RWC2015 - the new schism

After a bit of a hiatus (probably not noticed!), I felt really angry about the game allocation for the WC in 2 years time.  England's 3rd largest city, Manchester, only has one pitiful match.  ONE.  There are further games in the North East in Leeds and Newcastle but not many.  I honestly cannot believe it.  The north is crying out for meaningful international fixtures but the RFU and the RWC2015 have all but turned their backs
 
118 years ago, Northern clubs decided to break away from the south-centric RFU because of a bias towards southern players and clubs and the ability to earn money out of the game.  Are we going to see something similar when northern rugby union fans are left out of the party going on in their own country?
 
We wanted games up north, but we deserve more than what we've got.

The capital of the South West - yes that's right.. Gloucester.

I think games have been linked to where available big stadia are located (And Old Trafford dropping out didnt help) but, especially as I am now living in this part of the world, I cant argue with much else listed

Yes, admittedly the loss of OT was massive and I understand they would have held a NZ game there, but the RWC15 committee should have done everything to ensure OT was on board.

They were. Man Utd later pulled out (reneged if you like) on their commitment due to concerns over what full-on scrummaging could do to the pitch during the 2015 EUFA Championships/Premier League.

You can't really blame them -apart from saying yes in the first place.

If anything, the Midlands Division is worst served by RWC2015.

Newcastle got 3 games...including South Africa and New Zealand. I just hope us rugby fans get to actually see the games...ill certainly be trying for tickets for all three

Mintie welcome back! I missed your fresh mint take on things. Christchurch missed out too so I feel your pain with Manchester. But at least you're closer than me.

Without being harsh on the large numbers of Union fans in the north, including members of my own family the statements from the RWC organisers since the ticket prices have been announced are all about having to generate the revenue and they are working on the principle that packing the Olympic stadium, Wembley, Millenium and Twickenham are the best ways to do that.
They've thrown a few bones to the north, south west and midlands - at least Manchester is getting an England game - but it's effectively a London centric tournament as that's where the tourist and corporate money is.

Tough gigs:

Milton Keynes
Oceania 1 - Play-Off Winner
Samoa - Asia 1
KIngsholm
Americas 2 - Asia 1
Sandy Park
Tonga - Africa 1

Mintie, Youve at least got a Rugby League game to go to.

I think the north is lucky to get any RWC games, it would be like suggesting a Rugby League World Cup should be played in the South, just no interest by comparison with Union. With only 2 prem clubs up Norf I think the fact that both SA and NZ are playing up there is pretty good, there just isn;t the interest….not a single game of the League Cup was played down here.

Scratch wrote:I think the north is lucky to get any RWC games, it would be like suggesting a Rugby League World Cup should be played in the South, just no interest by comparison with Union. With only 2 prem clubs up Norf I think the fact that both SA and NZ are playing up there is pretty good, there just isn;t the interest….not a single game of the League Cup was played down here.

Isnt Wembley down by London?

aucklandlaurie wrote:

Scratch wrote:I think the north is lucky to get any RWC games, it would be like suggesting a Rugby League World Cup should be played in the South, just no interest by comparison with Union. With only 2 prem clubs up Norf I think the fact that both SA and NZ are playing up there is pretty good, there just isn;t the interest….not a single game of the League Cup was played down here.

Isnt Wembley down by London?

my mistake, but only 2 games played at 1 southern stadium, they even played in France. There is very little interest in the south

Lots of Australians and Kiwis went to wembley last weekend. but your right most English people wouldnt even know what League is, let alone have played it.

The division is as much class orientated as anything else…League is a diehard working mans game, professional long before union and was regarded as somewhat distasteful for that reason.
In Wales there was great resentment as the elite union code players like Jonathan Davies, left to get paid to play in league but then when Union went pro they came back and brought a new discipline and victory to the Lions in 97 - Bentley, Tait and Gibbs.
Union was historically a posh boys game certainly in England if not in Wales, very middle class. That is now changing and anybody can play, even girls.
Whatever next!

Scratch wrote:The division is as much class orientated as anything else…League is a diehard working mans game, professional long before union and was regarded as somewhat distasteful for that reason.
In Wales there was great resentment as the elite union code players like Jonathan Davies, left to get paid to play in league but then when Union went pro they came back and brought a new discipline and victory to the Lions in 97 - Bentley, Tait and Gibbs.  
Union was historically a posh boys game certainly in England if not in Wales, very middle class. That is now changing and anybody can play, even girls.
Whatever next!

Thats a loose description of how it is here as well though pro rugby is now more than competitive for the players where it used to be one way. League players are even commenting on having rather had played rugby as a profession with a longer shelf life in terms of the knocks. Willie Mason commented as such that he'd rather have played rugby as a profession, in hindsight.

SBW will be returning to Union I think more because he finds it more attractive as a sport and for the longetivity thing even though he's a better League player. O 7's and Wcup 15 make it more so. The League World cup's largely been ignored here as we knew it would come down to the 3 then 2 teams depending on the GB/ Kiwi match though I'd say many will be up Sunday with the rugby finished for us.

Just continuing on that train of thought, Yesterday was Benji Marshalls first day of pre season training at the Blues, after six weeks of complete break, he said it was his longest break away from training in five years.

Saw that. Not sure if he looked the part either. He's showing a lot of enthusiasm for being a 'kiwi' again after his keeping up with the Jones life in Oz and he'll be interesting. Wouldnt have him anywhere but 10 to be honest Laurie. With a bit more room than league I reckon his senses are better suited there to get the most out of the side. We'll probably get a bit of Spencers worst at the beginning but I think he'll go well.

Rugby League is big in Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria....it is NOT big In Tyne and Wear. Union is by far the dominant code here.

aucklandlaurie wrote:
Mintie, Youve at least got a Rugby League game to go to.

 
 
Looking forward to it too Laurie!  Picking my tickets up from OT later...cannot wait to take my son and support the boys!!

Scratch wrote:I think the north is lucky to get any RWC games, it would be like suggesting a Rugby League World Cup should be played in the South, just no interest by comparison with Union. With only 2 prem clubs up Norf I think the fact that both SA and NZ are playing up there is pretty good, there just isn;t the interest….not a single game of the League Cup was played down here.

 
 
Sorry Scratch, having only two prem clubs up here does not mean the game is dead.  Scratch (pardon the pun) beneath the surface and you have some very famous clubs and then a lot of heartland clubs who supply tonnes of players to the national leagues and the premiership.  Throw in some famous rugby schools and to say that there is no interest in the game up here is simply an ignorant view.  The game is in rude health up here and at grassroots level the game is vibrant, you should try it some time.

Simply put, the north deserved more games than what it got.

I'm from York (played League in school and got into Union when I went to uni in Wales) and like both codes.

It's been a great Autumn to watch both (although, annoyingly, England games clashed until last weekend).

Scratch wrote:The division is as much class orientated as anything else…League is a diehard working mans game, professional long before union and was regarded as somewhat distasteful for that reason.
In Wales there was great resentment as the elite union code players like Jonathan Davies, left to get paid to play in league but then when Union went pro they came back and brought a new discipline and victory to the Lions in 97 - Bentley, Tait and Gibbs.  
Union was historically a posh boys game certainly in England if not in Wales, very middle class. That is now changing and anybody can play, even girls.
Whatever next!

Rugby Union has never been a posh mans sport in Wales, it has always been a working mans game, with a proud history of Minors and Iron workers playing the game, in fact, one of the reasons why us Welsh always liked putting one over England in the seventies and eighties was because the English used to look at it as a posh mans sport and we would rough them up a bit.

In all seriousness though, back in the day in Wales, all the men had were the mines, church and rugby, and there is a link to why the Welsh crowds traditionally sing an array of songs, because they would all just sing the same songs at rugby as they would the next morning in church, they were the songs that everybody knew, Bread of Heaven is a fine example of this, so there you go, there is a little snippet of the cultural significance rugby union has in my country.

Wasn't the traditional Welsh team line up "Miners at the front, teachers in the backs" ?

chewed_mintie wrote:

Scratch wrote:I think the north is lucky to get any RWC games, it would be like suggesting a Rugby League World Cup should be played in the South, just no interest by comparison with Union. With only 2 prem clubs up Norf I think the fact that both SA and NZ are playing up there is pretty good, there just isn;t the interest….not a single game of the League Cup was played down here.

 
 
Sorry Scratch, having only two prem clubs up here does not mean the game is dead.  Scratch (pardon the pun) beneath the surface and you have some very famous clubs and then a lot of heartland clubs who supply tonnes of players to the national leagues and the premiership.  Throw in some famous rugby schools and to say that there is no interest in the game up here is simply an ignorant view.  The game is in rude health up here and at grassroots level the game is vibrant, you should try it some time.

Simply put, the north deserved more games than what it got.

Excellent response Mintie...  

GeordieFalcon wrote:

chewed_mintie wrote:

Scratch wrote:I think the north is lucky to get any RWC games, it would be like suggesting a Rugby League World Cup should be played in the South, just no interest by comparison with Union. With only 2 prem clubs up Norf I think the fact that both SA and NZ are playing up there is pretty good, there just isn;t the interest….not a single game of the League Cup was played down here.

 
 
Sorry Scratch, having only two prem clubs up here does not mean the game is dead.  Scratch (pardon the pun) beneath the surface and you have some very famous clubs and then a lot of heartland clubs who supply tonnes of players to the national leagues and the premiership.  Throw in some famous rugby schools and to say that there is no interest in the game up here is simply an ignorant view.  The game is in rude health up here and at grassroots level the game is vibrant, you should try it some time.

Simply put, the north deserved more games than what it got.

Excellent response Mintie...  

Obviously not and all your rugby schools attendees are posh southerners anyway. By the same token why did League not give us more than 2 games of the World Cup down sari, i mean perpignan got games so why not Battersea and Chelsea?

Scratch wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:

chewed_mintie wrote:

Scratch wrote:I think the north is lucky to get any RWC games, it would be like suggesting a Rugby League World Cup should be played in the South, just no interest by comparison with Union. With only 2 prem clubs up Norf I think the fact that both SA and NZ are playing up there is pretty good, there just isn;t the interest….not a single game of the League Cup was played down here.

 
 
Sorry Scratch, having only two prem clubs up here does not mean the game is dead.  Scratch (pardon the pun) beneath the surface and you have some very famous clubs and then a lot of heartland clubs who supply tonnes of players to the national leagues and the premiership.  Throw in some famous rugby schools and to say that there is no interest in the game up here is simply an ignorant view.  The game is in rude health up here and at grassroots level the game is vibrant, you should try it some time.

Simply put, the north deserved more games than what it got.

Excellent response Mintie...  

Obviously not and all your rugby schools attendees are posh southerners anyway. By the same token why did League not give us more than 2 games of the World Cup down sari, i mean perpignan got games so why not Battersea and Chelsea?

I don't know Scratch but this isn't boobie-for-bloody-tat. The playing and support base up here is massive. Venture up on a Saturday and you might actually realise that!

chewed_mintie wrote:

Scratch wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:

chewed_mintie wrote:

Scratch wrote:I think the north is lucky to get any RWC games, it would be like suggesting a Rugby League World Cup should be played in the South, just no interest by comparison with Union. With only 2 prem clubs up Norf I think the fact that both SA and NZ are playing up there is pretty good, there just isn;t the interest….not a single game of the League Cup was played down here.

 
 
Sorry Scratch, having only two prem clubs up here does not mean the game is dead.  Scratch (pardon the pun) beneath the surface and you have some very famous clubs and then a lot of heartland clubs who supply tonnes of players to the national leagues and the premiership.  Throw in some famous rugby schools and to say that there is no interest in the game up here is simply an ignorant view.  The game is in rude health up here and at grassroots level the game is vibrant, you should try it some time.

Simply put, the north deserved more games than what it got.

Excellent response Mintie...  

Obviously not and all your rugby schools attendees are posh southerners anyway. By the same token why did League not give us more than 2 games of the World Cup down sari, i mean perpignan got games so why not Battersea and Chelsea?

I don't know Scratch but this isn't boobie-for-bloody-tat.  The playing and support base up here is massive.  Venture up on a Saturday and you might actually realise that!

No thanks mintie, my mum warned me about northerners being rough types.

Unfortunately though i think you are right and that i am sure there is a strong interest in the game up there, the beating heart of the English game is still fairly toff and very firmly entrenched in the South and West with a little bit of the midlands thrown in to keep the semi northerners from choking on their cloth caps. That and i think softie southerners are scared someone will steal their range rover if they go past Leicester.

Scratch wrote:

chewed_mintie wrote:

Scratch wrote:

GeordieFalcon wrote:

chewed_mintie wrote:

Scratch wrote:I think the north is lucky to get any RWC games, it would be like suggesting a Rugby League World Cup should be played in the South, just no interest by comparison with Union. With only 2 prem clubs up Norf I think the fact that both SA and NZ are playing up there is pretty good, there just isn;t the interest….not a single game of the League Cup was played down here.

 
 
Sorry Scratch, having only two prem clubs up here does not mean the game is dead.  Scratch (pardon the pun) beneath the surface and you have some very famous clubs and then a lot of heartland clubs who supply tonnes of players to the national leagues and the premiership.  Throw in some famous rugby schools and to say that there is no interest in the game up here is simply an ignorant view.  The game is in rude health up here and at grassroots level the game is vibrant, you should try it some time.

Simply put, the north deserved more games than what it got.

Excellent response Mintie...  

Obviously not and all your rugby schools attendees are posh southerners anyway. By the same token why did League not give us more than 2 games of the World Cup down sari, i mean perpignan got games so why not Battersea and Chelsea?

I don't know Scratch but this isn't boobie-for-bloody-tat.  The playing and support base up here is massive.  Venture up on a Saturday and you might actually realise that!

No thanks mintie, my mum warned me about northerners being rough types.

Unfortunately though i think you are right and that i am sure there is a strong interest in the game up there, the beating heart of the English game is still fairly toff and very firmly entrenched in the South and West with a little bit of the midlands thrown in to keep the semi northerners from choking on their cloth caps. That and i think softie southerners are scared someone will steal their range rover if they go past Leicester.

Haha, it isn't all bad; the greatest day in my club's history was beating Harlequins in the John Player Cup in the 70's, it was a match played at Twickenham and, as was traditional, both clubs had to have a touch judge. Ours arrived via his own helicopter which landed on the pitch...