Worth watching this week, Sale Sharks v Exeter Chiefs. Not so much for Good Friday's game as the welcome the Chiefs' chief executive (a case of too many chiefs?) Tony Rowe will receive at Stockport following his remarks about Edgeley Park. "I'm going to Sale on Friday and I'm not really looking forward to sitting in a tired old stadium where you've got to hold your nose when you go to the toilet," he said.

Great to see folk in rugby union doing their best to dispel the upper-middle class snobbish stereotype.

How did Sale's plan to sell out the Reebok Stadium go? I haven't seen much about it in the press.

16,000 on and the blame laid firmly at the door of United and City for having the nerve to reach the FA cup semis on the same weekend. As I posted on the union thread:

I think the United v City semi-final is a bit of a red herring. 90,000 capacity at Wembley. 45,000 each for City and United. United get Over 75,000 every week and City over 45,000. 30,000 fans who didn't have tickets to watch their club this weekend. Add in to the equation the 6.8 million people in the North West. Sale Sharks got 16,000 for the only professional game of top flight rugby union in the entire north of England. 16,000 for a game Mick Hogan and his team marketed the hell out of. 16,000 for a game that the club (Brian Kennedy) threw plenty of money at. Maybe Mr Kennedy was right and union really is dying in up north.

Its 35k each.

What you have to remember is even the people at home will want to watch it on tv and be in the pubs etc. not wanting to go and watch salford or sale.

Super. Massive own goal from Sale RU.

No doubt they will be claiming it was a massive success though.
I bet there were literally thousands of corporate giveaways as well.

I see it as a success because they are still stronger than Salford or any other RL club around Manchester.

Which other rugby league clubs around Manchester?

As I posted on union thread, friend who went said it didn't look like 16,000 were on. Dids posted much the same. I was invited and would have attended but the distance stopped me going.

I don't think getting bigger crowds than Oldham, Rochdale and Swinton would be much for Sale to brag about.

That said, 16,000 is more than I expected. But then Fulham RL got something like 15,0000 for their first ever game, and have almost never come near to that figure again. Novelty value will always add a few thousand curious bods.

Exactly.

When announced I expected them to sell-out. Only my opinion but I think Sale Sharks and the RFU are very disappointed with the turnout.

A lad I know who works at the Reebok said there were no more than 10k.

It was a success. They normally get less than 7,000.

Surely it will be truly judged as a success if they can keep those newcomers. The next home fixture will be interesting.

My brother plays Union (lack of league team in Southport) and we were at his cup final in Eccles last weekend. One of the prizes on the raffle was a pair of tickets to Salford (think this was the second prize, with the first I think being a pair of tickets for United), I presume it was the City Reds but there was no mention of code or even sport. Had a little chuckle at the idea of them having tickets to a football match and a league match rather than a Union match as a prize!!

Good set-up at Southport RU.

Yup, both my younger brothers, one of my cousins and my uncle all play there. When you see some of the facilities at other clubs though it could do with some money being spent!

Dad and grandad both Sandgrounders and believe me, there used to be plenty of money going through that club.

Sergio Ramos-genius
Search REAL MADRID DROPS COPA DEL REY TROPHY on YouTube.

what's a good time for 3 of us to get in the south stand tomorrow to ensure a decent (or at least non-horrible) seat. 2ish?

Quote ="Catalancs"Sergio Ramos-genius Search REAL MADRID DROPS COPA DEL REY TROPHY on YouTube.'" news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13155619.stm

Quote ="Catalancs"Sergio Ramos-genius Search REAL MADRID DROPS COPA DEL REY TROPHY on YouTube.'" news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/13155619.stm

Couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke. Gillipollas.

Last home game of the season for Sale Sharks yesterday coming off the back of their big game at the Reebok. As well as the longer-serving Charlie Hodgson and Chris Jones, there were several other players making their final home appearances for Sale Sharks against Exeter Chiefs on Friday afternoon. They included Chris Bell, Carl Fearns and Eifion Lewis Roberts.
I said their next home game would be the true test of whether the Bolton experiment had been a success or not. Average attendance at Edgeley Park has been around 7,400 this season so it was interesting to see what effect the 'rugby at the Reebok' factor would have.
7,482 turned up, oh and they lost.

www.bbc.co.uk/later/ skip to 28.45 Check out this band on Jools Holland... what does everyone think? Original or poop? Or both?

www.bbc.co.uk/later/ skip to 28.45 Check out this band on Jools Holland... what does everyone think? Original or poop? Or both?

Different, would like to see more but liked it.