Federer’s Dream Of An 18th Grand Slam Go On

I had hoped this summer on two occasions now to be writing about the great Roger Federer capturing his 18th Grand Slam title. Sadly, it has not to be.  

The great man found himself in two consecutive Grand Slam finals for the first time since he was in back to back finals at the US Open in 2009 and then at the Australian Open in 2010.

Unfortunately, in both the Wimbledon and US Open final he came up against an inspired Novak Djokovic. Having said that in both finals Federer had his chances. This is especially true in the US Open final where his failure to convert 19 break points saw his chance of an 18th Grand Slam and 6th US Open disappear.

This year I had the opportunity to go to the US Open and it was a fantastic experience. I saw a number of matches including the eventual winner Djokovic defeat of Seppi however to see the practise court seats and the surrounding area rammed with people just to see Roger Federer train was startling. If anything sums up his status it was seeing that. People were in their seats hours before he was due to turn up hoping to get a glance of the widely recognised GOAT in mens tennis.

He has had another good year with titles in Brisbane, Dubai, Istanbul, Halle and Cincinnati. He has also appeared in the final at both Indian Wells and Rome. His performances at Wimbledon were special, that semi-final demolition of Andy Murray was incredible to see.  It was a shame he was unable to repeat the form in the final, arguably something he used to do when he was in his prime.

He continued such form into Cincinnati, defeating Djokovic in the final, and then on to the US Open reaching the final without dropping a set. He is without doubt the main player on the circuit who I try to watch whenever and wherever he is playing.

It is difficult to come up with superlatives for Roger Federer that haven't been said before.

If you can see Roger Federer play you must. No matter how much you've read or watched on the television, seeing him live is a total different experience. Nobody plays the way he does and who knows if we will ever see the like in our lifetime.

He has been written off in recent years, especially after 2013, and I even wrote a piece debating whether it was the end. I have always had faith, maybe blind faith, that he would come back and get himself back in contention for the slams. It has been fantastic to watch his almost re-rise to the top.

He is without doubt the greatest role model a sport could hope for. He along with Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic have taken the game up a level in quality but also popularity. Too often people wish away the greats likes Federer and Nadal but there is no doubt there will be a lull after these two exit the game.

For Federer who is arguably in the greatest form of his life, even though saying that about a man who is now 34 and achieved so much in the game sounds crazy, an 18th Slam is not out of the question.  I hope he does win an 18th Grand Slam however of course with every passing tournament and given the fact he has just been in two finals it seems less likely. Although I still hold out hope and look to forward to witnessing it.

I am of the belief that all of these near misses will just make seeing him finally succeed again at a Grand Slam that little bit sweeter.

Burgess Named In The England Squad

Its happened. Sam Burgess has been named in England's World Cup squad.

I, for one, am delighted by his inclusion. He is a fantastic player who showcased his talents in Rugby league year after year. There is no doubt Australia do not want to see Sam Burgess playing against them on October 3rd.

He is also a player who performs, if not raises his game, on the big stage as he had does time and time again in the Super League and NRL as well as for England and Great Britain.

I know he has only played for 10 months and there is still plenty of debate over what his best position is, however when you look at the options at centre his selection is a no-brainer. Luther Burrell for me should have been in the squad at the expense of Brad Barritt, who seems immune from criticism in the press. For me, his performances do not merit such an untouchable status.

Now obviously not everyone is happy with his inclusion, ex-england scrum half Matt Dawson has already commented he doesn't believe Burgess should be included. His opinion is perfectly valid however as I said when you look at the alternatives his selection should not come as much of a surprise. The likes of Billy Twelvetrees have failed to impress despite being given countless chances.

One certainty about the tournament already is that if England perform well or even win the World Cup it will be nothing to do with Sam Burgess, however the moment England lose whether in the Final, Semi-Final or even in the group stage you can guarantee he will be the main point of criticism. The rest of the squad and management will certainly get off lightly in comparison.

It may be 2015, but the snobbery from the former Rugby Union players and media towards Rugby League is still as strong as ever. It was the same in the beginning with Jason Robinson. Initially I remember the great Jeremy Guscott savaging Robinson on television, yet he is now a Rugby Union legend and treated as one of their own.

I do hope Burgess and England have a successful tournament however I am sure many in the media are already writing their articles bashing Burgess' selection just waiting for England to lose.

Surely the person to criticise is Stuart Lancaster by stating the lamentable fact that after having 4 years to prepare, a Rugby League convert who has only played the game for 10 months is the best option England have got.

In my opinion England will not win the World Cup and the main reason I believe this is Stuart Lancaster.  His selections, and more importantly his substitutions, have cost England matches in recent years. I do not understand why he is so obsessed with making so many changes in the final 20/25 minutes of matches all over the field. I hope he has learnt from past mistakes and we will not see it again in this tournament.

Ultimately, worst of all I will watch Sam Burgess being wasted at this tournament wishing he was with the England Rugby League for their 3 match test series with New Zealand in early November.  

McClaren Arrives At Newcastle

Newcastle United have a new manager and his name is Steve McClaren. Yes, the wally with the brolly is now in charge of my team. Happy Days. 

Now is it the inspirational appointment I was hoping for...well no. For me McClaren has plenty to prove and this is without doubt his last chance in the top flight. Does he deserve this chance? I would argue no, but then when we appointed Alan Pardew he had just be sacked by Southampton who were at the time in League One so we have such a precedent of bringing managers in from lower league clubs. Obviously, the powers that be think that McClaren is the man however I know that many fans will be sceptical and will, as I do, see him as a cheap option. Having said that I will give him my full backing to begin with and hope he has learnt from his failed time with England as well as his experiences at Twente, Wolfsburg, Nottingham Forest and Derby County. 

It appears he will be backed in the transfer market however I just hope they sign proven players. Yes, I am delighted that it appears the club is willing to spend £10million + on a player but he has to be the right player and I am certainly sceptical of spending such money on players from the Dutch, Belgian and French league. The problem at Newcastle at the moment is that we do not have time nor the luxury for players to 'settle' or 'find their feet'. We need players who will hit the ground running given the state of the squad. That is why for me Charlie Austin is a must. He fits the bill perfectly for exactly what we are looking for. 

For now though, I will be eagerly watching Newcastle's transfer activity as well as who McClaren brings into his backroom team. Hopefully the combination of the two will inspire positively and bring a feel good factor back to the club. I know it sounds a long shot but one can but hope. 

The start of the season is going to be vital. He needs a good start or he really will find himself in trouble and possibly out of a job by Christmas. The fans will back him and any new players at the start but patience has worn thin given the last few seasons and they will turn very quickly if they do not see the desired effort from the players. 

Hope springs eternal they say, well all I say is that they don't support Newcastle United. 

Newcastle United Face Judgement Day

As I prepare to sit and suffer through Survival Sunday, I am left disconsolate. The demise of Newcastle United over the past 4/5 months has been startling. I feared for them long before now, I citing back in February on twitter I thought they would be lucky to pick up anymore points. 

Now Survival Sunday is here and its brings with it the very real possibility that Newcastle United will be relegated form he Premier League. It is even with a sense of sadness that if they do survive today the fact that I will be celebrating such an achievement goes to show the current state of affairs at the club. 

How Mike Ashley has allowed John Carver to stay in this role for so long and oversee such results I will never know. He never should have been given the job yet alone allowed to stay this long. The fans are castigated by the national press over their treatment of Alan Pardew however upon his departure they wanted a genuine replacement, a new start, not to just have Pardew's backroom staff take over. The club needs to clear out all of the backroom staff and start a fresh in the summer no matter what todays result may be. 

I know the players are poor however there are a couple of very talented players and Carver's inability to motivate or organise them just shows his ineptitude even further. Players inability fans can stomach to an extend but lack of fitness, effort and commitment is unacceptable. As the banner read :

'We don't demand a team that wins, we demand a club that tries'

Nothing could better sums up the overriding feeling of all Newcastle united fans to the club from boardroom to boot-room. 

My hope is that this will happen and Ashley will show some ambition in getting a manager of some pedigree to take the club forward and give him the money to spend on proven players. There is no question the squad is woefully inadequate in many areas and I hope that this is addressed in the summer. Not that I believe that will happen for a second but we can live in hope. 

The following short poem sums up my current feeling towards Newcastle United. Inspired from the proverb - For want of a Nail. There are so many options of how to write this but as of this moment the biggest problem is the management and as such I have dedicated it to that. 

For want of a manager the ambition was lost;

For want of ambition the team was lost;

For want of a team the spirit were lost;

For want of spirit the points were lost;

For want of points, Premier League status is almost lost;

And all for the want of an manager.

Hits or Misses - Was I Right?

At the beginning of the season I picked out some transfers that I believed would be Hits and others that would be Misses. As the season now draws to a close it time to assess my predictions. 

Predicted Hits:

1. Diego Costa 

Now their is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Jose Mourinho and Chelsea have had the best summer window. Diego Costa is a wonderful signing and at only £32 million, given the market, I think they have got extremely good value. I am a massive fan of this player having watched him a lot last season at Atletico Madrid. He is big, powerful and a clinical finisher - essentially everything Fernando Torres was not in the last few seasons. He is going to be a nightmare to handle for all other Premier League teams this season and fully expect him to fire Chelsea to the title.

The only man I can see preventing him winning the Golden boot is Sergio Aguero.

OUTCOME :  HIT

I believe I got this one spot on. He has struggled with injury in the second part of the season however the title was effectively won by christmas.

2. Alexis Sanchez 

Ever since I saw this man take England apart at Wembley I have been a huge fan. I must admit when I saw him at Barcelona a few years ago I could not stand his constant diving however having seen him lately this has hugely reduced. Unlike Mesut Ozil this man is built for the job. He looks physically capable of withstanding the physicality of a full Premier League season. Add to this his magnificence ability and goalscoring prowess and you have a terrific signing. I am going to go out on a limb and say he is the best signing Arsenal have made for over 10 years. This is big claim and may make me look stupid in time but I honestly believe it.

Personally I fear for Arsenal this season however with this man in the team I think he will act as Suarez did for Liverpool last season. He will not be enough to win Arsenal the league but he will get them a top four finish. 

OUTCOME : HIT

This one I also got right. No question that Sanchez carried Arsenal for the first half of the season and without him their top four place could have been in danger. He is a wonderful player who I expect to continue performing in seasons to come. 

3. Enner Valancia 

Again similar to Sanchez, Valancia looks a player who has the physical ability to cope in the Premier League. I am personally looking forward to seeing him in the league. He has pace, power and is both strong in the air and on the ground. He looked very strong in the World Cup and I know they say you should never buy a player of the back of a good World Cup however I do think in this case West Ham were right to do so.

I think he will be a crucial player for West Ham this season and will play a major part in keeping them in the division. 

OUTCOME : HIT/MISS

This one could be argued either way. I think he had a good season and made a positive impact but did he make the impact that I was expecting...well no. In fact it was Aaron Cresswell who was without doubt West Ham's signing of the season.  

4. Angel Di Maria 

Another world class arrival to the Premier League. Is he the calibre of a Bale or Ronaldo? No. But he will certainty bring an obvious improvement to Manchester United. He has proved over a number of years just how good he is and can see him adapting well to the Premier League. He will get a very prominent role in the Manchester United side and am expecting him to contribute plenty to the side in the form of both goals and assists.

He looks similar to Mesut Ozil is statue however having seen him play I am sure he will relish the challenge of the increased physically whilst his game will also benefit from the increase in pace, unlike Ozil. 

He will play a major role in getting Manchester United in the top four.

OUTCOME : MISS

This I got wrong. You could blame LVG but at the end of the day Di Maria simply hasn't performed. There were glimpses but never a sustained period of brilliance. I expect him to leave United this summer and he will go down in many people eyes as a flop.

5. Siem De Jong

This one is maybe more in hope then anything else. I am very hopeful that De Jong can be a sort of Dennis Bergkamp style player for Newcastle. A player of real brain and thought who will add quality to the side. Hopefully he can strike up a good partnership with one of the forwards and lead Newcastle to having a good season.

Although his injury record does worry me.

OUTCOME : MISS

This one was always more in hope than genuine expectation. I was worried about his injury record and as it turns out I was right on that front. Missed most of the season and therefore had very little impact. 

Predicted Misses:

1. Mario Balotelli

Personally I have absolutely no idea why Brendan Rodgers has signed this man. He is a massive gamble and at £16 million, an expensive one at that. I can foresee him only having a negative impact this season on the team. For all Suarez's misdemeanours he was a clinical finisher with a fantastic work rate. Balotelli brings neither of these on-field traits but plenty of problems off-field. The board at AC Milan must have thought it was a joke when Liverpool bid £16 million. Hardly excelled in his short time at Milan and to see all the Liverpool fans celebrating his arrival is comical. It seems some football fans have totally forgotten his time at Manchester City.  

Can see Liverpool becoming very frustrated with him very quickly and would not be surprised to see him gone in January. 

I will be the first to admit I was wrong if Balotelli performs well however just cannot see it happening.

The man for me who Liverpool should have got was Wilfred Bony from Swansea. He is a genuine world-class player who deserves to play at a top team and in the Champions League. He has also proved how effective he can be in the Premier League. 

OUTCOME : MISS

Have to say I got this one spot on. Balotelli will leave this summer for sure, the  only question is will Rodgers be leaving with him?

2. Georgios Samaras

Now I must admit I did actually laugh out loud when I saw this transfer go through. Similar to when I saw David N'Gog sign for Swansea in January, it was just surreal.  Georgios Samaras must have one of the best agents going to get him back into the Premier League. This is a man who was a flop at Manchester City and who has not even really shone at Celtic. Now when you are playing for the best team in a Scotland league which is very poor that says it all. He will be lucky to get 2 goals all season. 

A truely awful signing who will be up front with Balotelli come May when they announce the flop XI of the season. 

OUTCOME : MISS

Another spot on prediction. Samaras certainly in the flop XI. 

3.  Rio Ferdinand

Quite honestly why Rio Ferdinand has signed for QPR I do not know. The obvious answer is money however surely the man is not that greedy? Well this is for sure his last payday so I suppose I cannot blame him. However I do feel this is an awful transfer. He looked awful last season. A man well past his best and this season he is playing in a side who will be on the back foot most weeks. It will not be like his many years at Manchester United when United had 65%+ possession everyweek and quality players ahead and around him. Last season he looked very uncomfortable doing just about anything. If you are a QPR fan you should be worried although given Ferdinand injury record I cannot see him playing 20 games. 

Expect him to be continually caught out this season - leading to his retirement at the end of it.

OUTCOME : MISS

3/3 so far on the as Rio Ferdinand proved me right that he should have hung his boots up at the end of last season. 

4.  Leonardo Ulloa

I feel that Ulloa is really going to struggle. As I said in my prediction post, his lack of pace for me is a major concern at this level. He played very well with a very average Championship side in Brighton and was a constant threat however I fear at Leicester he simply will not get the supply or chances to really show his worth. He deserves his chance at this level and of all the signings I am predicting to be misses I hope Ulloa proves me wrong. 

I honestly feel Leicester will go down however on his day Ulloa can be a real handful.  

OUTCOME : HIT/MISS

Have to say that Ulloa performed better than I expected and his goals defiantly played their part in Leicester's survival however whether he was a HIT or MISS is arguable. Not sure he will be with the club for the start of next season. 

5. Jack Rodwell

Firstly the reason why I have put Rodwell on this list is his injury record. He may claim to be fit however only time will really tell if his body can stand up to a whole season. Secondly given his woeful fitness record, the fact that Sunderland have laid out £10 million is astonishing. This figure is wildly over the mark. He may prove to be a great signing in time however at this moment in time he does not demand such a fee. 

Expect an injury hit season and so a limited impact. 

OUTCOME : MISS

His overall impact at Sunderland was very poor and even though he did pitch in with a few goals his contribution didn't match that 10 million price tag.

Overall I do not think I did badly. Angel Di Maria was the biggest disappointment.  

Djokovic Downs Murray As He Begins Quest For Calendar Slam

There was something all to familiar about the Australian Open final.

For the third time in five years Murray and Djokovic faced off in the Final and for the third time it was Djokovic was victorious.

After a highly competitive first two sets Murray was eventually beaten 7-6, 6-7, 6-3, 6-0. However there was controversy this year after Djokovic was accused by some of faking injury as he appeared to be struggling before taking the third set and then steam rolling Murray in the fourth. There is no question in my mind that the 'gamesmanship'  of Djokovic certainly affected Murray as he appeared to lose his concentration handing Djokovic the fourth set and with it the match.

It was clear that some in the crowd also thought Djokovic's behaviour was unsporting however we didn't see scenes like in last years final after Nadal called for the trainer against Wawrinka .

However this interruption and Murray reaction to it showed again the metal weakness Murray has in his game at the moment, especially when  facing Djokovic. Mentally there is no question the Serb has the edge over Murray (as he does over most in the tennis world) and in these key matches that is what gets him over the line. Murray capitulation in the fourth set was tough to see and made for an unfitting end to what had been a terrific first two sets.

With regards to the rest of the year, there are plenty of positives for Murray - back in a Grand Slam final for the first time since Wimbledon 2013 and he looks as if he is going to be in the later stages of all the Grand Slams this year. Now given his tough 2014, this is a great sign for Murray, his fans and Great Britain's Davis Cup hopes. I expect Murray to have a solid year finishing in back in the top 3 in the rankings.

As for Djokovic the Calendar Slam is very much on. There is no doubt that at this moment in time he is dominant in the five-set format against any opponent. Looking ahead to Roland Garros, even though Nadal has won it a staggering 9 times and is the current Champion there is no doubt in my mind that he will falter this year. Djokovic will beat Rafa Nadal if they meet I am sure of that. Looking at who could beat him on that surface, I can only see someone like Wawrinka (who beat him in AUS 2013) being able to do it and even then he is going to have to have the game of his life.

With regards to Wimbledon and the US Open, Murray and Roger Federer present the realistic challenges. Federer bowed out early in Australia but expect he to be back and these are two of his most successful tournaments however the biggest problem for Federer against Djokovic is the 5 set format.

As a result I think at 3/1 Djokovic is a very good bet to achieve the Calendar Slam this year. He is consistently performing and expect to see him in at least the semi-finals, if not the finals, at all three remaining slams.

My prediction for the remainder of the year that Djokovic will win both Roland Garros and the US Open but Federer will win Wimbledon.

It promises to be a very exciting year and one that as a huge tennis fan I cannot wait to watch unfold.

Four Nations leads the way to future success for Rugby League in 2015

It has been a hugely impressive Four Nations tournament. Six out of the seven matches were very competitive from the beginning to end and before the tournament no one would have predicted that. An average of 40 points scored per match and 7 tries per match made for a very entertaining and pulsating tournament. New Zealand throughly deserved their victory and despite the notable absentees I do not think the tournament suffered too much.  I honestly feel that there were plenty of positives to take from the tournament.

Firstly, the performance of the Samoan team was incredible and I just hope the momentum can be maintained and Australia/New Zealand do not poach their best players. Along with the other Pacific Island nations they need regular International matches to improve and grow the game. There is a fantastic opportunity for Rugby League in the region to really stamp its authority and make itself the game. Rugby Union is not particular strong and there is no doubt that the players are more suited to Rugby League. It is now up to the authorities to create clear pathways and structure for these nations so that they can all develop and close the gap on the top 3. There is no doubt the quality of players that come from the Islands and no reason why these nations can not be a major force in International Rugby League.  I know the NRL have launched their Pacific Islands Strategy and I really hope that this is a success. 

Secondly, I am very happy that New Zealand won the final. They are a quality side who has improved massively over the past 10 years having now won 4 major International tournaments in that time. Also given the fact that Australia did not have a full strength side it would have been awful for the game had they won the tournament. Their interest in the International game would certainly have suffered further and led to further ridicule of its state.  At least now Australia know they need to be at full strength to win international tournaments - something that has not been the case in the past. 

A negative for me was the performance of the England team. Yet again they played the role of the 'nearly men'. It was incredibly frustrating for fans to again see opportunities missed. The loss of Sam Burgess was huge but whether his presence would have changed matters we will never know. For me Steve McNamara is a problem and should be replaced. He is the Steve McClaren of Rugby League. We do have some terrific players like James Graham however other 'stars' like Sam Tomkins were disappointing. I was looking for an improvement in his game after a year in the NRL but I did not see one.  He looks far too light and still vulnerable under the high ball. I do still live in hope that one year I will see England win a major International tournament. 

Another sad sight was some of the crowds however I am aware that some of the matches were played in 'non Rugby League areas' and so it is understandable. Although having said that an average gate of 20,000 per game is 'good' for Rugby League. Hopefully this will also improve in the years to come specifically looking at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. Also the news of a second New Zealand side possibly joining the NRL in 2018 is positive and will spread the game outside of Auckland. 

Going forward I am hoping that the new International calendar from 2018 will be announced soon. This 12 year calendar will hopefully provide a clear structure and schedule that will benefit all nations so we do not find ourselves in a situation where nations go years without a match. This is totally unacceptable and I am praying this will soon be a thing of the past. 

Next year New Zealand are touring England and this is fantastic news. Hopefully we will see three awesome test matches in front of full houses. The sooner the dates and venues are announced the better. I hope they do it early and really market it. The Rugby Union World Cup will be on a similar time so they will need to work overtime to get it noticed nationally. I have little faith they will but one does live in hope. I know the Rugby Union World Cup will be everywhere and more than likely just to rub it in the likes of Kyle Eastmond and Sam Burgess will be poster boys. However the Rugby Union World Cup final is on the 31st of October. Now hopefully the League tests can be scheduled to go into early November. The Super league Grand Final is on October the 10th so at least two/three weeks off before Internationals will mean they should not face direct competition from the Union. 

With regards to other off-season internationals for the emerging nations I am not aware of ANY that are currently scheduled.  This cannot stay this way. 

For example - My idea: 

 -       Scotland should be playing Samoa in a three match series

 -       France should be playing Fiji in a three match test series

 -       Ireland should be playing Tonga in a three match test series 

 -       Wales should be playing Papau New Guinea in a three match test series

and possibly Italy should be playing the Cook Islands in a three match series.

Also they need to think outside the box. I would advocate having Australia go to emerging Canada/USA to help drive interest, similar to New Zealand in the Rugby Union earlier this year going to the USA.  They want a year off - fine - but make them do something positive. Having recently read of Canadian ambitions they would surely welcome such a visit. Also it would be a nice build up for the 2017 World Cup for both USA and Canada who hope to qualify. Just an idea but one that people should be talking about.  

Now ideally the 3 match test series would take place in the European nations however I would not mind them going to Pacific Islands if they are able to accommodate them. 

This I think would be a great off-season International schedule. All of these sides need regular international matches and by playing their southern hemisphere counterparts. I am sure it would make for great viewing. A three match test series could also gather media attention and will have a greater impact than a one off test match. Get the venues right and the ticket prices right and hopefully we can get some very exciting matches played in front of full houses. 

Samoa would have the chance to maintain momentum and to 'go on tour' which is an experience that all ex-internationals be them English, Australian or a New Zealander enjoy. I really think this is a culture that should be endorsed. We saw how good it was in local communities when these sides arrived at the Rugby League World Cup last year.  While there they can visit schools, local clubs etc and help spread the game in Scotland. All of the sides could easily do this in those nations. This would also get media attention. 

Also for Scotland they face a Four Nations in 2016 and need matches and who better to play than Samoa. A side that have just performed so well in the 2014 Four Nations. It also helps to generate local interest a year out from the tournament and gives them a chance to test venues and attract new fans. Scotland will probably be out of the Rugby Union World Cup by then and as long as the tickets are marketed properly and reasonably priced people will come. There is also a real chance for coverage on the Scottish BBC channels. Avenues I hope would be explored.  Honestly this tour would be a win-win for all concerned.

It is a great dream of mine that this will happen despite having little hope it will happen. It is a fantastic chance that can not be allowed to pass. All of the nations will benefit hugely.   

I am also an advocate of a mid-season international break where home nations can play each other. This would need to be worked into the already full schedule but I feel given the restructuring of the League this is a possibility.  

I am positive looking forward for the game in 2015 and beyond. There is no doubt it faces major challenges but for probably the first time in my life the game is going forward. The right questions are being asked and ideas are being offered that will help the game both domestically and internationally. Losing the likes of Sam Burgess, Sonny Bill Williams and Jarred Hayne is tough for the game but the reaction is the key now and I feel that the game is getting stronger every year - maybe not at the rate I would hope but it is improving. Hearing of 7,000 people watching Canada play the USA in Canada is positive for the game. I just hope that countries like Canada who are clearly making huge progress and are very ambitious are helped. I also recently read of their ambition for having a side in Championship 1. Without doubt there is a huge market in that region. It should be explored to the max which for me brings in another issue of TV coverage of NRL / State of Origin and Super League being given to emerging nations to help drive support. Just another idea that needs to be addressed. I want the State of Origin series to be accessible all over the world. What better series to introduce a new audience to then that?  Also having South Africa, a Rugby Union dominated country, interested in hosted a World Cup is great. Their bid came completely out of left-field but should be welcomed. In the long term I would love to see it. Maybe in 2025/2029. The plan should be to award it 8 years in advance so that a serious 8 year strategy can be put into place. I also believe that the revival of GB Lions will come and that will only be positive for the game.  So there is plenty to be positive about despite many in Rugby League only ever wanting to be negative about the future. 

Personally I am going into the new domestic season looking forward to the new league structure and the expanded World Club Series. Just now hoping for an announcement of the post-season Internationals.....but will it come?