Plenty of discussion to be had on the game itself, but just wanted highlight what a success hosting the game at Wembley has been. It has really felt like a proper international event today, and not a half-assed one held in a provincial town. The atmosphere was slow to start, but really built up as the fans started to believe that England could do it. The game was a great contest and if that was your first taste of live RL I'm sure you'd have been hooked.

Time to make Wembley a permanent fixture on the international calender, let's keep building until we sell the place out!

Agree.

I also hope this convinces the RFL that a double header for a semi final is a good idea. The Challenge Cup semis as a double header at somewhere like Etihad with months of build up could be a huge event.

What was the attendance? I didn't hear it called.

It was a great occasion but it's gutting we are going to have to wait at least 8 years until we can have a game over here with a similiar magnitude.

We're just waiting for William to watch the replay of the game and finish counting heads and tell us the true figure.

England-Australia is still a big draw, we just need to spend months if not a full year marketing it properly

It's won't be a world cup game though



Also, do we have a 4 nations down under next year?

That will be another acid test of our alleged recent progress as we have often been able to hold own when we play in our backyard.

67 500

Just announced:

67,545

Heart breaking to lose in such a fashion but it was a fantastic advert for Rugby League. Other than the result I don't think we could have asked for a greater spectacle.

67,500 turned up which is great. Much improved on the last double header. The only problem now is how do the RFL make the most of it moving forward. We need to have a big match played against some good quality opposition with a lot of marketing to perhaps pull in the crowds like that again and make Wembley a regular fixture for international RL. Playing games against the exiles or france and wales etc just isn't competitive enough to keep people interested.

A really positive day for RL. The majority of what I have seen from the trends on twitter (yes Rugby League trended!..) was nothing but praise for the game and a lot of people who had no idea about the rules etc and had never seen RL before but where enjoying it. The odd comment from League hating unionites but you can't please everyone.

Time to completely scrap internationals AGAINST nz/oz at DW, galpharm and KC.

It yells small time. If that semi had have been played at any of the stadiums mentioned above, it wouldn't have been anything as good a game today. Wembley made it an occasion and the players rose.

When the four nations come over here we can play the fouth nation at a smaller venue, OZ at Wembley for double header, NZ at Elland Road (I know it's a crap stadium but we always fill it) and the final at Etihad.

England's game should have been second........the only negative from the day is that 20,000+ haven't stuck around to see Australia beat Fiji by the same score or more than 2008........

What a magnificent game of rugby that was. Such a difficult result to stomach but the English team played as well as I have seen for a long time

Anybody criticising individual players or even individual plays should take a step back and recognise a committed and skillful team effort that came up heartbreakingly short

Great entertaining game, despite the end result.

As skipper, should Sinfield not have shouted 'right lads, one minute left so STAY AWAY FROM BLOODY HEADS'

The Sport was the winner today, I've been in contact with several friends who don't normally give rat's a*** about this great game, who watched the match today and games over the past few weekends, who are now hooked. One family who live in Dundee are now planning to travel down and watch at least one game a month next season.

Tell them they are more than welcome at the Shay.

I've convinced them that Headingley is the place.

Best RL game I've seen in the flesh - Gutted but proud

The one thing that let today down was the scheduling of the England match for TV. From the spectators perspective the Australia v Fiji match should have been the warm up game to the main event. As it happended half the crowd left after the first game and there was a constant stream leaving throughout the one-sided second game. Even I left more than 10 minutes from the end.


Oh, a second thing! The ridiculous loud racket put out over the PA everytime Australi scored - it got louder and louder as the crowd dispersed (whether because of a change in acoustics or upping the volume, I'm not sure). In the end it got too much and was one reason for leaving early. Please, please if you're going to play this inane rubbish RFL tone it down next time!

The acoustics were the only downside today, never heard a word clearly.

The PA announcer is absolutely terrible, his voice pitch is too high. God knows why the RFL keep using him.

I make you about right there Richie, absolute cracker of a game!

I have said this on another thread but well said, gutted.

Let's hope the final is a great game.
If it's half as good as the England game I will be happy

The greatest game of international Rugby that I have seen in my life. I've watched both codes.
There needs to be an international at wembley every year, properly promoted it would grow just like it has the last two occasions. I'm truely proud of the players thank you too to the much maglined England coach. Wembley rocked today with a huge mix of folk and lots of England Rugby Union shirts.
Work it out all you people in the north, no London no Rugby League!!!!!!!