Another thing that could be done to add a little local ibnterest to the games would be to run a parrallel nines competitionn for Sl and Championship sides as curtain raisers tro all the games.



You could base it on the academy or under 20 teams so it would not affect the top players who would be in the internationals.



It could be arranged so that say Cas under 20s play Wakey under 20s in a game at cas new stadium wher you would have PNG vs Tonga.



HKR vs Hull Fc under 20s at the boulevard before samoa and england etc



That way you have a little local interest and competition and better value for money for the paying public.

Is it just me who thinks France should be playing in France? They would be more competitive, get bigger crowds than in the UK and takes less resources which can be pooled into promoting the other games.

If France were hosting the world cup, yes. Or even if France and England were jointly hosting the world cup, yes. But as neither is the case, no.

I know that, but wouldn't it have been easier is what i'm saying? At least then we could have 3 more games with a guaranteed crowd that we wouldn't have to think about promoting to get a decent attendance? Is it something to do with TV or is it an RFL decision to just have it in the U.K.?

The RFL put in a bid to host the world cup. Did the FFRXIII?

Seems you want an arguement rather than a conversatiopn like normal.

Alternatively, if I'm taking art in a discussion about the 2013 world cup, I don't see the point in talking about some fantasy world cup which isn't happening and never was going to.

It wasn't a compiment tb.



All i'm trying to say is it would have made sense for France to play their games in France.

I agree that the France games should be held in France. In the 2000 World Cup the french games were quite successful in terms of crowds and there is no reason why it shouldn't be the case next time.

The recent game in France against Ireland got 14k on! Imagine what they could do for a WC game.

Yes, it would make a lot more sense. All the French pool matches and a qualifying match could be played there. That way you'd have four or five matches with an average crowd of over 10k and we'd see a better standard from the French team.



It could well not happen, but the RFL have said that they are tendering the matches out, that's what this thread is about. If Perpignan, Toulouse or Avignon step forward with a solid business plan and demonstrate that hosting a pool and a qualifying match can add something to the tournament then why shouldn't they be allowed? In fact if they put together a strong plan the RFL would be mad to kick it back.



It's the same with Wrexham or Neath. We can all say that the most sensical venue to host the Welsh games is in Wales, but if the respective tendering team hasn't got a decent plan together they won't get it. All we know at this moment in time is that the WC will take place over here and that tendering process has begun, nothing more than that, which means we can all have fun speculating about where we'd like to see it played. Is that ok, tb?

I think if they bent a little bit and allowed France to play on home soil, we then have some guaranteed big crowds on our hands, something i'm sure the press and tabloids would be interested, sell out crowds. If Lebanon qualify, would it be an idea to play a game with a Lebanese population? I think Montpellier has a core of Lebanese.