If you're thinking of staying over for the Grand Final, prepare for a big hit financially. The hotel prices are eye-watering. The reason: the rugby union world cup.

England play Uruguay at the Manchester City ground on the same day and most places are full.

Maybe I'm cynical, but I'm convinced it's a deliberate ploy by the rugby union to take the gloss off the Grand Final. The only group match being played in Manchester is a non-event but bound to attract a crowd, and on the same day as the Grand Final.

Haven't the RU World Cup fixtures been out for about 2 years?

I think they may have also scheduled the final, to clash and detract from ENG v NZ in Hull

The RFU do have form for this. Whenever the season launch takes places for the Super League, there is usually a big union announcement.

Two questions, I guess.

Why did the RFU choose the second Saturday in October for the only game to be played in Manchester in the whole rugby union world cup? In the earlier fixture releases, it was "England v Play-off winners". England against minnows but guaranteed that Manchester will be fawning over the rugby world cup.

Secondly, why didn't the RFL take that into account and have the Grand Final a week later? You trying get a hotel in Manchester now for the Grand Final. Unless you want to pay £300 for one night in an Ibis.

The Grand Final will have a far bigger crowd and Manchester will be awash with RL fans as it always will. A yawnion match over the other side of the side will take no gloss off our showpiece.

Leeds and Wigan fans don't have far to travel anyway, so hotels shouldn't really be an issue.

Why should it worry rugby league supporters that another sport is playing a game the same
day? After all matches are regularly played when MUFC play and they get best part of 80,000 every home match. Not sure what percentage of RL fans would stay in a hotel when they could be home in an hour?

The RWC game was arranged months before the GF so you aren't cynical for thinking it's a deliberate ploy, just paranoid. Still, if it makes RL look like the victim (again), you crack on

Hotels in Cardiff are charging £699 for rooms that normally go for abut £80 during RUWC. There is a bit of controversy down there about the extent of the over-charging. One woman is offering to a room in her house for free to NZers. If there were more people like her the rip off would soon stop.

i wonder if any RU fans are discussing a conspiracy?

After all, the GF was scheduled after their game was announced. From memory there was 2 more games planned for Old Trafford but they backed out worried about damage to the pitch and City couldn't fit another date in.

However I should mention that Manchester council are planning a fan zone in Albert Square, showing the RU match live on big screens and the newly expanded Eithad has been sold out for months.

Personally I think it will be a great night with Manchester filled with rugby fans from both codes having a party rather than the usual soccer riot.

People getting ripped off in Cardiff? Get away!

The controversy being not the rip-off but the extent if it!

www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... guide.html. interesting read

www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... guide.html. interesting read

If I go to the GF I'll bear that in mind. Would probably stay over in Wigan anyway.

I don't think it is a conspiracy on why both games are being played on the same day. The Premier League are on international break so both stadiums are available that weekend. TV interests, for both competitions, Sky in Super League's case and ITV and their global broadcast partners for the RWC would dictate the games being played on a Saturday.

What's the problem- it's Manchester- get the train home!!!

What's the problem- it's Manchester- get the train home!!!

Most RL fans travel to Manchester and then home again on the same day. I appreciate that some prefer to stay over. The RFU have tried to sell ticket nationwide but I'll bet many fans in attendance at the Etihad will be rich middle class types from the home counties and surrounding areas. Many will travel on the train or in cars. I know that United's stadium isn't sited in the most salubrious area but City's ground is in a far rougher area. I reckon most England RU fans can't get out of the place quick enough.

Yeah,and what if you don*t live within the Northern Corridor?

The vast majority of fans do though.......

And if you think that First Transpennine have some sort of master plan to cope with an influx of supporters, you're going to be seriously disappointed.

The way that they handled the RLWC Final crowds was an absolute shambles.

The benefits of privatisation to the fore. You KNOW the right wing apologists will support the lack of service to the customer, as long as the imaginary concept of PROFIT at all costs is the reason.
The entire First group is the worst aspect of privatisation failing to provide, except to the lazy,get something for nothing, sponging shareholders, a service that is customer led.

I'm sure we will cope.

Same with Northern Rail. I quite often go to Liverpool on a Friday or Saturday night and get the last train home. It is invariably over crowded and often the police won't let it leave the station until they've added another couple of carriages, happens all the time. God knows what the situation will be in Manchester that evening. Last grand final they couldn't cope and we ended up missing our train home. It's only going to be worse this year with a RU international on the same day.

You might get somewhere off the Rochdale metro line like the holiday inn in newton Heath.