England v Black Ferns. A wish list.
- Use three different grounds. Spread it around. We know its cheaper to use the same ground more than once, but it does not help 95% of the country who cannot easily get to Esher, or wherever.
- Don't play all the games within or near to the M25. There is a world beyond London and if you want to spread the game across the country, give everyone else a chance to join in.
- If any games are not on TV then get them steamed on the Internet. Ask YSC if you do not know how.
- In fact, even if they are on TV, get them streamed anyway.
- Let the Irish, Welsh or French RFUs give New Zealand a game as well, at one end or other of the week they are here maybe. Let's use this to try to build the game outside just England - seems silly to drag the Ferns all this way and not let them play another team. Not Scotland though... they don't make rugby scoreboards big enough...
- Three games in 8 days is silly. Can we have a more sensible programme for 2012?
- Can England drop in on Australia as well when they go south in 2013? They managed it in 2005...
That's it for now...
Great points John, particularly re the streaming, but I would just question pt. 6: I agree that 3 games in 8 days is silly - particularly from a player welfare point of view, and especially after 26 hour (minimum) flights. But as raised with the pay-to-play issue, unless each union is compensating players for lost working time, I can't imagine that any of them will be able to get/afford more time off work that that? I think its a great shame and unfair on the players in many ways, but while the game remains amateur and players have to hold down jobs, I can't see a World Cup lasting longer than 3 weeks (and therefore not growing beyond 12 or so teams) and a major tour/series lasting longer than 8-10 days if it involves significant travel.
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