If 4 million watch on TV compared to the usual 1 to 1.5 million but the crowd is 9,000 rather than 12,000 will that be deemed a "ludicrous" failure for Rugby League?

If 4 million watch it on TV and think "wow, they can only get 9,000 for their equivalent of an FA Cup semi-final, what a tin pot sport", then yes.

Not quite sure what makes you think that moving to Friday night will suddenly attract four times the number of viewers that Saturday/Sunday afternoons do though, or that those viewers won't be RL fans who would have tuned in anyway?

don't think people are moaning about the venue as ,much as the ridiculous decision to play on a Friday night.

When did we sell out to the bbc? I must have missed that

Depends upon how old you are

If there are only 9000 there then those viewers will probably be right, and it only be our own fault. As it is, I reckon there'll be enough people there that the HJ will look full.

A Friday night prime time BBC slot between the two most attractive rugby-playing teams in the league is the best opportunity to showcase our sport that we've had in years, and still people complain. I just hope it's a good game and we don't f*ck up the opportunity.

Almost 7 million people watched Eastenders on BBC1 last Friday at 8pm. 6 million watched Corrie at 8:30pm on ITV.

The biggest Friday night audience for any other channel was 1 million for Location, Location, Location on Channel 4.

I'll be very pleasantly surprised if anything remotely close to 4 million tune in for this one, given the BBC's weekend Challenge Cup coverage normally draws less than half that number.

RU got almost 9 million when Wales played England in the 6N on a Friday night. Obviously not as big of a game but that slot clearly had a big reach as also mentioned above.

Especially with the two most attractive rugby playing teams on show...craig you are joking right?

Terrfific game. Well presented (unlike our other Friday-night games). The HJ looked good, full and atmospheric. The sport was showed off as best it could be, how the viewers react is up to them. But thank goodness we're not all eeyores who couldn't see the benefit of getting this game in this slot.

Even though we lost I thoroughly enjoyed tonight's game. I thought that we turned up tonight but were beaten, in a good clean game, by the best side in the league. Congratulations Leeds.

Saintjoel ^^^ very gracious. It was a great game in the end and its all credit to Saint because most other teams would have folded after that first 25 minutes we produced,it was faultless.However you nearly turned it round so full credit.Savelio is a great prospect,very impressed.

Excellent and Stevo-less

I really enjoyed it. Well done both teams and the BBC.

And nobody is slating the ref, thought he did very well , kept the game moving and had a good rapport with the players