Here's how to save rugby league in England

To be fair Rugby League wasn't ever a real thing in England

I think it's the opposite. I think it's the opposite. I think a domestic focus (and junior focus) is the logical competitive response to sporting globalisation. With borderless broadcasting and streaming It will become increasingly harder to gain relevance as a global sport and take market share from big guys. The only legitimate competitive advantage for globally sub scale sports will be in their niche (ie. Domestic markets) where they can narrow the tribalism. Deploying resource outside is just burning those resources. You might get a cult following as counter culture, but cult followings typically only generate returns if you didn’t spend any getting there. If we divert the marginal resource to the international game it would be a strategic failure.

I read an article on “serious about rugby league” saying that the NRL is potentially going to buy a stake or takeover the ESL. I think if the game was cross promoted and advertised better worldwide WITH a set international calendar then having the NRL partner with the only other pro league in the world would benefit the game as a whole. Obviously there are pros and cons but am curious to hear what others think.

You forgot to include the Illuminati, the Masons, Catholic church and the Knights Templar in your conspiracy.

Delusional flat cap..

You are correct that Rugby League in the UK is on the brink of being reduced to semi-professional sport. There are too many things wrong with the running of the game to list them all here. One of the quickest palatable solutions would be getting rid of the salary cap. This would allow the non viable clubs to be relegated and removed from the decision making process. Having a cap and relegation is madness, it risks one of the few big clubs being relegated, which the sport cannot afford to happen.

The Simple problem with RL is the Belief & Exposure within the UK. Problem is also how do you get your’e Big Brother (OZ-RL) to believe in you & and how do you break the “Glass ceiling of British Snobbery in TV & the Media”. Being a RL supporter in the UK is like admitting to being a Trump supporter? Everybody from the non RL catchment areas who watches from their “ home environment ” actually loves to secretly watch the game when it’s exposed to a TV audience . The only problem is then, that they will not come out and fully support it against their own Sporting Preference ? Facts align that the actual “On the day experience” is even better at a League ground than most other sports. Bradford Bulls literally took the “Bull by the horns “and reinvented the game day experience ,which most every other sport & Rugby Clubs copied in the UK. FACT. Then there’s the Oxbridge,Cambridge RU Mafia, which now has fully infiltrated the BBC, ITV & the Newspapers in the UK and acts harshly, preventing any potential growth of this spectator sport in Southern areas of England & other countries within the UK boarders. These guys are “hell bent” on pushing Rugby Union growth to the detriment of RL , whilst the UK -RL stands back and bicker’s on the side-lands about issues, which only really helps a small minority of the competition for a small percentage of its growth base per PA? Back to Australia, because I live here now. Great Product,Massive Potential? What does the Australian media & NRL do to promote such high class spectator Sport?? They just run around beatings their chests like a “Big SilverBack” Warrior, but they have no forward thinking or future action plans to build the game past NSW& QLD borders. Then there is poor reflections made in public about the game & its current state? “Sorry I mean you Mr Phil Gould”? Two absolute disgraceful incidents of disgraceful Bias!! FULL STOP... First time, I think he arrived at the ground on the Panther’s Bus? Second time saying “ Blues where the best team “after they lost and then saying five times the “Foxx was fastest man on the Earth”? Quite honestly he ridiculed our sport on major two occasions when our International audience participation was High. What do you think these people thought of the product afterwards? Next is Australia’s defiance over participating in International Rugby League Tests around the world, because they think NRL is more important? I think Tonga did more for RL worldwide than anything else in the last five to ten years. Aussie RL guys continue to make into the “AFL world “ where the Aussie Media races around internally saying how great the comp is ,but then Internationally nobody else is remotely interested in that product? So what do we need to do? Show Belief, Reboot and Self Promote? For Gods sake Believe in the product? The Yanks absolutely loved the games in earlier COVID -19 times. Why don’t we Promote the game better? Just look at “Rugby Yawion “. They’ve been crying out for TV exposure here in Oz for years know. Why though? “I know one thing if you can’t sleep” on Saturday nights” SuperRugby will help, but why doesn’t NRL,SuperLeague & International RL actually push the boundaries a bit like they should? How about doing reboot too? Netball, Basketball & Smaller Format Cricket have all succeeded by re-energising themselves. To start with try Expansion, Non -Contact Touch Rugby, pushing the Women’s product and getting back into schools to push the game even if the Private School Brigade won’t allow access, as we all know them guys think their game is a cut above? The NRL has to show some courage with regards to Expansion. Surely Perth would have been a good starting point two to three years ago when the Force were on their knees and ARU was in disarray? Even now is a second QLD team really the answer to making it actually National Rugby League? To finalise. The way forward is promote the game Internationally and for NRL & UK RL to work as a partnership for growth of the sport.

I get that the salary cap has somewhat failed in creating an even playing field but isn't it also there to stop clubs from spending themselves into oblivion? I would have thought that the marquee player system at least allows for some of the wealthier clubs to loosen the purse strings a bit for a major purchase

Maybe someone with more knowledge of the game from an admin point of view could comment on this but I could see plenty of benefits in having a player trade system running between the NRL and ESL. I watched an interview with Aiden Sezer who was saying his move to Huddersfield had rekindled his love for the game being away from the fishbowl of the oz sports world and I reckon having a id-season stint in the ESL would be perfect for a player down on confidence such as Anthony Milford, who would also get bums on seats, while you could get younger ESL players more easily through an NRL club's system and get more of a chance to run shoulders with the best in the game

Don't change the competition structure, I reckon the ESL actually has it pretty spot on with 12 teams and promotion/relegation. The biggest issue is getting some publicity behind it. And decent publicity that actually focuses on the football, not just the controversies. So far this year the biggest stories from the ESL have centered around SBW, Folau and Joel Tomkins for his Hopoate tribute, but you'd be hard-pressed to find any sort of preview to Friday's gf on any of the major sports sites. Unfortunately the 97 WCC did some serious lasting damage to the ESL in terms of Australian publicity by making it look like a Mickey Mouse competition and I don't think that view has ever escaped the majority of Australia's league fans. Outside Oz it seems the ESL has gone backwards, I remember back in the naughtiest you could actually get ESL on FTA via the BBC (in the Netherlands I might add). Where is that now?

I don't disagree and I don't take much from the WCC. Still, while it's unfair to make a comparison between Wigan/Saints and Storm, they could comfortably find a home in the top 8. It does drop off pretty quick from there in the ESL though.

I must admit Super-league has not been of great interest to me, other than recognising some of the greats who have come to our shores and had wonderful careers. It’s also where NRL players often choose to go to play for their last few years before retiring and where some coaches go to hone their skills and rack up some experience. Your article was an eye-opener and gave me pause for thought. I want to see our game expand. It is the best game in the sporting world in my opinion - more beautiful than than that other ‘beautiful game’. I had no idea of the decline you wrote about. It saddens me to think that it is in the doldrums. If the game is lost there, it will surely effect the rugby league here and definitely in nations who have fledgling interests and local competitions. Expansion is first on the agenda according to our new CEO. Changes to the Australian game have been made to develop it as a fast-paced, more exciting fixture. As an old schooler I haven’t been so keen to see the game changing quite so dramatically, but I’m starting to see the benefits. A whole new type of footballer is required or so it seems to me. In general they perform to a higher standard under these new rules if they have increased levels of aerobic fitness and speed to burn, with a somewhat leaner frame with less muscle bulk with more long, lithe, sinewed muscles overall. I don’t know the correct terms but it’s what I’m seeing on the field. Our game as it stands now would possibly be more suited to the Super league style of game. I could be wrong. I often am, but I do watch many games. I certainly want your competition to be competitive with the NRL. More touring as in years gone by would be a boon for yours and ours. We need France and we need Canada and any other nation we can seduce into forming fledgling rugby league competitions. I would hope our elite players would be so proud to play for their country and cherish any opportunity to do so, but I’m not so sure these days. Increasing the season to go touring may not be a priority for some. COVID-19 could put paid to any kind of expansion too. I do believe that where there is a will there is a way. Our great NRL season in this torrid and awful time has been a revelation - an exercise in creative, lateral problem solving. It can be done. I will take a greater interest in your competition in future and I hope the problems being experienced can be overcome with the getting together of like-minded people who love the game and will work together to restore some of the past pride and tribalism in the supporters, with some creative, lateral problem solving of your own. Thank you for your article and best of luck to you and Super league. Long may it continue and carry forward, going from strength to strength.

Exactly, The one advantage we do have over AFL is that we do have an international game. Its not perfect by any means but it is there and we need to cherish it and nurture it. If the international game declines, it won't be long before we follow it.

For me the quality of English Rugby League has been declining since the full Kangaroo tours were scrapped. Without the regular visit of the best RL teams to the local neighbourhoods of Halifax , Dewsbury, Featherstone, Oldham , etc , where is the interest in RL going to be generated , when up against the EPL and 3 or 4 other professional football leagues ? Gone are the 30 match tours that saw packed grounds midweek throughout the North of England along with the 3 Test matches at Wembly & Headingly . Whether the International RL can ever resurrect the Kangaroo Tour of England ( and France) again , even in some cut down version in today's busy NRL / SOO schedule, I am not sure. But unless the quality of the game is on show in England, I can only see RL declining there, and becoming more talent show for hungry NRL scouts and a transit lounge for former NRL twilighters .

Whilst that it true, the WCC attracts a lot of attention over there. A Roosters or Storm tour of the UK for the WCC creates excitement and some of that much needed media attention and even if the Poms do take a thrashing, the experience does their game good. But here again, our attitude in regarding the WCC as a "pre season trial" does the game no favours and our attitude of not going over there when it is 'our turn" undermines what little they have. As I said, instead of us sitting here in our own little world, we need to work with the global organisation to see how we can leverage what we have to the benefit of all.

I think the best players can come over here and do very well indeed, but if there is one thing the ill-fated World Club Challenge during Super League showed it's that a few players coming over, or even a team getting up for a one off match is a lot different to the grind of a full season.

I feel like my attitude is part of the problem for SL. I do enjoy watching it, but every time I see players like Warmsley, Roby and Makinson I want them to come to Aust. This is for my selfish pleasure, not because I think they should test themselves. We shouldn't over state the quality of the NRL, the good teams are very good but Wigan and Saints would hold their own and more I believe.

"a domestic structure rotten to the core" I think this is a little over dramatic and unfair yo those who try to run the game in the UK. The big big big problem that Rugby League has had over the last 125 years in the UK is a lack of exposure. It is that problem that has stifled the game and sucked the Oxygen right out of the sport. Australia's condescending view of Superleague being a level lower in Quality does not help. Whilst there is probably some merit in that view, it is not universal - just ask Ricky Stuart and his Wigan (sorry Canberra) Raiders. The British game needs our help, it needs us to support internationals and it needs us to support the World Club Challenge but it is in doing everything we can to help break the media stranglehold that will help the game the most in the UK. This was my big hope with Toronto and the other emerging North America clubs and it is still my hope with Catalans but what we need is to get Superleague on TV here, get NRL games on FTA in the UK, lets use what we have and cross promote. "Rugby League is the worlds best kept secret" but it is a secret that could end up killing us.