You're an RFL director.....

[ozviking]

Given my complaints that people just whinge about what the RFL do thats against Widnes.... or in favour of London or Crusaders I want to see if there is any actual thought behind what people say. So consider the following and join in with ideas suggestions, answers comments about :

These are questions that the RFL directors would face daily... how would you address them?

How does Rugby League stay relevent in the sporting fabric of the country when more than half the country would struggle to name a single player from our game?

What incentive is there for a player to stay in Rugby League if offered a similar or better contract to play Rugby Union?

Is personal pride in the game enough for the game to survive and thrive?

Do youngsters interested in pursuing a career in Rugby choose Rugby League for the opportunity or because it provides the easier route?

Is International Rugby League any incentive to players?

If International Competition is important how would we improve it and still stay within government guidelines on restraint of trade ? And at the same time ensure that our players and coaches are the best in the world? Would reducing the overseas quota reduce standards and diminish peoples interest in the sport?

[StuckinNewport]

How does Rugby League stay relevent in the sporting fabric of the country when more than half the country would struggle to name a single player from our game? Ensure that a proportion of the games at all levels are promoted via terrestrial TV

What incentive is there for a player to stay in Rugby League if offered a similar or better contract to play Rugby Union? If similar contract then he would choose the game he prefers to play. If better contract offered, depends on his priorities

Is personal pride in the game enough for the game to survive and thrive? No, but it is a very important part of any successful operation

Do youngsters interested in pursuing a career in Rugby choose Rugby League for the opportunity or because it provides the easier route? Because it is by far the better game to play

Is International Rugby League any incentive to players? Not while we copy the southern hemisphere and so lag behind. We need to play our game and have them lag behind us.

If International Competition is important how would we improve it and still stay within government guidelines on restraint of trade ? Put a limit on the number of non-UK players allowed to be in a starting line upAnd at the same time ensure that our players and coaches are the best in the world? Our players can never be the best while they are reduced to playing at championship level to allow so many overseas players play in SL Would reducing the overseas quota reduce standards and diminish peoples interest in the sport? No

[Ratboy]

First thing i would do is let Widnes into Superleague.

[Brynhild]

I'm sorry how are these questions relevant to the actions of the RFL in the current situations that you are insisting that we stop talking about?

Obviously the game needs to expand and develop its footprint both nationally and internationally. Until we stretch out we can't compete with Union (and even then I think we will struggle for a good decade or so as the North/South and Public/Private school divide still exists).

The RFL have the right overall goal but are taking the wrong steps towards achieving it. Get our own game sorted out then start concentrating on the international scene, because that is where the big money is.

[Peter]

There is no point in me answering the questions as Stuck in Newport has given the answers I would have given.

[Viking John]

How does Rugby League stay relevent in the sporting fabric of the country when more than half the country would struggle to name a single player from our game?

Move coverage in national media and terrestrial TV is an absolute must. I think the majority of the general public in the UK don't understand the difference between the two codes.

They tend to bundle rugby as one sport and can be put off by watching a game on union and thinking all rugby is the same.

I was speaking to my girlfriends friends last week who went to watch their first ever game of 'rugby' the other week, which was a match at Sale Sharks. They enjoyed it that much that the following week they went to watch the England Rugby Union game in the pub on Sky.

I then explained that I follow Widnes and they play Rugby League which is a very different sport, there are no line-outs or collapsing scrums, it’s more fast paced and generally more exciting to watch (even though union can be more tactical). They genuinely didn’t know about rugby league and how different it was. They thought it was all the same!

I have invited them to come along and watch Widnes this season and guaranteed that if they enjoyed watching Sale then they will enjoy watching Widnes and Rugby League in general.

That’s a problem that the RFL need to address. If there was more exposure to the game in the national media and definitely on terrestrial TV it opens up the sport to a whole new audience. The more exposure the better and 100% think that one game a week should be shown live on the BBC and if I was in the RFL that’s what I would push for.

What incentive is there for a player to stay in Rugby League if offered a similar or better contract to play Rugby Union?

I don't think this could be addressed properly until the profile of league is increased significantly. Addressing question one and brining league to the forefront through more exposure in national press and terrestrial TV would make the sport far more popular and give us the option of providing the best players with better incentives to play league.

Is personal pride in the game enough for the game to survive and thrive?

No, it needs exposure and investment. Without investment the sport would not survive at the top level. Increasing exposure (again back to question one) nationally in the media will make the sport more popular, which leads to increase in sponsorship revenue and investment.

Do youngsters interested in pursuing a career in Rugby choose Rugby League for the opportunity or because it provides the easier route?

No, it all depends on where you grow up, what your family influences are etc. If you are born in Yorkshire you are more likely to be brought up on and play league as their will be more local rugby league teams.

If you are born in Gloucestershire then I guess you will be more likely to be brought up on and play rugby union as their will be more local rugby union teams.

Location ad the North/South divide does have a major factor and that is something the RFL have been trying to break for years with the expansion teams, it's proving a very tough nut to crack!

The key is to get league into ore schools and promote it more at grass roots level. I think a new position should be made available in the RFL for each county. This should be something like 'Rugby League Co-ordinator'. For example 'Gloucestershire Rugby League Co-ordinator' etc. This person who holds this position in each county is responsible for promoting and growing the sport in their appointed county.

The individual would be required to live or move to the county they have been appointed to and passionately promote the game. Setting up local leagues, assist in introducing the game to local primary and secondary schools, maybe provide grants for equipment, training courses for local coaches etc.

Is International Rugby League any incentive to players?

Not really as the Australians and New Zealand teams are so dominant. There are also not that many nations that put up a competitive rugby league team. I think we need to concentrate heavily on developing our own domestic games and domestic grass roots and the national team/game will naturally fall into place if all of the domestic issues are addressed and improved.

If International Competition is important how would we improve it and still stay within government guidelines on restraint of trade ? And at the same time ensure that our players and coaches are the best in the world? Would reducing the overseas quota reduce standards and diminish peoples interest in the sport?

I think reducing over seas quota players and coaches should be a top priority for giving our own youngsters and British coaches the opportunities.

For example head coach/assistant coach can only appoint one of the two positions as an overseas national.

The current 2011 quota for teams in Super League are:

• At least 8 home grown players.
• No more than 5 quota players.
• No more than 5 overseas trained players inc quota players.
• Rest of squad to be from players trained within same federation

I would prefer to see it as:

• At least 10 home grown players in squad.
• No more than 3 quota players.
• No more than 3 overseas trained players inc quota players.
• Rest of squad to be from players trained within same federation.
• 17 man match day squad can only feature 2 quota players.

I think by reducing the overseas quota you will provide more opportunity for our own home grown players to shine and breakthrough into the top level of the sport.

[StuckinNewport]

Excellent post VJ, even if we do differ on one or two points.

Fundamentally we both agree that we need to increase exposure for the sport via terrestrial TV and other media and this is critical for the survival of the sport.This in itself would resolve a number of the later questions.

Regarding the choice of youngsters, many towns now offer RL at junior level, but we are still in the early days and union is the primary sport taught, so it is more likely that next generation youngsters will make a definite choice. Again making it crucial that we increase exposure via the media.

You are absolutely correct that we need to get our domestic game sorted before we even think of competing on the international stage, but I again say that we need to get our domestic game sorted to suit us and our playing style, not just copy the Aussies and NZ and then hope to catch up. They used to hate our style of play and so developed one that suits them, then we go and dump ours to play copy cat. Bloody stupid!

[Peter]

Excellent post VJ, even if we do differ on one or two points.

Fundamentally we both agree that we need to increase exposure for the sport via terrestrial TV and other media and this is critical for the survival of the sport.This in itself would resolve a number of the later questions.
Regarding the choice of youngsters, many towns now offer RL at junior level, but we are still in the early days and union is the primary sport taught, so it is more likely that next generation youngsters will make a definite choice. Again making it crucial that we increase exposure via the media.
You are absolutely correct that we need to get our domestic game sorted before we even think of competing on the international stage, but I again say that we need to get our domestic game sorted to suit us and our playing style, not just copy the Aussies and NZ and then hope to catch up. They used to hate our style of play and so developed one that suits them, then we go and dump ours to play copy cat. Bloody stupid!

Two very good points there.

We could beat the Aussies time and time again. They never liked the contested scrum, they never like the way we played the ball --- forwards sometime -- and they never liked how we got up without lying on after the tackle.
 So they invented ways to beat us in the rules, and the RFL fell for it!

[ozviking]

Time for bed for me...
great posts so far. I will pull them to pieces tomorrow

It seems the answers are obvious... but the next question is HOW.... and that really gets to the nub of the thread... the RFL don't just come up with reasons why something doesn't work or ideas on what should work they actually have to make something happen.

Hopefully, thats where we'll get some debate going. (and nice arguments so you can insult me)

Cheers
Ged

[Cartman]

**Note to self**

Must not read this topic again.

[own brain]

** note to mods **

please mark thread BRD

[jim cliffe]

I'm sorry how are these questions relevant to the actions of the RFL in the current situations that you are insisting that we stop talking about?

Obviously the game needs to expand and develop its footprint both nationally and internationally. Until we stretch out we can't compete with Union (and even then I think we will struggle for a good decade or so as the North/South and Public/Private school divide still exists).

The RFL have the right overall goal but are taking the wrong steps towards achieving it. Get our own game sorted out then start concentrating on the international scene, because that is where the big money is.

why are we competing with rugby union its a totally different game. yes some of the skills are transferrable but as a game the two are poles apart. until we get this chip off our shoulder and put forward the good points of our game we'll be constantly derived in the madia.

[Brynhild]

We're competing in the same sense as we compete against other sports for national coverage and favour.

But also in that the pool of players overlaps, so we are competing for talent too.

[Pop Cider]

There is only one code of rugby in the eyes of the whole country and that is Union.

Sky took the name Rugby off us when they created 'Super League'

[Badly Overdrawn Boy]

What incentive is there for a player to stay in Rugby League if offered a similar or better contract to play Rugby Union?

Perhaps we could use the same tactics that union employed for 100 years - They play League for the love of the sport.