No offence taken, just think the RFL were asking a lot for northern based fans to go, as for trying to get rugby league interest in London we all know that drum has been banging long enough.
Fair play to those who made the trip.

The post isn't directed at anyone inparticular and certainly not at people like yourself.

There are an elemant of rugby league fans though that seem to want to do the international game down whilst not realising it's them that makes the game struggle at that level.

Decent crowd today but a dire turnout from up north which is dissapointing considering there was some reasonable deals on.

Wembley was almost half full today, which is amazing given the effort people had to make to actually get there, the cost and the sure fire knowledge that the home nations wouldn't win!

I went and the atmosphere was great. It was relaxed and fun and whenever possible the crowd were behind the home nation team, bar some clumps of Aussies and Kiwis. For league in the south at an international, over 42,000 is good. Apparently that is about 2000 short of the 2000 final but is higher than the 1997 test match there.

The final touch would be for England to beat the Aussies. If that happened then a lot more people would find the time and the money to travel down there. It was a great day and I'd recommend it.

Incidentally, I was impressed by the number of southern English voices I heard today. That so many southerners came to watch can only be good news for the sport.

maybe next time lets put an incentive for all SL holders to get down there. I didnt go because of the proximity with christmas, maybe the rfl can strike some sort of deal with national rail next time we push the double header!

That would have been a bad move yesterday! www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/virgintrains/ Imagine being stuck for hours on a Euston-bound train just outside Wembley!

That would have been a bad move yesterday! www.bbc.co.uk/travelnews/virgintrains/ Imagine being stuck for hours on a Euston-bound train just outside Wembley!

Amen.
Were you on the Mayfair coach (2)?

Speaking as someone who didn't use to miss an international (including the shambles of 2008 in Oz) I have just become disillusioned with "England" RL and can no longer get behind them with the same passion that I used to. I imagine I will still go to the odd game close to home but I wont be going watching them all over like I do with Wigan.

My disillusion started with the selection of Maurie Fa'asavalu and and now the selection of Rangi Chase. If Rangi Chase were to score the winning try in the final (an unlikely scenario I know) yes I would be delighted "we" won but I wouldn't help but feel it would be a hollow victory and we had cheated to do it.

I know other sports do it and the Aussies themselves constantly tap into the Fijian population but it was something I was always proud of as an RL fan that we didn't stoop to that level and I can't help feel but let down.

I think the only thing that would reignite my passion would be to stop these stupid selections and make it a truly international sport. I would love to see a return of Great Britain and an Ashes series and I think that would make me start going all over to watch them again.

I was mate.

Yourself? Some interesting characters on that coach and I always love getting 30 mins up the road to turn back round!

Good day though.

Really enjoyed the day. The crowd around me were very different to a normal league game - southern accents, mostly aged 20 - 30s, and refreshingly, plenty from the ethnic minorities. We really need to tap into these people rather than expect the week in week out crowds to be RL's only cash cow time and time again.

Oh, was Captain 13 there then..........................

Yes one of the three old barstewards sat on the back seat. I felt sorry for the three people we picked up at the service station they had a hell of a wait and then the misfortune to be sat where they were on the way back.

The IQ intelligence of Leigh was on display for all too see.