It was a good weekend of rugby. We watched all but Quins/Cats on the saturday and missed the Crusaders/Salford game on the sunday. Nice to mingle with lots of fans from different teams and even though you are not a fan of the other teams playing you know the underdog will get the majority of the crowd cheering for them.

Considering it was February, it was warmer than it was in Edinburgh last year. Plenty of pubs in close vicinity to the ground and we spotted no trouble in any of them. The fact it was the season openers made it more enjoyable as well for me.

Lived in Cardiff for a year back in the early 90s, and it is indeed the wettest, windiest and coldest city I've ever visited. And I come from Manchester.

As a city though, found it fairly pleasant, even if it was next to impossible to find RL coverage or publications back then.

CARDIFF? That is the worst spelling on Manchester I have ever seen.

Thoroughly enjoyed it.

First time we've been and I'd definitely go again. Watched all the games apart from most of the Quins v Cats game as it was a bit dull, but especially enjoyed all the fans mingling together.

Only able to do the Saturday this time due to work commitments of 2 of our group, but a good day in Cardiff (as was in 2007 and 200icon_cool.gif, a win for the Cockney boys, a trip to Barry Island in the morning for coffee at Marco's caff ( as seen in Gavin and Stacey), great to mix with all the different sets of fans in a great city, wish a few more of the stay at home moaners would get off their backsides and give it a try !

Considering how tight money is for folk at the moment I think getting a bigger gate than in Edinburgh isn't bad going. Harlequins offer a half price MM ticket for Season Ticket holders,do any of the other clubs do anything similar? Or subsidised travel?

If I have one gripe this time (and its only one) its the lack of much in the way of veggie food in the stadium - it seemed the veggie option was a cheese and onion pasty or bugger off! Not asking for much but somewhere doing chips or a magherita pizza (like in 2007) would have been good.

Will be back in 2012 if MM stays in Cardiff!!

Enjoyed it as always having good banter & sing along with the Hudds/Cas/Wire fans outside the pubs & in the stadium

Hotel was fine even if it was 3 miles out of Cardiff & a £15 taxi fare


Entertainment was poor,Normally like to watch the Mascot games but was disappointed with that.

Overall fully enjoyed it but not sure if we will go again as Wakey won't be in SL

I think I read that under 5% of the whole population of the UK are vegetarians.

When you consider how few people actually went to the event I think one cheese and onion pasty could probably have fed all of you.

For breakfast, lunch AND dinner.

Both days.

Southern Jessie

Which city is your current mental instituition in now phipps?

I'm assuming you make yourself laugh.

It was brilliant, Good rugby, plenty of Ale, good friends and made really welcome. Whats not to enjoy about being away and watching Rugby League.
Come with us next year and we'll show you how to have fun

For me the weekend has to have several different things to succeed.

Continuity - Cardiff is the only stadium big enough with a roof that eliminates weather risk and the location is ideal. I'll try to put a post up on here of all available hotels in towns, cities for 20 miles around Cardiff with good transport links. Every little helps.

Marketing - The RFL need to spend money advertising and marketing the game down here. Even if it needs Alfie and Iestyn to go into schools, and I mean literally every one, giving them a 2 for 1 voucher with a child attending the match for free with a full paying adult. They could also show them a quick video and get them excited for the event. These tickets could be for the top tier that was shut this weekend so no loss on that front.

Change TV schedule - Put only the last games of each day on Sky. Maybe give Sky some money to make it worthwhile. This should encourage more people to stay in the stadium. It would also mean more travel down to see the game I feel. At the moment with all 7 games on staying at home and watching it in the comfort of your front room is an easy option.

Yes I agree.



No offence but have you actually ever been to Cardiff? I recall you didn't even know there was more than one main exit from Cardiff Central train station and also that you didn't think many people from 'the valleys' tend to get off at Queen St rather than Central. Do you know the area at all?



No they don't. You could market RL as much as you want in South Wales and the locals won't want to know about it. Well certainly not enough to justify the outlay. As we know the populace of South Wales failed to embrace the Celtic Crusaders- thats despite them being put almost straight into Super league. And how many bona fide South Walians attended Millennium Magic? You could send Tom Jones and St David himself into the schools armed with freebie tickets and it wouldn't work. And what video would you show them to get them 'excited'? And why would you give away free tickets to an area that offers a better view of things than the ones that people have actually paid for? Not really fair is it?



So if I live in the far north of Scotland or somewhere miles away and I'm forking out £40+ a month for my SkySports package to watch Rugby League yet the only games of the magic weekend I could have watched were Hull FC v Hull KR and St Helens v Wigan am I going to be impressed?

2 games out of 7 available ones for me to watch on Sky does not represent good value for money.


You havent thought your ideas through have you?

Pmsl oh Phipps my dear lad I think cru has probably been to Cardiff more than a few times

PHIPPS - you actually managed to start a sensible, indeed good, thread. Don't derail your own efforts by rerunning yours and Cru's boring and interminable argument over Cardiff. Otherwise I'd be forced to take some sort of moderating action (and that applies to Cru as well)