Former St. Helens Star Criticizes State of International Rugby League
Former St. Helens star and England international James Graham has strongly criticized the current state of International Rugby League following the dismal attendance and poor production for the match between England and France in Toulouse on Saturday. (BBC Sport, 2022)
The highly anticipated triple-header was organized to celebrate 90 years of Rugby League in France, with the England men’s and women’s teams facing their French counterparts, followed by a Championship clash between Toulouse Olympique and Featherstone Rovers. (BBC Sport, 2022) However, the 19,000-capacity Stade Ernest-Wallon stadium was less than a quarter full, with just 4,500 spectators in attendance – a terrible look for the sport, according to Graham. (BBC Sport, 2022)
In a passionate rant on his podcast The Bye Round, the former NRL star expressed his embarrassment and frustration with the state of International Rugby League, which he believes has been failed by the sport’s governing bodies. Graham stated, “I’m actually embarrassed about England Rugby League and the crowd, but I don’t even know if you can call it that. They played France and I don’t even know if I want to highlight this because it is that embarrassing.” (BBC Sport, 2022)
The lack of promotion for the international fixture was so severe that Graham had to explain to his co-host, Roosters player Brandon Smith, that the match had indeed taken place. Graham elaborated, “England played France on Saturday in a doubleheader in Toulouse and it is beyond embarrassing. It is so bad the amount of people out there.” (BBC Sport, 2022)
“I had genuinely no idea who was commentating the game as well. I put it on and it was that bad that I turned it off.”
As a former international player with 50 caps for England and Great Britain, Graham was a staunch supporter of the international game. However, he now feels “so bad for the lads” who had to play in front of such a small crowd, arguing that this is a sad reflection on how far the international game has fallen. (BBC Sport, 2022)
Graham also criticized the decision to stream the match rather than securing a broadcast deal with major networks like the BBC, Channel 4, or Sky, stating, “I had genuinely no idea who was commentating the game as well. I put it on and it was that bad that I turned it off.” (BBC Sport, 2022) The former player suggested that the poor coverage and production quality were so disappointing that he would have preferred the match not to have been shown at all.
In conclusion, James Graham’s scathing assessment of the International Rugby League match between England and France highlights the significant challenges the sport is facing in terms of fan engagement, broadcast partnerships, and the overall promotion of international competitions. As a respected voice in the rugby league community, Graham’s passionate critique underscores the urgent need for the governing bodies to address these issues and revitalize the international game.
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