4N - ROUND TWO - AUS V NZ // Sun 6 Nov 7AM (AEST) 9AM (NZDT) Sat 8PM (BST)

[Evil Homer]

There's no such thing as a new market at international level in an established nation. The Ireland v AB's game in Chicago was an example of entering a new market at international level.

Yes there is, because RL is not remotely established in England, 90% of the population of England would have never watched a RL match and not be able to tell you the difference between RL and RU or even really understand that they are different sports. Virtually every region of England is an expansion market including individual cities within the sport's heartland where there is no RL presence. The West Midlands is most definitely a new market. There has never been any top level RL of any kind staged in that region before today.

 

[Whatwhere]

Yes there is, because RL is not remotely established in England, 90% of the population of England would have never watched a RL match and not be able to tell you the difference between RL and RU or even really understand that they are different sports. Virtually every region of England is an expansion market including individual cities within the sport's heartland where there is no RL presence. The West Midlands is most definitely a new market. There has never been any top level RL of any kind staged in that region before today.

RL was brought into being in England. It has over 100 years+ of history. Your assumption that 90% of the population wouldn't have ever watched a game seems more than a little ridiculous as is that they wouldn't know the difference between RL and RU. Most would have come across it purely by chance at this point if nothing else.

It even has a long established professional structure in the SL and its predecessor.

Internationals are a completely different beast. In a country like England in particular were distance is less of a burden they should have been able to rally enough support to go close to filling the damn stadium.

As for new markets in relation to the English game. They exist at the club level. There's a differece.

 

[Evil Homer]

RL was brought into being in England. It has over 100 years+ of history. Your assumption that 90% of the population wouldn't have ever watched a game seems more than a little ridiculous as is that they wouldn't know the difference between RL and RU. Most would have come across it purely by chance at this point if nothing else.

It even has a long established professional structure in the SL and its predecessor.

Internationals are a completely different beast. In a country like England in particular were distance is less of a burden they should have been able to rally enough support to go close to filling the damn stadium.

As for new markets in relation to the English game. They exist at the club level. There's a differece.

Yeah, it's not an assumption, I live here. RL is established in the following places: West Yorkshire, a small corner of south-west Lancashire, western Cumbria (sparsely populated region) and the city of Hull. Everywhere else the sport is unknown. I don't know if you've ever been to England, if you ever come here try talking to someone about RL and see what response you get.

You're right that internationals are different from club matches, which is why this match got 21k when the previous record attendance for any type of RL in this region was just over 1,000 (set for a Coventry Bears match earlier this year). The vast, vast majority of those 21k would've been watching RL for the first time.

 

[adamkungl]

The vast, vast majority of those 21k would've been watching RL for the first time.

Wasn't exactly the spectacle we were hoping to pull them back... unless you compare it to a Union game

 

[Evil Homer]

Wasn't exactly the spectacle we were hoping to pull them back... unless you compare it to a Union game

From reading a couple of things it sounds like it was pretty successful and most of the new fans were pretty impressed, the fact Scotland put up a decent fight and it was a competitive match was probably a lot more helpful to that than the Australia-NZ game not being as good as we're used to.

 

[flamin]

Some thoughts on the game: ridiculous that in the end it was 2 tries a piece and NZ almost won it after doing everything possible to lose the game with missed tackles, soft tries in the first half, kicks out-on-the-full, not tackling Ferguson in goal etc. Australia should have won that game by plenty.

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Again NZ only started throwing offloads right near the death when they should be playing like that throughout the match.

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They really miss Foran for organisation and to relieve pressure from Johnson, and Mannering who sets the standard with his defense.

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For Australia, JT was everywhere, Klemmer did well, and probably Ferguson's best game?

 

[playdaball]

What was crowd for double header? Should this match have not been played in London? Why no games in Scotland ?

 

[roughyedspud]

21k apparently

Your assuming there was a venue spare in london to play it!

And why didn't PNG or samoa play at home?

 

[roughyedspud]

Just watching this game now cos i had to record it..

Aus just scored the first try....whats with the line of high fives??? lol

 

[roughyedspud]

When are refs gonna ping the kiwis for attack the legs??

Counted 4 in the first half...and JWH put one on james graham last week which done him..

 

[Nerd]

Thought Cummins had his usual shit game. Surely they could have used an English ref instead?

 

[roughyedspud]

nope..the aussies won't allow that..

 

[baby faced assassin]

This series is putting to bed any Kiwi claims about the superiority of Jesse Bromwich in the front row. He has been barely noticeable in a blaze of Australian dominance up front, led by Matt Scott.

It is one thing to hide at the Storm being made to look good by Smith and Cronk. It is another's thing altogether to lead a rep side against quality opposition.

On form, Bromwich should be on the Kiwi bench behind better performers Tapau and Blair.

matt scott 90m, bromwhich 125m..........

 

[TheDMC]

This series is putting to bed any Kiwi claims about the superiority of Jesse Bromwich in the front row. He has been barely noticeable in a blaze of Australian dominance up front, led by Matt Scott.

It is one thing to hide at the Storm being made to look good by Smith and Cronk. It is another's thing altogether to lead a rep side against quality opposition.

On form, Bromwich should be on the Kiwi bench behind better performers Tapau and Blair.

So which is it? Bromwich is not a great player or is out of form? Or you trying to have it both ways?

He is out of form dude. Probably burnt out after a epic season. Quality player.

 

[Bobby DIGital]

Probably the most frustrated I've ever been watching a game. Aus there for the taking, but we ruined it with dumb play.

 

[kiwileaguefan]

You wonder how much the England vs NZ Test the previous week took out of both teams? As both England and NZ were very poor in the first half of their games.

I have read and seen on NZ News how the Kiwis mention the test vs England was the most physical game the have player in.,

 

[roughyedspud]

You wonder how much the England vs NZ Test the previous week took out of both teams? As both England and NZ were very poor in the first half of their games.

I have read and seen on NZ News how the Kiwis mention the test vs England was the most physical game the have player in.,

we always smash each other