It would be easier to sell internationals if they were actually competative. The international game in union is far superior everywhere in the world, yesterday the Wallabies got 39,688 against the Barbarians in Sydney.

tbf though its easier to be competative in RU......skill factor is less, ball is out of play massively more, you can play for penalties and if you get them can easily outscore a team who runs in a few tries on the back of kicks at goal etc. Unfortunately we cant do much about that, but we can promote our game better at an international level instead of showing lack of ambition like we currently do!!

Without being a cock about it, I am genuinely baffled watching Union and its appeal.

Tickets were £1 for U-16's.

Plus they have lackeys desperate to praise their awful sport in the media no matter what drivel is served up.

Mate i agree with you, i cant even stand Union. I get so bored trying to watch, and even more baffled how that can be more popular than league. But the fact remains that International league is unfortunatley not competative and wont be for a very long time.

It's about time the RFL took a chance of one of these big grounds again and tried to get a big crowd on by marketing it well and making it affordable.

If we played the Aussies there with tickets no more then £20 for adults and £5 for under 16's and deals on for the tax dodging students of Manchester and the local areas we surely could get at least 45-50,000 on.

Maybe i'm dreaming.

Not dreaming at all mate....but that would be too much sense for the RFL

Your in never never land unfortunatly. International Rugby Union can do this due to its massive popularity which hasnt just sprung up overnight. Its been getting national exposure regulary for years with the six nations on the bbc and while its outside the union heartlands there is still masses of people playing union at clubs and schools in the north of england.

There were never 40,000 at OT. Look at the video/pictures from the game.
Have spoken to a couple of mates who were at the game and they said it was probably more like 30,000.
Quid a ticket certainly helps, but I'd say that for a 'mainstream', internationally recognised sport the crowd was a little disappointing.

a recent union international game here got half the TV viewers a normal NRL club game gets every week.

i watched the game and it was awful. spent 30 - 40 mins laughing at how bad the sport is.

weve got nothing to fear from that t**d. of a sport.

They will have counted the attendance in the same way the overwhelming majority of major sporting events do - how many tickets were sold.

Check the crowd at any number of sporting "sell outs" and "capacity crowds". There will be empty seats where people who have bought tickets don't turn up for whatever reason.

I think its funny how some Toyota cup games have been getting higher tv ratings than some Super 14 games.

I see your point Bondi Warrior...

That was down to the wire that Barbarians game..

55-7 I think the score was....

Can't see it being much closer this Wannabees vs Italy match at Canberra..

Easy mate, im not a Union fan, in fact i hate it. My point was that International Union is more competative and thats fact, and all you got was a nothing game to throw back at me. Your delusional if you dont think International union is more competative.