Rochdale's inappropriate conduct to French RL is a worry : Mon Apr 25, 2016 3:01 am  

The Rochdale v Toulouse game seems to have been a "niggle" game. What's new ? 1. The theater was set up with pre-game online YouTube banter - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGxJb9 ... mTems9djCA 2. The game day band played the National Anthem and the French equivalent. Nice. 3. A blogger tweeted on the Rochdale twitter account to fans reminding them of the French Nazi connections around rugby with a picture of Hitler and a French General : In 1939 Toulouse reached the French Cup final, but their success was put on hold when - like other rugby league clubs in France - they were compelled to play Nazi-backed Rugby Union following the ban on rugby league by the Vichy regime in France. Their stadium was also confiscated by the State, like most of the assets of the French Federation of rugby league. etc etc etc - http://theseladscanrunfor80mins.blogspot.com.au/ The Rochdale Twitter account has hashtag FrenchInvasion - hardly hospitable How the hell does a senior club allow an association on their blog with this ? This should be reported to the RFL 4. The passion was raised of an " us v them" encounter, perhaps " good v evil" Then, to back it up ...... 5. Allegations of eye gouging and biting by a TO player, from the Rochdale coach. The tapes will prove / disprove. We'll see. Why did the heat go up, what was the media strategy, and is it sportsmanlike to comment as a coach and lead a club like this? Is this level of communication likely to bring the RL game into disrepute? Is this good for international RL expansion and the brand for Toulouse and Rochdale with it's proud history? Something went badly off the rails here. Have a listen to the pre game manipulation / banter : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PTdJAC1rvo if you have 12 mins. Then listen to the post game banter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UaIJ_v5cwA if you have 8 mins I get the feeling the coach uses "banter" to niggle his opponents and get the aggression going in his side. What's new in that - seems only normal. Done properly, and professionally it can be a good thing, within the rules and spirit of the game. But when a coach suggests that all French sides are dirty, the Club permits a post of Hitler to be associated with Toulouse, is the coach / club overstepping the mark of sportsmanship ? Should Rochdale answer to the RFL for the Nazi comment? etc etc What are your thoughts?

The Rochdale v Toulouse game seems to have been a "niggle" game. What's new ? 1. The theater was set up with pre-game online YouTube banter - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGxJb9 ... mTems9djCA 2. The game day band played the National Anthem and the French equivalent. Nice. 3. A blogger tweeted on the Rochdale twitter account to fans reminding them of the French Nazi connections around rugby with a picture of Hitler and a French General : In 1939 Toulouse reached the French Cup final, but their success was put on hold when - like other rugby league clubs in France - they were compelled to play Nazi-backed Rugby Union following the ban on rugby league by the Vichy regime in France. Their stadium was also confiscated by the State, like most of the assets of the French Federation of rugby league. etc etc etc - http://theseladscanrunfor80mins.blogspot.com.au/ The Rochdale Twitter account has hashtag FrenchInvasion - hardly hospitable How the hell does a senior club allow an association on their blog with this ? This should be reported to the RFL 4. The passion was raised of an " us v them" encounter, perhaps " good v evil" Then, to back it up ...... 5. Allegations of eye gouging and biting by a TO player, from the Rochdale coach. The tapes will prove / disprove. We'll see. Why did the heat go up, what was the media strategy, and is it sportsmanlike to comment as a coach and lead a club like this? Is this level of communication likely to bring the RL game into disrepute? Is this good for international RL expansion and the brand for Toulouse and Rochdale with it's proud history? Something went badly off the rails here. Have a listen to the pre game manipulation / banter : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PTdJAC1rvo if you have 12 mins. Then listen to the post game banter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UaIJ_v5cwA if you have 8 mins I get the feeling the coach uses "banter" to niggle his opponents and get the aggression going in his side. What's new in that - seems only normal. Done properly, and professionally it can be a good thing, within the rules and spirit of the game. But when a coach suggests that all French sides are dirty, the Club permits a post of Hitler to be associated with Toulouse, is the coach / club overstepping the mark of sportsmanship ? Should Rochdale answer to the RFL for the Nazi comment? etc etc What are your thoughts?

[Fantastic Mr Catpiss]

Re: Dirty French Clubs - niggle or unsportsmanlike banter ? : Mon Apr 25, 2016 6:51 am  

Tl;dr

Sorry

Re: Dirty French Clubs - niggle or unsportsmanlike banter ? : Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:35 am  

This proves that the French are nothing but dirty nigglers. It must be in their jeans.

Re: Rochdale's inappropriate conduct to French RL is a worry : Mon Apr 25, 2016 9:20 am  

hahaha .... seriously though guys, what do u think. War was made at Rochdale yesterday?

Re: Rochdale's inappropriate conduct to French RL is a worry : Mon Apr 25, 2016 12:08 pm  

toddled along to watch the match ... yes it was physical but I've seen worse.
some fans were expressive but in such a small crowd, they were more noticeable: I've heard worse at SL games but the noise volume from the rest of the crowd covers it up. One of the louder individuals was getting very angry at the "liner" (sic) not flagging for off-sides and forward pases so take it as read that he was there for an argument.
What concerned me was the average age of the Rochdale fans ... I'm no spring chicken but several were older than me.

Re: Rochdale's inappropriate conduct to French RL is a worry : Mon Apr 25, 2016 3:34 pm  

It's pretty obvious from the Hornet's coach's pre match comments he is not in favour of expansion despite his opening comments like 'i'm all for expansion, but...' etc etc He's entitled to his opinions but such comments are hardly going to welcome new fans to the game. If the nazi comments are true then the rfl needs to investigate to stamp out these unwelcome elements. Rochdale Hornets is a very proud club with a distinguished historybut they seriously need to weedle out these 'fans' !

Re: Rochdale's inappropriate conduct to French RL is a worry : Mon Apr 25, 2016 4:03 pm  

Living in Rochdale for nearly 25 years hasn't stopped me from supporting my home club, Salford, but I still have a soft spot for both local sides. The fact is that both Hornets and the Roughyeds seem to be diminishing in support and presence. I feel that has allowed desperate marketing: some clumsy comments beside the excellent billboard displays. After yesterday's match, I spent some time thinking of why this great sport cannot develop in the Manchester conurbation (and other conurbations as well). Possibly the mentality of thinking displayed in the evidence here is part of that ... it is out-of-date and misses many areas of the communities.

Also, perhaps, they are following the model of speaking espoused by our right honourable MP?

Re: Rochdale's inappropriate conduct to French RL is a worry : Mon Apr 25, 2016 5:49 pm  

Sadly the pre match interview highlights an insular attitude that is far too prevalent at all levels of RL.

Complaining that a club that is better run, has more money and more supporters might get promoted instead of "us" is just bizarre.

Re: Rochdale's inappropriate conduct to French RL is a worry : Mon Apr 25, 2016 7:15 pm  

The British, or rather English obsession with WW2 is pitiful at times but nowhere in the article does it compare Toulouse with Hitler.

Godwin's Law is well known but that section of the article is clearly having a dig at rugby union and makes clear the historical connection of the Nazis, France and the negative impact both they had on the sport of rugby league in general (though I can not be bothered to check if this is indeed accurate itself).

Unless of course you think the people of Rochdale can't read properly and understand things correctly.

Re: Rochdale's inappropriate conduct to French RL is a worry : Mon Apr 25, 2016 11:27 pm  

Godwin's Law is well known but that section of the article is clearly having a dig at rugby union and makes clear the historical connection of the Nazis, France and the negative impact both they had on the sport of rugby league in general

... true....but why promote Hitler shaking hands with a French General in the first place. The article, and the surrounding articles are clearly not "welcoming" their opposition. The tone is clear.

There appears to be racial vilification referred to here which as a public act that encourages or incites others to hate people along the lines of their race, nationality, country of origin, colour or ethnic origin by association of the Hitler/Nazi article.

It's probably close to being unlawful, if not unlawful.

There's some really good points here - and i think the RFL could work with the Clubs to make them more "appealing" and "educating" their communities. For me sport is not purely about the game, it's about the life it can bring into communities and it's underlying values.

Not this - it's disgusting IMO. Don't think I'm over reacting here - the country has a dangerous undercurrent that needs to be managed [ like most places in the World ].

Rochdale could be a beacon.