last year it was buzzing outside wembley. think it might just been when you went there but it was a great experience going down there outside the stadium and init. hopefully the better team wins on saturday and it's one of thebest finals ever.

Agreed.

I agree the championship has to be more significant because it is the climax of many more games home and away againts all comers. But the actual experience of the finals themselves is quite similar. I hope to report which I prefered in a few weeks time.

A sell-out crowd at a 90,000 venue 200 miles away (from most clubs) would suggest it's popularity remains high. The GF rarely sells out, played in a smaller venue & in RL heartland!!

In response to the OP, the Challenge Cup is extremely important. It's the way we sell the game to the nation. It's my opinion that the games are often scrappier than grand finals, but that's because the cup finalists tend to play with less inhibition than is typical of a grand final. For this reason, you're much more likely to see a free-flowing classic in a cup final which is good for the game's public image and also for the fans. Roll on saturday.