You do wonder how they have the nerve to accuse us of 'stop-start' rugby, when almost every game in their top flight which I have seen this season has been scrum-collapse of scrum-penalty with the odd interlude of endless phases going nowhere.

Why 70,000 people bought tickets to that I have no idea

agreed,but impressive isn't it ?

70,000 people were there, whether 70,000 actually paid for their tickets is another question!

The Twickenham crowd was indeed impressive but the Wembley crowd was anything but. £10 adults and £25 for a family of four and yet under 40,000 on.

you can say that about most big sporting events nowadays so it's not fair to single out one event IMO

don't think it's a disasterous crowd when you consider the weather conditions plus of course the Tube Strike especially on the northern lines which must have reduced the crowd by many thousands - my mate,a Sarries season ticket holder is near High Wycombe and couldn't even get his car out of his street because of the snow etc - Boxing Day is,I think i'm right in saying,the busiest shopping day in London - imagine the traffic chaos - he did like many thousands of other fans,watched it on the telly...

Truly awful planning then.
The 38,000 crowd was the number of tickets sold not the number who actually turned up.

the Tube Strike was almost a last minute decision and hung on a judges decision regading its legality - if the judge had deemed the strike unlawful then most of the strikers would have been on duty operating a near normal situation.
Saying that,Wembley always has been a tricky place to get to

'awful planning',don't think so - there would have been a lot of neutral fans at Twickers and money is tight in most households nowadays and if you gave me the choice of a match to watch between Twickers & Wembley,I would choose the former anyday,Tube Strike or not.

Putting a game on on the busiest shopping day in London isn't bad planning? Just [iimagine the traffic chaos[/i!

Anyroad, merry christmas

no different to a local derby footie match - but ok,you win,it was a bad planning

all the best for 2011

- will you be at the TO v Catalans game ? - it usually draws a decent crowd

Go back next Tuesday but with work and other things looks like I'll only get to the Wigan game and maybe one other in June/July.

just had to announce to the RU lovers the tragedy at Welford Road he other day in the Tigers v Saints game - something never seen at a RU venue - GEORDAN MURPHY ACTUALLY MADE AN ERROR !!! he actually dropped the ball which lead to a Saints score ! - is nothing sacred ?

that's tantamount to Paul Wellens walking on water !

Charlie Hodgson off to Saracens. Going to be interesting to see how it affects Sale next season.

Seeing as though this has been quickly locked in the Virtual Terrace, I will post this here... (personally, I think that the opportunity to bring the son of a former RL national captain into the RL fold is a RL topic, I thought we were a family sport!) Post.... This is Rugby Union news but bear with me news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_u ... 352005.stm Charlie Hodgson is joining Saracens from Sale on a three year deal. Owen Farrell has been playing stand off (I cannot bring myself to say fly half... sounds rubbish) for Saracens for the past several games so obviously this is a barrier to his progress Is it worth a RL team going for him... good publicity?

Seeing as though this has been quickly locked in the Virtual Terrace, I will post this here... (personally, I think that the opportunity to bring the son of a former RL national captain into the RL fold is a RL topic, I thought we were a family sport!) Post.... This is Rugby Union news but bear with me news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_u ... 352005.stm Charlie Hodgson is joining Saracens from Sale on a three year deal. Owen Farrell has been playing stand off (I cannot bring myself to say fly half... sounds rubbish) for Saracens for the past several games so obviously this is a barrier to his progress Is it worth a RL team going for him... good publicity?

I know he's still learning his trade, but when I've seen him playing for Sarries this season he's looked very, very limited in the aspects of his game that would be under most scrutiny in League - pace, elusiveness, passing and tackling.

Got a good kicking game and an old head on his shoulders, but I'm not sure where you'd play him in a League side. Bit like a young Kevin Sinfield in some respects - not really quick enough for the halves but not big enough to be a ball carrying back rower.

There's also the appeal to him of staying at Sarries and learning from Hodgson while continuing to work with his old man that any other side would need to get over.

I have seen him play twice this year on TV and I agree, he doesn't seem to offer too much in the way of dynamic running and passing - seems content to steer the team around the pitch. Too early to tell I guess whether that is because he is still finding is confidence or it isn't in his kit bag (I suspect the latter)

He is completely different to his father at the same age isn't he - in both build and personality (on the pitch) - I would never have guessed he was Andy Farrell's son if it wasn't pointed out

Spot on... so he'll probably go on to be a future England rah rah star.

money talks - end of.

IIRC Andy has twin brothers, both bigger than him. The family connection means little.

Chris and Phil, they were in my year at school. Last I heard Phil had left Rochdale Hornets and Chris was a policeman. They'll be 30, 31 now.

Careers as international yawnion backs are imminent.

Gavin Henson placing Strictly Come Dancing above winning the Six Nations, what an utter t*t: www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/story/132356.html

Gavin Henson placing Strictly Come Dancing above winning the Six Nations, what an utter t*t: www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/story/132356.html

Quote ="Roofs"Gavin Henson placing Strictly Come Dancing above winning the Six Nations, what an utter t*t: www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/story/132356.html '" I am far from a union fan, but even to the most loyal of league supporters, you have to feel sorry for the players who play week in, week out for little credit yet this bloke is in the media every day it seems. There can be no other sportsman or woman who has had some much praise and hype for so little talent. Sham we can't swear on here...

Quote ="Roofs"Gavin Henson placing Strictly Come Dancing above winning the Six Nations, what an utter t*t: www.espnscrum.com/wales/rugby/story/132356.html '" I am far from a union fan, but even to the most loyal of league supporters, you have to feel sorry for the players who play week in, week out for little credit yet this bloke is in the media every day it seems. There can be no other sportsman or woman who has had some much praise and hype for so little talent. Sham we can't swear on here...

Yeah, just watched a DVD of Wales' 2008 Grand Slam win, get the impression that his only true talent is his goalkicking, e.g. never really see him making breaks or setting up tries.

agree with all the Henson sentiments but let's face it,he must have 'something' ! if not,why all the hype ?