Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

[Jobi1]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Big excitement in York as the Challenge Cup draw pairs the big team with suburban upstarts York Acorn. One of my friends at football tonight confidently predicted it'll pull the biggest crowd in Bootham Crescent this year, which might be a little optimistic.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

A similar derby has been drawn for Rochdale, with Mayfield playing the Hornets.

Two interesting ties up here with Wath Brow hosting Toulouse, and Kells playing Hemel, though I'll miss them both as I'll be in London.

[Tony C]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Last week's results have set up the Salford - Widnes game nicely for Sunday. This could be a cracker.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Tough times for the Super League teams in the World Club Series. I was at Saints on Friday and they were miles off the Roosters - it looked like they knew they couldn't compete on equal terms from the off, and took too many risks to try to get the upper hand - too many early kicks, long passes and spilled balls. Didn't see any of the Wigan game but it didn't sound any prettier.

It's going to be hard going for Leeds tonight - it shows the limitations of the format when Leeds are going into it missing a lot of the team that won the grand final last year.

Whatever the Leeds result, I suspect the results this weekend will temper down some of the talk of an eight team version being played in Australia next time.

Closer to home, Wath Brow gave it a good go against Keighley, going down 4-10 in the end.

[Tony C]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Shit.

[nmrfox]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Another one sided win for the NRL. The 4-4 halftime score flattered Leeds; playing with a strong breeze behind them they looked spent even before the interval. 38-4 was about right to North Queensland in terms of ability and teamwork.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Yeah, there really doesn't seem to be any comparison, which is a bit sad even if not unexpected.

Hadn't honestly realised there were still a couple of Super League fixtures as well. Looks like Widnes put in a strong second half but it wasn't quite enough. Salford looking decent if you factor out the first bit of their opening game when Hull ran in ten.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Aggregate score:

Super League 28 - 118 NRL

[Jon]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Brian Noble, on last week's BBC Superleague highlights show, said that English clubs would win 2 out of the 3 games against at the weekend against Australia. Now, what I know about Rugby League you could write on the back of my hand and he has won 3 Grand Finals and all but I snorted with derision when he said it but it looks like I've just been proved right.

[Anorak Smith]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Jon wrote: Brian Noble, on last week's BBC Superleague highlights show, said that English clubs would win 2 out of the 3 games against at the weekend against Australia. Now, what I know about Rugby League you could write on the back of my hand and he has won 3 Grand Finals and all but I snorted with derision when he said it but it looks like I've just been proved right.

You have to wonder on what basis Brian Noble came to that conclusion given Saints and Leeds had both had a mauling in their previous games. We all know the Aussies don't do pre-season 'friendlies', so a 3-0 whitewash was always on the cards.

As a contest the Wigan game was all but over after 10 minutes, but as a spectacle the NRL players are (literally) head and shoulders above their Super League counterparts. It would be interesting to know the comparative 'pack' weights between the teams. From where I was sitting, it looked as though Broncos' smallest players were of a similar stature to Wigan's biggest men.

What's the deal with the World Series, does it go down under at any point or does Super League home field advantage keep it (relatively) competitive?

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Anorak Smith wrote: What's the deal with the World Series, does it go down under at any point or does Super League home field advantage keep it (relatively) competitive?

They make it up as they go along really. Historically it was only ever one game per year, champions v champions and apart from sporadic games down under it was usually held over here - not so much to give English clubs an advantage but because it tended to pull a bigger and better paying crowd than in Australia.

English clubs had a decent record in that era, with some exceptions - Friday wasn't Saints' first good hiding off Sydney Roosters, who I saw hammer them at the Reebok Stadium one year, when even Johnny Vegas 'doing a Delia' at half time didn't help.

There seems to be a growing appetite for taking the games down under - Wigan went to Sydney to play the Roosters a couple of years ago and got a decent crowd (though it didn't turn a huge profit) and now certain NRL clubs are getting keen on hosting games, hence the talk of an eight team format next year.

As ever it's hard to tell where it will end up - after a spell when English clubs were hosting it in 'neutral' football stadia (e.g. the Rhinos at Elland Road, Saints at the Reebok) and pulling big crowds, they've retreated to the cheaper (and understandable) option of playing it in their own grounds. It's only the second year of the three-game / six-team version and crowds have been good, and Sky have been keen - but whether the interest can be sustained on the back of the weekend's results is another thing.

So yeah, dunno really.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Well, let's put that behind us until the 4N I guess. I'm rather torn tonight between Tottenham - Fiorentina and Hull - Cas.

Cas have just scored an early try.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

And they've run in a second!

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Salford are giving Wigan a game too.

[Walt Flanagans Dog]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

... but went down in the end.

Manic last ten minutes at Hull, and an almost comical try by Cas at the end for a well earned win. Good entertainment all round.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Europa League snared me in the end but will catch up on the SL show. Saints will definitely be looking to bounce back at HKR tomorrow night, though Warrington-Wakefield should be a good one.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Chap called Steve Mascord has an intriguing website and twitter:
https://twitter.com/therealsteavis
http://stevemascord.com

Looks like he will be keeping an eye on the progress of the English players in the NRL.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Well, it's quite reminiscent of Saints' game 2 against Salford, struggling to create opportunities despite having the better of territory, and HKR lead 10-6.

Warrington have started well against Wakefield; they're in fine fettle so far this season.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Ah, Makinson scores for Saints, just when you sensed they had to get something out of the spell of pressure. Feels like a turning point.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Kick drawn wide, 10-10.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Oh boy, HKR retake the lead, James Green going over and the kick should be a formality.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Half time. There's been some real spice in this one. A punch up, a borderline 'no try' call for HKR just after they retook the lead and Wilkin has a bloody mouth. I wonder how close we're getting to "Saints in crisis" territory if they can't turn this one around.

Meanwhile, it looks like the Wire are on fire.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Sandow extends Warrington's lead but the kick is missed. 28-12 in that one now.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Saints pull four back but Walsh misses the kick. They bring on the returning Roby.

34-12 to Warrington now.

[Kevin S]

Play the ball again Sam - Rugby League 2016

Saints now lead; forcing HKR goal line drop outs has been the key as they've turned all three of them into points.

16-22