This might come as a shock, but Twickenham ISN'T full of Union fans........it just happens to have the national Union Stadium and a club, but the majority of the Harlequins Union fans DON'T live in TW2.......traditionally, Quins Union is the club of the "City" boys and their fans are drawn from the Home Counties.
As long as Harlequins RL are being bankrolled then their crowds are an issue for them and them alone........as much as bitter posters from clubs under threat would like to think, crowds are only 1 area under scrutiny for licensing.....along with finances. How do Wakey get on there Tom?

Couldn't agree more, it's very similar to the number of homegrown players in a squad in that respect.

Catalans has worked as they have a long RL tradition in that part of the world.

I don't think Crusaders are a lost cause, there is already a hardcore fanbase being formed there (they brought a coach load to Hull on a Friday night, which is one of the longest trips on the calendar) but it'll take years of investment to make it work in Wales.

Quins are a complete lost cause, there is absolutely no interest what so ever down there.

news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 456539.stm Dont judge Quins on crowds i seem to recall?

news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 456539.stm Dont judge Quins on crowds i seem to recall?

Look at the wider issue and growth of interest in London RL in general in the youth and amateur leagues. Get back to fishing or is that also a lost cause and I am wasting my taxes on your dole money and another flat earth society member.

Right, I dont really want to get into the argument and politics, but I have one question. Why is the London club not based in somewhere like Shepherds Bush, where all the aussie ex pats/tourist/backpackers live thus tapping into a potential fanbase who migt just want to follow a club for the time taht they are here?

slightly different, but I see where you're coming from.
Finances are reliant on crowds and/or a benefactor.....the London Lot have a benefactor and therefore are OK. The homegrown player issue is more about the growth of the game internationally....it all depends on what's important to you as an individual...club or country. Personally, I would like to see all clubs with 5 overseas players and a minimum of 10 that have come through their own academy.......but I am a game first, country second and club third guy.....

Well, there are a number of reasons, it was a public holiday. All Harlequins fans are asthmatic, and it's currently not safe to go outside due to the current smog warning level. Also, would you go to quins when you can get the Doritoes in for Leeds vs Reading? And, I don't think you're understanding here 'Dave', you are being very racist towards the french, people in france, especially in the South, cannot afford to go to the capital this week. It's also, obviously Friday the 13th, isn't it?

Idiot, how could you not know?

No one cares about RL in London, sorry, except the 3 million kids playing at school level before they join the peckham boys or whichever gang.

I Still dont believe the rumour that has no evidence what so ever, from the 35 london fans that SKy say there has to be a london team. They should be kicked out before Wakefield

And quite a few here would like to see you merge with Cas, try sticking with something you have clue about.

only 3,008 at wrexham today and half of those were in the away stand.
i suppose it's not a concern for the RFL and sky as long as they sell satellite dishes but surely less than 4,000 supporters of 2 expansion clubs is a major worry and doesn't do our game much good?

So a full THOUSAND more supporters in Wrexham than London.

Things at Quins are worse than I thought

Where are these 3 million kids who play RL in the capital that we hear about?

Yeh, but 9,000 turned up to see these two play this evening... but you are right, get em merged and turn this 9,000 into 4 or 5k overnight as many from both sides will not support a merged side... what bloody great idea, it seems that low crowds are all the rage with the RFL at the moment! Who needs these 9k x 2, 19k x 2 and 24k crowd derbies anyway, when we can have the league leaders playing in front of 3k at a nice ground in North Wales or Quins playing to 2k in one of the globes biggest city market-places!

No but I am sure the RFL know what they are doing... after all, the guys that runs things once turned one of the globes biggest annual sporting events into a slightly bigger global event than it was before he arrived... he is clearly a genius!

PS. I understand that this Sky want expansion at all costs is really and apocryphal tale... what they want is great games played in full stadiums and if that means Leeds, Wigan, Wakefield of Cas instead of 2k in London or 3k in Wales, they are happy!

The welsh franchise has been in existence for 2 years. The london one for 20 years

It is quite a bit longer than 2 years if you are crediting Quins with 20 years (actually, it is more like 25 years BTW).

I understand that the slight majority of this crowd were made up of the former league leaders supporters... as you would hope TBH. Still, Crusaders are doing well, they are unable to find a sponsor despite RL being the second most watched sport after football on the Sky platform and are owned by two people have taken the club into administration once and look increasing likely to do the same with another sports club that they own. They have a nice ground... well, at the moment anyway but that is possibly going to be up for sale soon.