between Australia, NZ and England and the rest of them are coming along in leaps and bounds.
You can envy the Rugby Union at international level, but there standard competion ain't much. Our competion is the best in the world sport and for that the international game suffers, but its far from dead.
My problem is the calender and the scheduling of tournaments etc… I dont know when the next 4 nations is, I'm not even sure about Test matches anymore except for the Anzac Test (which should be the best of 3 games). More consistency in the scheduling of matches and more emphasis on the game at an international level wouldn't go astray.
To say it is dead is wrong imo. I'm actually cheering for the Kangaroos again as they aren't a sure thing anymore and thats with the supposed backline of the century. The gap is decreasing between Australia, NZ and England and the rest of them are coming along in leaps and bounds.
You can envy the Rugby Union at international level, but there standard competion ain't much. Our competion is the best in the world sport and for that the international game suffers, but its far from dead.
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