Quote Katie.Smithson="Katie.Smithson"Pretty much the same as it is now. Bordering on a minority sport, everywhere bar Aus, with no money in the game, again, bar Aus. There will be less people playing the game at grass roots (but this will be the same for every sport).'"
Quote Katie.Smithson="Wembley71"Genuinely national at grassroots. Semi pro teams in Hemel, St Albans, Exeter, Plymouth, Cheltenham, Derby. Pro teams in Birmingham, Coventry, Bristol and Nottingham. Wales the fourth placed international nation. England competitive with Oz and NZ. France and Wales win occasionally against the big 3. Other Euro nations Coming through.'"
The future is of course somewhere between these two poles. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that the superb growth of RL throughout the country will slow down or even reverse so saying that there will be less people playing at grass roots is either stupidity or a clumsy attempt at being provocative
Similarly, 10 years is far too short a period to expect professional teams in the likes of Coventry, Bristol and Nottingham
In 10 years, I expect the Conference to have established RL in many parts of the country and in some areas, I expect the local amateur League scene to have overtaken its Union hosts and neighbours in terms of popularity and playing numbers (Sport England have recently reduced their Union funding due to a decline in playing numbers)
Hopefully, with good management at the top, the Super League and Championship leagues will be competitive and commercially sound
And perhaps the most important, I hope that England will have hosted a successful World Cup which has re-ignited the national interest in our sport and England has tasted its first international tournament success in two generations
I am genuinely hopeful for the future of Rugby League in the UK but real sustainable growth takes time and patience