It's club before country for most RL fan including me, the franchising system has pitted clubs against clubs and RL has lost it comeradary between it's clubs supporters we once had and this has spilt over to international games. I remember going to wembley in 1990 beating the Aussies infront of alot bigger crowd than today's and there was a sense of something special we were representing RL as fans altogether. I didn't go today but international RL doesnt have be appeal it once had and modern day club rugby has damaged the game at international level in my opinion

great day that remember some of it quite well!!!!

found it hard today to get all excited, what with rangi and such, its just false, the nfl hasnt needed it to sell out wembley!
state of origin for the uk please, you know it makes sense.

Too expensive?

For me, ditch our sporting inferiority complex, ditch the whole chuffin charade, bring back GB, bring back test series, ditch franchises, bring back P&R, and give the game back to the people.

We're in no better position now, on the international stage, than we were 30 years ago, and the changes to our domestic game haven't made the slightest difference in that respect either.

on a more positive note though... ryan hall scored a brilliant first try. great finish.

Spot on the game over here actually went backwards for a while. That said I don't think the gap now is as large as we probably expected it to be. Pressure game next week v fired up kiwis will be the one where we find out what were made of

Firstly I never said anything about The game being played at wembley . I said about the small crowd. My point was it could have been planned better. More tv build up as bbc were covering it as well as sky, don't play amateur fixtures when an international is on as most clubs do trips etc. playing at wembley is good but needs to be marketed far better.

I think you make a fair point about the amateur games, but do you think it would have made a great deal of difference in this case? I get the feeling that people have lost touch with the whole international RL thing in general, but you have your finger far closer to the pulse than me here.

Thanks Rebel,

I think it makes a substantial difference, I can remember when clubs used to run two or three coaches to wembley. Often this consisted of several age groups, parents, partners etc. I just think it could of been planned much better. The PR has been poor as an example my mate rang today to ask if I was going to his firework display tonight, I said yes but would be after the rugby. His reply was what rugby is that?

I know it's a long process but maybe the RFL should work with clubs to offer some sort of add on for season tickets to say include play off games, grand final, internationals etc. or let people pay 1/4 for them etc. luckily I am financially stable but many people are out of work or had to take pay cuts so some sort of incentive or payment scheme may help. Other things like discount on hotels, travel if you book tickets etc.

On sky it showed the old tests from early nineties and it was amazing. I remember going as a kid in the eighties and buzzing at the atmosphere.

I know playing at wembley is awesome for our game but for people who are new to it or don't follow it, it doesn't look the most exciting sport with an empty stadium.

On another note the team did ok today considering we lost Ellis and graham and nearly westwoods head. I saw enough to book final tickets

That is exactly as I see it.

That was my first trip to Wembley, and what a day it was! I was also there 4 years later when Jonathan Davies scored that great try in the corner. I don't think those days will ever happen again under the current format.

Yes please !
I'd back what you're saying here 100%

I was also there for both with all of our rugby club, the juniors sat with the open age it was a great day full of banter and laughs and an awesome atmosphere. Good times

I have to say I thought it was a great effort in relation to the crowd on such a day. Those slating it and the RFL but did not attend themselves are hypocrites....its not like you did not know it was being played.

My God some of you are negative today.
I went. Had a great day.
Wales tried hard and played above their level.
England played well enough to win and that was not easy for Oz. They should have had a man in the bin at least and we should have had another try.

Crowd was never going to be a full Wembley but it was still a good number. Need to build on that.

I think we'll beat Kiwis and could win the final....though odds are of course against that.

Don't agree the Yeaman wasn't good enough. Peacock was off, Chase was awful. Drop him. Thought rest were good. Hall and Briscoe were great. Tompkins showed class. Sinfield was good but on his own at times.