Not sure of the guy's name - it was on the BBC news channel live inside the stadium. Really annoys me when they take this line instead of highlighting the positives.

But to be honest, what other sport wouldn't sell out in the UK for such a big, well-publicised opening to a major tournament? I can't think of one. Olympics - including all minority sports, football, RU. Things likeDancing on Ice, Strrictly Come Dancing sell out their national tours.

OK the crowds are good by RL standards but by British sporting standards for major events they are not.

Really? You think the world hockey cup would fill a 70'000 stadium? I would suggest there are in fact only two sports in the UK that could fill the millennium stadium, soccer and union.

50,000 for where international RL, and the game generally in UK, is at is a brilliant result.

Stephen Jones was at the game yesterday and apparently has once again used his platform to slag rugby league. Anyone know what he's said

England v Australia peaked at 2.4m viewers on BBC1 (21% audience share), with an average of 1.8m.

Wales v Italy peaked at 1m.

Not as venomous as I would expect from Mr Jones

Claimed this is the worst Australian side we have seen (really?)

Otherwise speaks how we need a good tournament and our league problems are similar to Welsh RU

its usually hard to find viewing figures for RL games, but i'm sure that figure is the biggest the sports had for years.

Read yesterday that Telegraph Sport led with three pages of RL coverage yesterday. Unprecedented!

One page in the Sunday Times, but it is much further forward in the supplmement than usual, and before the RU coverage.

the afternoon kick-off times will be helping with the Sunday paper coverage, with the England games finishing by 4:30 there is no excuse for them not to get a proper match report

I know that this year Challenge Cup final peaked at 1.55m and averaged 1.21m.

2.4m for the England game is very good indeed for a Saturday afternoon.

Those viewing figures don't include those who watched it on Premier Sports for the better quality commentary.

The 'roos side of the last couple of years is the worst I can recall - at least since the late '70s. I said it last time they were here and I was going to put it on the post England v Oz thread.

Not even close, the kangaroos around the turn of the millennium were far inferior to this one. The 1999 tri nations side contained players like Nik Kosef, Mick Vella, Craig gower at 9, players like Bryan fletcher, Shaun Timmons, Darren Smith, Ryan Girdler wouldn't get in this side. In the 01 and 03 tours players like villasanti, heggarty, Ricketson, Phil Bailey, Simpson, sing, Carlaw, blacklock, Kennedy, Meyers. None of those would get in this Oz squad in my opinion.

I don't think anyone cares to be honest. I certainly have no interest in what that p***k has to say or write.

But the Green Machine used to still function then as I recall. It doesn't anymore or only sporadically.