: Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:27 pm  

af wrote:

Harlequins RU can get 50k to Twickenham, but we haven't the bottle or the nous for one England game outside the north? Sad.

Pretty much sums it up.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:48 pm  

saints35 bulls0 wrote:

The Valley is 27,100 capacity

And damn hard to get a big crowd into and out of via public transport and forget about parking.

saints35 bulls0 wrote:

Also Craven Cottage is a 22,200 capacity which would have been ok too.

A Premiership side will not allow a game to be played on the pitch if it really doesn't have to

saints35 bulls0 wrote:

For the Aus v NZ game they could go all radical and have a double header at Eastlands

Yes, and take it away from the major population of Aussies and Kiwis living here

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:49 pm  

why does it say that england v france and australia v new zealand are going to be played on weekend 24/25 oct when both games are being played on sat 24th oct

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:52 pm  

southport dave wrote:

why does it say that england v france and australia v new zealand are going to be played on weekend 24/25 oct when both games are being played on sat 24th oct

Because it is a provisional line up and not the finished thing, expect one to be played Saturday and one Sunday if Sky requests it.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:02 pm  

What's the obsession with holding these games outside the traditional areas?

One game in a blue moon does feck all to promote 'the game' in London, Manchester or Timbuktu. Feck all. FFS, most of the population of Manchester doesn't even know the Grand Final is at OT and it's held there every year among (allegedly) great fanfare.

I'm all for expansion and promotion, but when games like (for example), NZ v GB (2005) are held at Loftus Road all it does is deny traditional fans the opportunity to attend unless prepared to fork out yet more money. I look forward to the internationals massively and it's crap to see them being transplanted to some football haven in the name of promotion. No-one in London knows or particularly cares that the game is on and we end up with a half-arsed effort and a half-arsed crowd, the whole thing looking half-arsed on Sky, when we could have a full house packed with passionate and vocal RL fans getting behind England. And God knows we need all the help we can get.

We have good stadiums in Wigan, Hull, Warrington and Hudds for pool games - except of course Aus v NZ in London where plenty of Antipodeans will attend, albeit normally in their RU shirts - so I'm fairly happy with those fixtures. Except Elland Road? Why, just why? It. Is. Crap.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:05 pm  

Big Graeme wrote:

And damn hard to get a big crowd into and out of via public transport and forget about parking.

that doesnt stop them choosing to play games at Huddersfield and Elland Road, and it doesnt stop Charlton playing there every other week

Big Graeme wrote:

A Premiership side will not allow a game to be played on the pitch if it really doesn't have to.

1/2 November:
England v Australia JJB Stadium, Wigan

Big Graeme wrote:

Yes, and take it away from the major population of Aussies and Kiwis living here

so what.

1) if they are interested they will travel for a couple of hours to watch the game - its not that much further when they have travelled all the way from Aus already.
2) we should be able to fill a ground with English people for a game of that calibre - especially if part of a double header with an England game.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:13 pm  

saints35 bulls0 wrote:

that doesnt stop them choosing to play games at Huddersfield and Elland Road, and it doesnt stop Charlton playing there every other week

The majority of Charlton fans live in Charlton mate

saints35 bulls0 wrote:

1/2 November:
England v Australia JJB Stadium, Wigan

I did say if they didn't have to, London soccer clubs own their own grounds and are not controlled by the stadium management companies ...

saints35 bulls0 wrote:

so what.

1) if they are interested they will travel for a couple of hours to watch the game - its not that much further when they have travelled all the way from Aus already.
2) we should be able to fill a ground with English people for a game of that calibre - especially if part of a double header with an England game.

Yawn...

[tb]

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:21 pm  

Buffalo wrote:

What's the obsession with holding these games outside the traditional areas?

One game in a blue moon does feck all to promote 'the game' in London, Manchester or Timbuktu. Feck all.

Exactly. Bring internationals back to their traditional home – Wembley.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:27 pm  

Big Graeme wrote:

The majority of Charlton fans live in Charlton mate

do they? im sure you can provide a link to the stats...

Big Graeme wrote:

I did say if they didn't have to, London soccer clubs own their own grounds and are not controlled by the stadium management companies ...

Dave Whelan is the only decision maker when it comes to who plays at the JJB.

Big Graeme wrote:

Yawn...

fair enough.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 4:39 pm  

tb wrote:

Exactly. Bring internationals back to their traditional home – Wembley.

Oh, more than happy for Wembley to feature - as long as we can be assured of a decent crowd that won't look embarrassing on TV.

Wembley for the Four Nations or World Cup final - fantastic. Pool games - keep 'em oop north ferrus flat cappers.