An absolute farce of a decision. But given the RFL don’t do logic, I’d say it was very predictable they’d choose a venue that first of all didn’t suit all four teams involved and secondly didn’t make the most of the chance to get as many supporters in as possible.

Castleford are getting more fans into the Jungle than we’re going to have for a Challenge Cup semi final at Leigh. What’s the rationale behind that?

The lucky fans who are able to get a ticket will get the chance to watch two matches I assume, one of which doesn’t even involve the team they support. All this while there’ll be hundreds, or even thousands more fans, unable to get in to see their team.

Think of a venue they could’ve picked, geographically and one where they could’ve maximised fan attendance and I think you’ll be hard pushed to find a more bizarre choice.

Absolutely bonkers the people are running our game. No wonder we’ve developed into a tin pot sport.

Well Headingley must have been fairly cheap as they used it for most matches

The reason people are moaning is they've waited 15 months to go to a game and now vast majority of pass holders won't be able to go due to a joke of a allocation, that's the thanks the fans get who paid they're pass money for nothing

3,000 capacity is OK.....? For a semi final between 4 teams You having a laugh

I agree our ground is too small when it's 10k or 25% of the capacity. But surely it should be 1200 fans from each club, then after the 1st S/F all fans must leave. it just doesn't make sense. I guess if the pitch at Wigan Athletics ground wasn't being relaid, the semi's would have been held there. And they have 2 trains stations, we have none.

I would say the reason Headingley is not considered, is because Yorkshire have a CC fixture there on that weekend. As for other Football stadia, perhaps pitch maintenance is a factor.

And what if Headingley wasn't available, have you considered that?

Your pass pays for home Super League games and not Challenge Cup Semi-Finals, so that has no relevance here.

It is simply a very poor decision by the RFL to hold the semi finals at Leigh and its decisions like this and these thought processes that think it would be OK that hold the sport back.

If the press release is to be believed and the semi finals had been scheduled for this date over 6 months ago then surely someone somewhere within the RFL would have come up with 2 options with respect of possible lockdown scenario's.

The first option being if there were still strict restrictions in the place and the second option being if the restrictions had been eased to allow fans to attend.

The other issue I have with the RFL statement such as 'Several stadiums were considered based on being a neutral venue for the 4 Semi Finalists, being available on June 5, being able to host Rugby League, being geographically located somewhere accessible for the fans who would want to attend', hell fire Southampton is geographically located somewhere that's accessible, its even got a train station unlike Leigh. You would think they would look for somewhere more central rather than a stadium a stones throw from 3 teams who had a very real chance of reaching the semi's in Wigan, St's & Warrington.

As for the idea of a triple header for me the jury's out on this as to why they feel it was such a good idea or to suggest this to the BBC for the coverage. The football season is over when the Semi finals take place and feel the RFL once again have missed the chance by a country mile to really promote the sport to a new audience.

But even ignoring the above the biggest thing for me looking at it is, this is the sports prestigious competition at the Semi Final stage and the RFL seem to think a fitting venue to hold such an event is the Leigh Sports Village!!! That for me just sums up why the game is falling on its backside.

Can you ever imagine the FA holding the FA Cup Semi Finals at Blackpools Bloomfield Road or Oxfords Kassam Stadium for example? Not even the League Two Play-Offs would be held at venues like that as the FA regard their product highly and as such for prestige events they select venues fitting of the occasion..

If it wasn’t for fans individual love of their clubs, I think many would walk away from the game.

Triple header at a small stadium, and 100 miles away from one of the clubs?
Okay then

Never mind. The RFL have arranged pizza, and an advert on a Stobart truck for the games as well.

Restricted stadium capacities are based on seating, Headingley has around 14000 seats, making a limit of 3500.

So, around 120 more tickets per club.

(And Leigh has hosted a semi before - in 2016)

(And, of course, so has Doncaster a couple of times.)

No one has yet suggested a better venue that:

Was available
Wanted to host the game
Did not require a non-refundable deposit
Would break even despite reduced crowds

Tell me where you would have hosted the games?

Leigh is a standard Super League stadium, not the best but certainly not the worst. It might not be that attractive to a neutral but let's be honest neither is Huddersfield, Hull or Headingley.

As another poster alluded to earlier (can’t find the post now) this decision appears to me, to benefit Leigh because they do not get direct Super League funding. If this is the case, then heyho.
No matter where the semis are played, plenty of fans will be disappointed at not getting a ticket. I’ve resigned myself to watching it on tv.
I was very angry and bemused at this decision at first, although still very disappointed you have to respect the reasons and the cause, BLOODY COVID.

FWIW, the John Smith's Stadium is a Covid Vaccination centre and the Giants first home game isn't scheduled until June 11th.

Off the top of my head, in the north over 20k capacity.

Headingly
DW Stadium
Bolton
Old Trafford
Etihad
Hillsborough
Bramall Lane
KC Stadium
Anfield
Goodison Park
Ewood park
Valley Parade
John Smiths

Hell, the RFL own Odsal, I dont know its current state but if they have been planning it that long maybe that could be made ready.

Are we saying none of these stadiums are available ?

Yes let's spend a few 100k on Old Trafford or Anfield to play a game in front of 10k fans and make a massive loss, at least those 10k fans will look great on TV for the national audience

In order to schedule a game at most of those stadia it would have to booked months in advance as football clubs carry out their maintenance in the summer, not sure it would have been responsible for the RFL to book one not knowing if any fans could attend, turned out to be a wise decision because only 10k fans max could attend and they would have lost a fortune.