European Rugby League Thread

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Henson Park Hornets
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Post by Henson Park Hornets »

I'm hoping that Wigan go down on the last day of the season, but I'd also like to see Wakey stay up. They are a traditonal club and they struggle along every season and do enough to avoid the drop and that's good enough for me!
Despite being a Hornets fan, I do feel a bit sorry for the Biffos, they've been screwed over by their chairman and by the 'latics to an extent with teh cost of Boundary Park rent. Hopefully they'll bounce back up to NL1 to get flogged by Hornets again!

the realist
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Post by the realist »

'European' Rugby League?? :oops:

Why are the French side not playing in the French Rugby league err league?

Why are they exempt from relegation from the English rugby league err league??

What a farce :!:

ARF :wink:

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Jeffles
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Post by Jeffles »

Bloody Wakefield survive on the last day again. Cupid stunts!

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hot_dogma
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Post by hot_dogma »

What's the deal with Castleford wanting the comp to expand to 13 just so they can stay up?

Also what's the reason only certain clubs can be promoted from the 2nd division? Is it to do with ground criteria and supporter base?

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Jeffles
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Post by Jeffles »

hot_dogma wrote:What's the deal with Castleford wanting the comp to expand to 13 just so they can stay up?

Also what's the reason only certain clubs can be promoted from the 2nd division? Is it to do with ground criteria and supporter base?
Castleford have conveniently called for an expansion of the competition the very year they were promoted. I think they want to avoid going down a division because NL1 is far more competitive than ever before. Just a gfew years ago, the relegated SL team ran away with the competition while the others played amongst themselves for second. Nowadays, there are at least 4 genuine contenders for promotion and that number is growing.

You are right about the links between ground criteria and promotion. Ironically, Wakefield's ground would fail SL criteria but since they were an incumbent SL club when the criteria was written, they survived. If they were an outside club being promoted to SL, they'd be told where to go in no uncertain terms.

Hull KR and Widnes are favourites for NL1 and they both pass the criteria. Whitehaven and Batley are outsiders. Their grounds aren't yet up to scratch but Whitehaven is in the process of improving theirs so that next year they will be eligible.

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Jeffles
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Post by Jeffles »

Hull KR promoted up to Super League for the first time in 12 years. Sheffield Eagles will make the move up to NL1. St Helens will play Hull FC in the Grand Final next week. I bloody hope Hull wins but my head says Saints.

The club competition this year has been mch more competitive. This has been reflected in the increase in crowds and the different teams that have popped up in the finals and in the race for promotion in lower divisions. Even in the fight for relegation Castleford won a third of their games and got the drop. Historically speaking, that is a very high win percentage for a relegated team and with so many teams fighting off relelgation in the final month of SL, it shows how close SL is becoming. I don't think this will translate to the fortunes of the GB Lions just yet but it is a good start.

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Jeffles
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Re: European Rugby League Thread

Post by Jeffles »

BUMP!

A lot of you are interested in the business side of sport so you might be interested in this. The 2012 Super League in the UK was launched yesterday with a new title sponsor, Stobart Group, which is a logistics firm. The previous sponsor, Engage Mutual Assurance, paid around 1.2m quid p.a. The RFL had an offer from Betfair at 750k p.a. or this offer from Stobart. They went with Stobart. What's interesting is the RFL get no cash! Instead, they get 100 trucks branded with Super League propaganda. Six for each of the 14 clubs and a further 16 for generic RL stuff. Media reports quote advertising sources that say 100 trucks acting as billboard around the UK is worth 1-2.5m quid p.a.

http://www.touchline.tv/rugby/stobart-s ... sky-sports

A mate of mine works in advertising in the UK and reckons this is the sort of out of the box thinking that he wishes his clients would engage in. The RFL say they will be able to sell other sponsorships that were tied up with Engage that aren't tied up with Stobart, so there may be some cash coming out of this. It's a massive gamble.

Can you imagien the NRL, AFL or A League doing something similar?

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kilonewton
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Re: European Rugby League Thread

Post by kilonewton »

Bump again.

Just an observation on the Stobart sponsorship. I just drove from Kent to central Scotland and back again (approx 1500km) over the weekend. Stobart trucks a-plenty. Stobart trucks advertising Super League, 5.

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Jeffles
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Re: European Rugby League Thread

Post by Jeffles »

100 out of 2200 means a 4.54% chance you'll see one. I had this discussion with somebody. Stobart saay you see a truck every two minutes. So if you spend 45 minutes on a motorway, you'll see on on average (if that's true). Certainly a controversial decision to go contra only but Sky Sports ratings are up this year from all reports (the trucks advertise Sky broadcasts on a general basis) AND the sponsorship is limited to certain areas meaning the RFL can (and have) sold other sponsorships that were previously tied to the naming rights holder.

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