: Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:21 pm  

Wigan for a cert, likely Leeds and Donny and I dare say Huddersfield as well. Still in two minds about the game in June, having forked out to go to Toulouse in April. Best geet saving up

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:26 pm  

saints35 bulls0 wrote:

England should be playing Australia in London at one of the football grounds.

Which major football ground? what premiership soccer club in their right mind are going to allow their £M pitch to be used by RL?

If you are going to use places like Loftus Road (a dump with poor facilities) Brentford (poor transport) Charlton (again poor transport) they don't offer a great deal more that The Stoop either capacity wise, facilities wise or in terms of RL connections.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:55 pm  

Big Graeme wrote:

Which major football ground? what premiership soccer club in their right mind are going to allow their £M pitch to be used by RL?

If you are going to use places like Loftus Road (a dump with poor facilities) Brentford (poor transport) Charlton (again poor transport) they don't offer a great deal more that The Stoop either capacity wise, facilities wise or in terms of RL connections.

Wigan when it suits.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 1:59 pm  

Agent Mulder wrote:

Wigan when it suits.

Perhaps that's why Hull hasn't been chosen to host a game.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 2:18 pm  

Agent Mulder wrote:

Wigan when it suits.

At least they have a ground capable of holding a test match...

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 2:43 pm  

Big Graeme wrote:

Which major football ground? what premiership soccer club in their right mind are going to allow their £M pitch to be used by RL?

If you are going to use places like Loftus Road (a dump with poor facilities) Brentford (poor transport) Charlton (again poor transport) they don't offer a great deal more that The Stoop either capacity wise, facilities wise or in terms of RL connections.

The Valley is 27,100 capacity which would have been a realistic target for an England -v- Aus game (more than it will get in Wigan), and is a perfectly suitable stadium for such a game.

Also Craven Cottage is a 22,200 capacity which would have been ok too.

Loftus Road and Griffin Park wouldnt be big enough, and as you say are complete dumps.

For the Aus v NZ game they could go all radical and have a double header at Eastlands along with England v France (the 2 games which are likely to get the lowest crowds).

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 2:54 pm  

saints35 bulls0 wrote:

The Valley is 27,100 capacity which would have been a realistic target for an England -v- Aus game (more than it will get in Wigan), and is a perfectly suitable stadium for such a game.

Also Craven Cottage is a 22,200 capacity which would have been ok too.

Loftus Road and Griffin Park wouldnt be big enough, and as you say are complete dumps.

I thought the discussion concerned Australia vs. New Zealand? If so, I think the Stoop is a very good choice, albeit a drop in capacity after they filled Loftus Road a few years back.

saints35 bulls0 wrote:

For the Aus v NZ game they could go all radical and have a double header at Eastlands along with England v France (the 2 games which are likely to get the lowest crowds).

I think the idea is to capitilise on London's Antiopdean population, although I do agree they could have been a little more ambitious in their choice of venues and maybe tried Eastlands or even Blackburn for one of the games.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:07 pm  

roughyedspud wrote:

can't believe the australia v NZ game is at the 12,000 capacity stoop?? wtf is that all about? it's way too small...

as for the other venues...i and most of us predicted them,abit disappointed they chose elland road over eastlands though

Its not even 12,00 if you kook on the ticket page on of the stands behind the sticks is closed.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:10 pm  

af wrote:

London a RU stronghold? Hmm...

err...yes. They play it at Twickenham all the time, getting their biggest crowds there.

Put it this way, it's like Rugby League holding a game at Old Trafford. There are tonnes of teams close by enough to travel without making a whole day of it, but none in the exact postcode.

: Mon Feb 23, 2009 3:14 pm  

af wrote:

Harlequins RU can get 50k to Twickenham, but we haven't the bottle or the nous for one England game outside the north? Sad.

Ye thats why the RU are staging a test match at OT in june