Is that your whippet I can hear barking in the background

Seriously, I understand the sentiment, but Austalia v New Zealand should be London based.....even if I think we could sell 40,000 tickets to it if it was held somewhere like Stamford Bridge and not the 12,750 Stoop.

Like you thought Quins would attract 10k for Manly?

Definitely. I mentioned this in my first post - Aus v NZ in London is a perfect fit. There's probably more Antipodeans in London than RL fans in Greater Manchester. But it has to be promoted properly to at least make them aware it's taking place.

I'm just for keeping the England/GB competitive games within the heartlands where we'll get better crowds and atmosphere, and give the majority of fans who regularly attend games the chance to take in the internationals at no huge cost. For major finals, yes, perhaps Wembley, and perhaps some other venues for friendlies.

Which counts for sweet FA (pardon the pun) if they aren't RL fans.

We've never had a bad crowd when we used to have the opening match of a tour at Wembley. Mind, I'd go with you in preferring the final

You haven't a clue about the Aussie and Kiwi scene in London have you?

er....yes I did initially say 10,000 and still believe that it was realistic to attract that many if the marketing budget/machine had been available. As it is, those people who did work on it, worked bluddy hard and shoud be applauded, not riddiculed by knobs like you.

Still, 6,000 for a friendly was only 540 odd short of the Wakey crowd for a competition game and they've been at it for 136 odd years. HTH

I will openly admit now that I haven't and would be more than happy to be enlightened.

I think you got the wrong idea from my post. I'm not a knob, nor was I riddiculing what I thought was a good attendance.
I was just pointing out that you thought a 10k crowd was on the cards for the Quins-Manly match.

It is about supporting their country first and against the enemy from across the Tasman makes it more important, what shaped ball and what rules come lower down the list of priorities.

There were a number of Aussies who were at the Manly game who were attending their first game of league in either continent it was "England v Aussie" to them, oh and "an afternoon at the footie, a live band and a bar"

Not everyone has to be a died in the wool RL supporter to be attracted to the game, an NZ v Aussie game in London will sell well.