Rugby!!!!!!

[Marti33]

polwarth what are you basing this on?

[Polwarth]

I'm basing it on the fact that there appear to be more professional English LEAGUE clubs than Scots. I'm not talking about Union... I know little about rugby league, except that a few years ago, the cup final for the league game was played at Murrayfield and the town was full of Northern English supporters

[Scotpix]

Correct Polwarth. Rugby League doesnt have a following in Scotland. Union does. The reason the Northern English folk were in Edinburgh was for the Rugby League Challenge Cup Final which is normally held at Wembley in London. However, that is being rebuilt and not available so in recent years the RLCCF has been played at Murrayfield, the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff and if I recall, Old Trafford in Manchester, home of Manchester United FC

Colin

http://www.scotpix.biz

[Polwarth]

Colin
Thanks for the corroboration - for an awful minute there I thought that there was a whole section of sport that I had missed....

I remember going through on the train from Kirknewton to Edinburgh on the day of that match - it was filled with families from the North of England - I seem to recall they were Bradford supporters - little kids with both their parents - nice to see such a 'family' oriented cupfinal - whatever the sport

I used to go to lots of the rugby matches at Murrayfield, but time and family make that a very rare event nowadays!

[Shandapanda]

Scotpix,
Wow!! 67,000
I don't think I have ever been to a sporting event that had that many people in attendance.
Here in San Diego we have Sports Arena for Hockey, Petco park for baseball, and Qualcome for football (American)that would 60,000 but I have never been there with that many in attendance.
The Sports Arena and Petco Park don't hold that many I don't think.
Shandapanda

[gael]

can any one explain why scotish soccer and rugby is at such a low standard in recent years? that is on an international level. because national level doesnt really count! is it due to lack of funding or what? thanks!!

[Sire-Chris]

Actually, the sport of rugby league is played unproffessionally throughout the UK and most of the major growth appears in areas outside the north of england, particularly the south east of england, so it is no more a "northern english" sport than Union is a "southern english" sport. (A few sham teams in traditionally league areas does not make it popular there.) Also, television viewing figures for club rugby league are widespread across the country and are larger than their union counterparts. It is only at international level that union outdoes league as it is played in fewer countries. (Due to it being newer, banned in the armed forces and also banned by the vichy government under the nazis in france wartime just when it was usurping union there.)

You should be interested to know that there are a few new teams in scotland, such as one Glasgow (Whos name escapes me.)