easy really isn't it.

I would say that #rugbyleague isn't likely to trend anyway, at least this way you can quickly find tweets related to the match you're watching, from your own and opposition supporters. I quite like the system, if only everyone uses it...

I agree but it's not very likely that a new fan / someone on the verge of being a fan will type in those hashtags though. Someone with a partial interest could easily type #rugbyleague

As I say, only a good system if enough people use it. Perhaps if the RFL really want it to take off they need to get SKY to show it or read it out at grounds before the match?

It's not just about trending, in fact that's a small part of it, and due to horny teenagers tweeting about something called bieber we're unlikely to. It's about connecting with people and discussing the same things. If the likes of the League Express or elsewhere want to find a post on the specific match or issue in question they need to look in one place. We differentiate between the matches because they are different discussions. Rugbyleague could refer to super league, championship, australia, new zealand, a league of union somewhere, amateur, anything. Also if people at the match want to check what others there are saying on their phones it's useless wading through texts about other games and issues before they get to tweets about this specific one.



This is what gets me. Max tried to get this up and running at the back end of last season and people couldn't stick with the plan because they were too pig headed to follow a simple instruction. They had to start their own tags in a different format just to please themselves because they couldn't manage to just get with the programme. The rugby football league are issuing these now and they still moan about the tags being used.



It's not a difficult format, it makes sense, stop questioning things for the sake of it and use the correct tags!

US sports broadcasts have been doing this for a while, even putting their commentator's twitter names in on-air captions. The NRL were using it towards the back end of last season too I think. Not sure why sports in this country haven't jumped on it yet. Free publicity!

It's not only about trending.



People talk in game all the time but don't often put #rugbyleague at the end. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, #rugbyleague has never trended whilst many other RL related terms have. This is to do with the nature of trending, it is only when a term spikes in relation to its usual usage that it trends. This stops things like Justin Bieber or days of the week trending 24/7. People use #rugbyleague all day every day so it would take a huge spike for it to ever trend. A good example is in Australia. NRL or #rugbyleague never trends there because of this but the game specific tags do all the time now and often in top spot.



Game specific tags are now standard in many sports and it was trialled at the end of last year to good effect. Many people enjoyed using them and found the games much easier to follow. If people get used to it and we trend now and again then that is simply a bonus.

Are you and Chris Dalton related? I agree with what you have said, but to expand the fan base of the game things like twitter are a very useful tool. If people can find out about it.

I'm glad the RFL and League Express have taken it upon themselves now. I just hope they push it properly.



There's something peculiar about Rugby League fans that has to react to everything, no matter how harmless, with distrust and dislike. It was the exact same with the NRL, fans couldn't understand why they couldn't just use #rugbyleague. Now it is not questioned.



The A-league in Australia is the 4th biggest sport (a bit like RL) and they have adopted these and got them trending worldwide. This is just a bonus to a much better way of tweeting.

Indeed we are. Brothers. I am Paul Sculthorpe to his Danny.

I am more Sam Tomkins to his Joel Tomkins.

Sky should show the hashtag at the start of the programme like Channel 5 have done with #CBB and ITV did with #Imaceleb