Russian rugby league at crisis point
Roar Guru By Harry Kimble, 15 Mar 2010 Harry Kimble is a Roar Guru
- Tagged:
- Euro Shield, European Nations Cup, Olympics Rugby 7s, rugby 7s, Rugby League, Russian Rugby League
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Tas Baitieri, the international rugby league development manager, has been in Moscow to hold a meeting regarding the dire straits that Russian rugby league finds itself.
In the past 12 months, RL Russia has dramatically reduced its international activities. It did not sent a team to the Military World Cup 2008 in Australia, did not send a side to Serbia as intended, and did not participate in the European Nations Cup of 2009.
Outlining his plans, he wants Russia to field a side in the following tournaments: the 2010 Euro Shield, 2011 World Cup Qualification Games, 2012 Women’s World Cup in England and the International 9s in Samoa.
At the meeting, Baitieri is quoted as saying, “You all are responsible for the way the game is played and progresses in Russia and unless we work together to achieve this, it will surely disappear. The sport is too good a game for the many participants that play and wonderful to watch.”
This may be fine for the international scene but there are horrible events in Russia itself which could cause the game to implode. There were dramatic implications for the game in Russia when Rugby Sevens was admitted to the Olympic Games and saw several clubs, including the champions for the past eight years, Locomotive, and the highly rated Kazan Arrows switch to rugby union.
Alexander Denisov, director of the FRLR, announced that in an order dated 20 January 2010, the Ministry of Sport excluded league from the state register of sports in Russia. This is a huge setback to the code.
Now, a problem from within has arisen. In 1991, Edgard Taturian, coach of the Soviet Rugby team, with his journalist son, Igor, split from the established rugby union game and took some teams to found the Russian rugby league. The game grew and became entrenched as the Russian Rugby League Federation.
After the turmoil of the FRLR losing clubs and players this year, the same Edgard Taturian has again caused a split, this time with the Rugby League Federation, to form an Association of Rugby League Clubs. He has already indicated that the following clubs have joined his association: Nevsky Gate, Vereyskaya Bears, Thrashers, North Moscow, Nara, Otradnoe and Spartak-Losinka.
His aim is to get his the sport re-registered by the sports ministry and his association as the controlling body.
So far, the FRLR has not announced the teams that will be playing in their 2010 season.
A Russian once said to me “that when you have one Russian, you have peace, but with two, you have revolution”.
It appears this is the case at the moment with rugby league in Russia but there are a group who are fighting to stop the total collapse of the game.
Depicted are Tas Baitieri, International Rugby League development manager and Julia Bennison, East European co-ordinator for the RLEF outside the television station NTV-PLUS
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March 15th 2010 @ 12:21pm
Empire said | March 15th 2010 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
I agree in thinking that the Olympic inclusion is the biggest factor here.
Governments like China, Russia etc, have very strong Olympic programs, with investment in Olympic sports a priority for funding. Rugby 7′s growth will accelerate exponentially around the world because of this!
The league vs Union debate here is secondary, like all things, it costs money to run, insure and travel a team around, irrespective of what code. Whatever avenue is easiest to make a career, put food on the table and have a run around will win the day.
Irrespective, I’ll be interested to see what the Russian’s are like in the RWC, and also in the 7′s, though on the same note, I wouldn’t be upset seeing a few foreign league teams travel to Australia either!
March 15th 2010 @ 1:08pm
Pull out said | March 15th 2010 @ 1:08pm | Report comment
RL should get it out of it’s head to being an international sport. Hold on in your own backyard, your castle is surrounded.
In England the sport is gone, smaller and smaller by the year.
In NZ, there is one pro team and that does not sell out, even for finals.
In Oz it is only on in 2 out of 6 states and has a shrinking audience in spite of the News Ltd press contra propaganda.
AFL and soccer have you surrounded.
March 15th 2010 @ 1:58pm
Springs said | March 15th 2010 @ 1:58pm | Report comment
This guy is ridiculous.
March 15th 2010 @ 2:36pm
M1tch said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:36pm | Report comment
2nd that
March 15th 2010 @ 2:37pm
M1tch said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:37pm | Report comment
he wont want see his it will wreck his dream world
http://assets.astra.org.au.s3.amazonaws.com/a421175d3e2c830a0e5ee17a403b72c6/ASTRA-Ratings-for-Week-100307-1.pdf
March 15th 2010 @ 2:49pm
ricardo said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
hmmm..would you by any chance have the figures for the Reds-Force and the Waratahs-Lions matches?
March 15th 2010 @ 2:52pm
M1tch said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:52pm | Report comment
the reds game will be on next weeks as was played late sunday
perhaps the tahs didnt crack 50k? lol they did 78k
March 15th 2010 @ 2:49pm
Sportsnut said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
those figures are great for rugby when you look ath the STV figures. promising stuff. now we just need them watching for longer.
March 15th 2010 @ 9:05pm
hutch said | March 15th 2010 @ 9:05pm | Report comment
we are an international sport. nobody is claiming global domination, but we are growing in quite a few countries around the world. and this is with a terrible administration who have no idea how to run an international sport.
in england the sport is growing, crowds are steady, tv ratings are up, juniors are growing.
nz are the world champs, there are more and more nz’s in the nrl and super league the warriors and kiwis are well supported and juniors are beginning to rise again after years of neglect.
in oz we are the number 1 sport on tv, crowds and juniors are up, the new tv contract and sponsorship will be massive resulting in higher payments for players. you fail to mention 54% of the population live in those 2 states, plus we are the number 1 in the act, have solid grass roots in the nt and wa, and victoria have the world club champs in the storm and have growing crowds and juniors.
shall we also talk about the game growing in wales, france, the pacific islands, the usa etc.
or that we are the national sport of png, a country of 6 million we havnt even begun to develop.
or that the next world cup in 2013 will have 14 teams competing.
we have one of the best sporting products on earth, just a shame our admin is visionless, but i am confident we will get it right one day and continue to steadily grow!
March 15th 2010 @ 9:14pm
jake said | March 15th 2010 @ 9:14pm | Report comment
That comment is absurd and dosent deserve a reply! Every single Home Warriors Final has sold out Canberra in 2002, Parramatta in 2007, and the home final against the Roosters in 2008 sold out in hours!!!!
March 16th 2010 @ 6:46am
Davey said | March 16th 2010 @ 6:46am | Report comment
Even the Pheonix soccer team home semi was sold out. D you see the bandwagon happens with the warriors, pheonix, American cup and so on Jake ?
March 16th 2010 @ 8:57am
jake said | March 16th 2010 @ 8:57am | Report comment
To bad when every one gets on the All Blacks world cup bandwagon the fail miserably every time huh Dave/Davey what ever your name is!
March 16th 2010 @ 9:01am
Davey said | March 16th 2010 @ 9:01am | Report comment
Its not bandwagon .Its the national sport of NZ and the biggest brand and well known rugby team of any codes on this planet.
March 15th 2010 @ 1:24pm
Dave said | March 15th 2010 @ 1:24pm | Report comment
Cuba has just started their first ever rugby 7′s tournament or even their first ever rugby of any types in the weekend. Its now considering having rugby at schools as part of the rugby inclusion into the Olympics.
March 15th 2010 @ 9:06pm
hutch said | March 15th 2010 @ 9:06pm | Report comment
who cares, this is an article on russian rugby league.
March 16th 2010 @ 3:51pm
sharminator said | March 16th 2010 @ 3:51pm | Report comment
untrue. cuba have been playing 7´s for years. rugby 7´s is actually taught in the Physical Education teacher courses in cuba
I´ve got South American friends that have played in Cuba several times. Check your facts.
March 15th 2010 @ 1:37pm
Sportsnut said | March 15th 2010 @ 1:37pm | Report comment
Come on guys lets face reality. RL will never compete with RU. the only chance for RL is to compete in markets where RU doesnt exist (i.e Lebanon). the inclusion of rugby into the olympics and the recent qualification of russia into the RWC has nailed the final coffin into russian RL. russia will not be the only country where RL will die in the coming year.
March 15th 2010 @ 2:29pm
M1tch said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:29pm | Report comment
Except for Australia where RL not only competes but is superior and at end of the day this is the only country that matters
March 15th 2010 @ 2:50pm
Sportsnut said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
granted, but is australia really the only country that matters? theres a big world out there Mitch. just because it doesnt have RL ini t doenst mean it exists
March 15th 2010 @ 3:48pm
M1tch said | March 15th 2010 @ 3:48pm | Report comment
no doubt id love for the game to grow internationally, but having rugby grow in russia and co doesnt change fact where rugby sits in aus
March 15th 2010 @ 2:41pm
oikee said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:41pm | Report comment
Nobody is watching touch rugby being played now by super 14. When AFL starts, no one will be watching super 14, just a few cauli-flowers and some old potatoes and maybe a couple of rusty carrots.
If you are anyone who knows someone or wants to be a mate of a girl who watches, the NRL is the place to be baby.
March 15th 2010 @ 2:44pm
JK said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
I asked the question up the thread, who are you having a dig at with Cauli ears ? you should check your history,get some old tapes of league Oikee some of the legends have some of the biggest freakin ears you will ever see, before scrums became time-outs that is.
March 15th 2010 @ 2:54pm
oikee said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:54pm | Report comment
JK, you should know this better than me then, why do you think soccer is so popular, pretty boys, and with uninos vying for ugliest head on tele award, except of cause the backs who dont see much action at all, rugby league is killing them on the pretty boy stakes.
This is why we refuse to make the scrums push, we dont want to mess our pretty boys up to much. They need to look good for the camera and kiddies who watch our game.
Its a bit like having herman monster turn up for a kids clinic.Union stars happen to be herman. From now on i am going to refer to union as herman.
So to answer your question, that was “old tapes” we have moved on, abit like your game has, now being touch rugby union,.
I call it scoot the breeze. Where players refuse to tackle.
March 15th 2010 @ 3:06pm
JK said | March 15th 2010 @ 3:06pm | Report comment
Never really took much notice of the looks Oikee, my wife and her friends notice that stuff, i’ll get her to post ,you guy’s can discuss who is the prettiest
March 15th 2010 @ 3:39pm
ricardo said | March 15th 2010 @ 3:39pm | Report comment
i do..you do too..don’t lie..
March 15th 2010 @ 3:09pm
ricardo said | March 15th 2010 @ 3:09pm | Report comment
we talking footy or poster-boy butt fantacizing?
Shame..shame..
http://www.scrum.com/PICTURES/CMS/2100/2113.jpg
Matt Dunning..with a mug only his mommy would love..hhmmm..kinda reminds me of Moe from Three Stooges..
March 15th 2010 @ 3:25pm
oikee said | March 15th 2010 @ 3:25pm | Report comment
Hey Ricardo, have you looked at Peter Sterling lately. Mate, he is quite funny and my mrs loves the way he looks on t/v (uncle festa), but streauth, not the prettiest bloke to grace our screens.
Just having a cheap shot at ugly mugs. No harm done i hope.
True, its not a fashion parade.
March 15th 2010 @ 3:46pm
JF said | March 15th 2010 @ 3:46pm | Report comment
Talk about a code for all shapes!
March 15th 2010 @ 6:25pm
rugbyfuture said | March 15th 2010 @ 6:25pm | Report comment
rugby league should exploit the market share in ethnic groups it has in australia as an international growth process (ie lebanon) i dont think it was that rugby didnt exist, i think it was most likely because of the high support rates the australian lebanese community have of the game, and that was reflected back to the homeland which they are so proud of. exploiting this with other communities (vietnamese, islander, slav).
March 15th 2010 @ 8:58pm
Rod said | March 15th 2010 @ 8:58pm | Report comment
And there is nothing wrong with doing that RF, I agree with you for once, it’s a great way to spread the game.
March 15th 2010 @ 1:42pm
Worlds Biggest said | March 15th 2010 @ 1:42pm | Report comment
Can we send former Rusky World Cup player Ian ” Ras ” Rubin over to Moscow to support Tas in his endeavours !. I love both codes but Harry you have written one hell of a funny article. Best laugh I’ve had in a while.
March 15th 2010 @ 9:15pm
hutch said | March 15th 2010 @ 9:15pm | Report comment
so you love rugby league, yet you laugh at the fact it is struggling in a country it has a small foothold in and that had great potential.
id hate to see it if you hated the sport!
March 15th 2010 @ 1:49pm
LH said | March 15th 2010 @ 1:49pm | Report comment
Its the best laugh I’ve had in a while too. Thinking about all those leaguies and their pipe dreams falling apart. Did anybody notice the Harlequins superleague crowd in the weekend ? Just over 2000.
March 15th 2010 @ 2:17pm
Springs said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:17pm | Report comment
Anybody notice Leeds Carnegies crowds in the Guinness Premiership the last few weeks? 4,000, and barely 4,000 at that.
March 15th 2010 @ 2:25pm
oikee said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:25pm | Report comment
When you start worrying about crowds, you might as well go home. Look, the only reason rugby league is even played in London is because of t/v exsec’s. It has a large veiwing base all over England the super league, so they want to have a presense in London.? Nobody cares about this team, its abit like russian rugby league.
All it means is a certain 2 points for the real rugby league clubs in the north.
March 15th 2010 @ 2:28pm
Rod said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:28pm | Report comment
Stop being a fool oikee.
March 15th 2010 @ 3:30pm
oikee said | March 15th 2010 @ 3:30pm | Report comment
Look, you can look at it anyway you want, but the reality is as follows, if you have a city of 10 million people for 1 club, and you want the code to get support, you buy the best coach you can find, introduce the best players on the planet, pay them a motza, and make the damm thing work for you, so yes, i am not the fool, the people running the super league are the fools.
Changing your name from London Broncos to Harliquiuns is the real joke, not striving to be the biggest and best club is another joke. This team is the joke, if you think otherwise, your a joker yourself. Cheers, dont get me startwed on this subject, it really annoys me.
March 15th 2010 @ 5:36pm
Siva Samoa said | March 15th 2010 @ 5:36pm | Report comment
way to go oikee. looks like your upsetting the league boys. your suppose to be saying positive things about rugby league even if its not true oikee.
March 15th 2010 @ 9:18pm
hutch said | March 15th 2010 @ 9:18pm | Report comment
are you still a rugby league fan oikee?
the team and crowds in london are dissapointing, but the league still needs a team in the biggest city in the uk. the one positive the harlequins are doing is bringing quite a few london born and bred juniors through the junior systems. rugby league is one the fastest growing sports in london.
March 15th 2010 @ 5:33pm
Siva Samoa said | March 15th 2010 @ 5:33pm | Report comment
Leeds Carnegies has a bigger crowds than Salford in rugby league heartland. Even Sales rugby has bigger crowds than a couple of Superleague teams in rugby league hearlands. Now thats funny.
March 15th 2010 @ 10:00pm
Springs said | March 15th 2010 @ 10:00pm | Report comment
Sale has bigger crowds than Leeds Carnegie. Salfords crowds have always been bad, and it doesn’t change the fact that Leeds carnegie has bad crowds.
March 15th 2010 @ 11:02pm
Corey said | March 15th 2010 @ 11:02pm | Report comment
Bloody hell mate, read Zac Zavos’ comment and get off our thread. Salford have always sucked at crowd attendances, and so have some Union teams. Its annoying for all codes, even soccer has these problems- even in Italy and England. Look at the AFL’s unwritten expansion policy- they only go to places that will breed large crowd attendances. Union’s heartland in Australia is Queensland and NSW, yet QLD get lower crowds than most NRL teams. Who cares, I love League, but I go to Union games as well cause I enjoy it. Shut up Siva and get some perspective, some love league and some love union. Unfortunately no one loves Siva.
March 16th 2010 @ 10:27am
Corey said | March 16th 2010 @ 10:27am | Report comment
Can anyone see that Siva Samoa has come on with his four other profiles and “thumbed down” all the pro-league writers while his remains untouched- oh yeah I thumbed down his comment and its surprisingly back, this will probably get “thumbed down” by all of his profiles but this is BULLCRAP. Siva Samoa find another thread, get the hell off league threads or watch your threads spire into League propaganda. And if Zac Zavos only ever acts on league people we will just have to take our own action. Siva, no league lover likes you, so get onto some thread where people like you. Its not here.
March 16th 2010 @ 10:33am
Rod said | March 16th 2010 @ 10:33am | Report comment
100% agree with all of that Corey.
March 16th 2010 @ 10:44am
M1tch said | March 16th 2010 @ 10:44am | Report comment
Salford aint Rugby League heartland
March 15th 2010 @ 2:01pm
cuzybro said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:01pm | Report comment
this is funny
March 15th 2010 @ 2:02pm
oikee said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:02pm | Report comment
I dont know why this has turned into a rugby union blog. The point is that rugby league needs to keep pushing its market for the NRL overseas via television. Yes they dont have the NRL on europe t/v as yet. I am sure a deal will be struck shortly.
As for Spike t/v, a deal is yet to be made, but America sports one have already tabled a deal for super league England and the NRL due to increasing demard by veiwers from last years wonderful 4 nations tournament. I am sure state of origin will be the next prize for overseas veiwers. (lets not get them to excited)
State of Origin is already a prized veiwing event for many nations, not just the biggest sporting event in Australia. You dont wear this crown and give away the rights. Origin is still a growing event, it has the largest supporters group in Australia.
Origin is a beast, a monster and highlights the beauty and brutal nature of rugby league at the pinical of the game.
For this reason rugby league will continue its popularity around the world, and continue its glorious heights as Australia”s ultimate sporting event. Now, i have not mentioned rugger on this post, its all about rugby league,. So no -1′s please.
March 15th 2010 @ 2:55pm
Sportsnut said | March 15th 2010 @ 2:55pm | Report comment
you mean the 4 nations that was a financial disaster and drew 6K in paris?
i love it when you talk about Spike TV. so deluded. keep dreaming Okiee. the world needs dreamers
March 15th 2010 @ 3:57pm
Rod said | March 15th 2010 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
Steve M strikes again.
4 nations is a great concept and I’m already looking forward to this years.
But I’ll go back to oikees posts.
If you are saying it’s a waste of time going after Russia and other countries instead of the USA, why do you support the NRL and SL, all up, their populations are only 80 million, shouldn’t we just give up?
March 15th 2010 @ 4:55pm
Springs said | March 15th 2010 @ 4:55pm | Report comment
You sound like Gorgonites, you probably are too…
March 15th 2010 @ 5:00pm
Rod said | March 15th 2010 @ 5:00pm | Report comment
who you talking to springs?
March 15th 2010 @ 10:02pm
Springs said | March 15th 2010 @ 10:02pm | Report comment
Sportsnut. Gorganites has said this ’4 nations that was a financial disaster and drew 6K in paris?’ on more than 10 occasions.
March 15th 2010 @ 10:29pm
Rod said | March 15th 2010 @ 10:29pm | Report comment
no worries, that clears it up springs, the guys a serial pest and must be related to a few others in this thread, not by birth mind you, but by brain cells.
March 16th 2010 @ 9:14am
King of the Gorganites said | March 16th 2010 @ 9:14am | Report comment
There is only one King of the Gees. It is true that i have argued the four nations was a financial disaster and the the 6K in paris was a poor reflection on French RL. However, i see no need to rehash old arguments. ive been there and won those arguments. i have nothing else to prove in rgard to that topic.
other roarers (rightly) have picked up on this lone of argument and run with it. there is no need for the King to get involved. Sportsnut and Siva have this argument covered and won.
King of the Gees will face you all in another thread.
March 16th 2010 @ 12:23pm
Springs said | March 16th 2010 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
Won? You’ve got to be kidding. It was proven many times that the 4 Nations was not a financial disaster and that Paris is not RL country but you always ignored the 12,000+ in Toulouse.
March 16th 2010 @ 1:06pm
King of the Gorganites said | March 16th 2010 @ 1:06pm | Report comment
Dont bait me springs. ive seen nothing to show that the 4N made a profit except some throwaway comment from some administrator in Yorkshire.
12K in Toulouse was reasonable, espically when comprared to what Doncaster got. that was always my pint. the game should have stayed in the south, and aimed for a crowd of 15K which may have been achievable, though im not sure what city what have best suited it.
the point of this thread is that RL has lost its way in russia. i believe it will never again find its way back. russian rugby has become to strong, therefore spelling the end of russian RL.
KoGs
March 16th 2010 @ 2:39pm
Springs said | March 16th 2010 @ 2:39pm | Report comment
Some throwaway comment by a Yorkshire administrator has more merit than you and Sportsnut claiming it was a financial disaster. Nowhere else has anyone seen sources to prove that.
March 15th 2010 @ 9:23pm
hutch said | March 15th 2010 @ 9:23pm | Report comment
the 4 nations made a profit. taking a game to paris was a mistake in hindsight, but its 6000 people who hadnt been to a rugby league international in years so there a couple of positives to take out of it. the game is based in the south of france, but they are starting to make an effort in paris. it was only a few years ago that stade francais rugby union were drawing a couple of hundred fans to their home games, now they get 70k three times a year.
March 15th 2010 @ 10:38pm
Rod said | March 15th 2010 @ 10:38pm | Report comment
Matter of fact hutch, it was only just under a decade ago that the top 14 as it’s known now averaged under 3k, with TV and some money, look at it now.
If Union can go up like that with TV and sponsors, I don’t see why League can’t do the same.
March 15th 2010 @ 3:13pm
ilikedahoodoogurusingha said | March 15th 2010 @ 3:13pm | Report comment
“State of Origin is already a prized veiwing event for many nations, not just the biggest sporting event in Australia”
I take it you have never heard of the Melbourne Cup then!
March 15th 2010 @ 3:38pm
oikee said | March 15th 2010 @ 3:38pm | Report comment
State of Origin is played over 3 nites, yes it outrates the Melbourne cup. . Someone can do the figures, but i can tell you now, it outrates the melbourne cup. So whats deluded about spike sportsnut.?
Whats your issue sportsnut, the 4 nations was a financail success, t/v deals where done before a ball was kicked. Pretty much like rugby union enjoys. So whats your pouint, a crowd of 6 thousand in Paris. ? If nobody turns up for there country, i think this reflects on there nation, not ours. Poor losers.
March 15th 2010 @ 3:52pm
Sportsnut said | March 15th 2010 @ 3:52pm | Report comment
dont start a fight you can not possible wthe 4N was a disaster. reports are the paris game loss 1.35M. the crowds in the the alleged heartlands of the game were poor. why couldnt the comp get a sell out? poor crowds reflect on the game generally. the A league is a case in point. 13K on a saturday night for a major semi final in the biggest city in oz = poor.
March 15th 2010 @ 10:04pm
Springs said | March 15th 2010 @ 10:04pm | Report comment
The final was a sellout. The Wigan, London and Huddersfield crowds were also good. Having France in the comp is always going to lower crowds. I think ye really are Gorgonites, where are the reports?
March 15th 2010 @ 4:00pm
Rod said | March 15th 2010 @ 4:00pm | Report comment
Yes oikee, I agree about the Paris test, but the test in Toulouse had 13,000 didn’t it.
That’s the problem, it was the ARL who insisted on playing in Paris, not the French.
If the French got their way, they’d have got 20k in one of their heartland towns/cities.
March 15th 2010 @ 4:47pm
M1tch said | March 15th 2010 @ 4:47pm | Report comment
In fairness Colin love was trying to get the rich owner of stade francais and other investors to the game, 6000 in hindsight looks poor but considering they were smashed by 50 the week before and eariler in year in paris got smashed by 50 with the same crowd..it wasnt too bad
March 15th 2010 @ 4:58pm
Springs said | March 15th 2010 @ 4:58pm | Report comment
Really? I’d say the Aussies wanted a holiday in Paris. The French leader (Prime Minister/President?) was at the Toulouse game. I would have thought Perpignan or Aude deserved a test more, particularly with their strong support for league throughout the season.
March 16th 2010 @ 9:00am
M1tch said | March 16th 2010 @ 9:00am | Report comment
I agree the game should have been in the south but I saw the merit with it in Paris
March 15th 2010 @ 5:14pm
LH said | March 15th 2010 @ 5:14pm | Report comment
When was the last time 20,000 turn up for an international in rugby league heartland in france ?
March 15th 2010 @ 5:46pm
Rod said | March 15th 2010 @ 5:46pm | Report comment
They haven’t played any big tests over there since 2000 WC, all other matches have been friendlies beside the poms mid year test over the last two years.
Australia is the big draw card, not England or NZ.
And NZ got 13,000 in Toulouse last year, Australia would get somewhere around 20k in Carcassonne, Avignon, Montpellier and a few other cities for sure.
March 16th 2010 @ 9:55am
LH said | March 16th 2010 @ 9:55am | Report comment
It seems the French have been playing quite a few rugby league test matches between 2000 and 2010 Rod.
http://www.rugbyleagueplanet.com/RLP/Nations/France.htm
March 16th 2010 @ 10:14am
Rod said | March 16th 2010 @ 10:14am | Report comment
They were changed from friendlies to tests last year or the year before.
Just like WC games were changed to tests, but don’t let that get in the way of the truth, if my post even shows up.
And tests have nothing to do with it, go to the French federation site and get the crowds from there if you know it all, I’ve seen them.
I don’t even know why I’m bothering to reply, my posts don’t get shown and the people here don’t even have the courtesy to email a fella and tell him why it’s happening.
Yet another article ruined by the union fans, but the leaguies will be blamed for starting it.
March 18th 2010 @ 7:30pm
Dave said | March 18th 2010 @ 7:30pm | Report comment
So for over 100 years rugby league internationals have been friendlies. lol Where’s a link that says they were friendlies Rod ?
March 15th 2010 @ 5:17pm
ilikedahoodoogurusingha said | March 15th 2010 @ 5:17pm | Report comment
The Melbourne Cup is broadcast live to 650 million people world wide…..check with the VRC
March 16th 2010 @ 12:00am
John Ryan said | March 16th 2010 @ 12:00am | Report comment
Yes and the RU world cup is broadcast to 100 billion,they pluck figures out of the air it may be broadcast live but how many watch it
March 16th 2010 @ 11:05am
DB said | March 16th 2010 @ 11:05am | Report comment
maybe in Queensland but Australia wide surveys suggest the AFL GF is australias biggest sporting event followed by the Melbourne cup and then the Australian tennis open
March 16th 2010 @ 11:16am
Dave said | March 16th 2010 @ 11:16am | Report comment
The Rugby World Cup is in the top ten most watched event in Australian TV ever. I could only imagine if that final was played on sunday it would have had another million to it. I remember Brisbane city clubs, pubs and the streets were full of rugby fans and Caxton street was closed down.
March 16th 2010 @ 12:33pm
DB said | March 16th 2010 @ 12:33pm | Report comment
I should of said annual event.
March 15th 2010 @ 7:33pm
Crosscoder said | March 15th 2010 @ 7:33pm | Report comment
sports nut
Have to correct you old son.The 4 nations made a profit,of which the NZRL received a slice of the action.
BTW no need to worry about Spike Tv for exposing rl in the US.I would just like you to look at this little gem.,Its all good.
http://www.americanrugbynews.com/artman/publish/rugby_league/NRL_ON_TV_pri
If you have trouble viewing it states the NRL has struck a 3 year deal to appear on One World Sports with an audience reach of 35 million households.
Better alert Dave,no doubt he will show his usual enthusiasm for rl in the US. LOL
People are conveniently overlooking the fact the game is still being played in Russia ,more so at grassroots level.Yes it has an uphill battle,but as some of us know rl has faced battles in the past and come out oK( as in France 1941 with a little help from ssssh).Therefore why the hell can’t rl try to grow the game in countries,despite knockers saying its a waste of time.Because ru is played there first.give me a break.
Dave
Rugby league is already in the Sth African market,as has been spelt out to you monotonously before.Just as it is being played in the Pacific Islands.
BTW it is also now being played in the Spanish area of Catalonia in the Catalan University Championships
Group 1.
Uni of Perpinya (UPA) from Perpignon France Universitat de Barcelona (UB) Universitat of Girona(UdG)
Group 2 Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB) Universitat Politecnica de Barcelona(UPC),Universitat Ramon Llull (URL).
This is exactly how rl developed in Lebanon via the unis.
One would therefore suggest that rl can be played in countrries where ru exists,regardless of Olympic 7s.