Although the 20,000+ attendance at Maine Road was during the first season of the SL era in 1996, the modern day fans of discounted SL (who baulk at the prospect of having to pay for anything outside of their season ticket or Sky Sports subs) were still in their early development stage... hence the excellent walk-up attendance back then from fans who weren't afraid to put their hands in their pockets and pay at the turnstiles.

I did not watch the return leg at twickers, but it sounded very much like the Saints game where in the Union half the ball was just Mauled down the field at will.

I've no problem with the game as a concept. Although maybe a concept merged game would be the way to go, although how you pick the rules would be beyond me.

For me the whole thing with this is about the timing. It's 3 days after the Challenge Cup final.

I think it's a little insulting to the players to assume they will not make the CC final before a ball has been kicked by them in that competition. Either that or the plan is that they are never going to send out first teamers.

If they wanted to do something like this then really they need a gap in the fixtures and should have waited on announcing a date. They could have had it penciled in based on how well they did in the cup. Once out of the cup then sure pencil it in at any point.

But give credit to the Dr. previously it's been champion teams doing this, he certainly has the PR man about him. He could probably sell anything if he tried hard enough.

I may be partisan but I can't go with that. In the first half Wigan Virtually didn't have the ball. If Bath continued playing the way they did it (i.e very boringly) it would have ended 70 Nil. It was 35 odd nil soon after half time and then Bath tried to prove they could play flowing attacking Rugby. A big mistake as Wigan finally got some ball.

As I said completely different games and a complete waste of time having this match - aside from the Charity element.

As someone on Twitter suggested, Salford banking on not getting to Wembley then. Three days after the final and with another game the following Sunday (on present timings). Either that or they'll put a weakened team out

www.independent.co.uk/sport/qual ... 47027.html I remember this as being one of the greatest days to be a Wigan / RL fan. Going into the heartland of the old enemy, and completely tearing their code a new one! Twas fantastic...... At the time. Looking back now though, perhaps it was a very cynical ploy by the Rah Rah hierachy to put RL players in the shop window for the newly professional Union clubs? Seemed to be the point at which the great divide started to be crossed in the opposite direction anyway. I'd like to see an RU / RL sevens comp now. Just out of a morbid desire for RL to prove it still has the superior skills and athletes. But i'd be very wary of the consequences, given recent history.

www.independent.co.uk/sport/qual ... 47027.html I remember this as being one of the greatest days to be a Wigan / RL fan. Going into the heartland of the old enemy, and completely tearing their code a new one! Twas fantastic...... At the time. Looking back now though, perhaps it was a very cynical ploy by the Rah Rah hierachy to put RL players in the shop window for the newly professional Union clubs? Seemed to be the point at which the great divide started to be crossed in the opposite direction anyway. I'd like to see an RU / RL sevens comp now. Just out of a morbid desire for RL to prove it still has the superior skills and athletes. But i'd be very wary of the consequences, given recent history.

To be fair I watched both games and if Bath had taken penalty kicks at all the penalties Wigan gave away,they would have won by more in their code.