Attendances continue to be a huge talking point in the Rugby League World Cup with some fans claiming that the ticket prices are too high during a cost of living crisis and believe that this is contributing to poor attendances and a poor look for the sport.
Despite this, England’s games have attracted 84,000 people at three different stadiums with 43,000 fans at St James’ Park for their first game, 23,000 fans for their second game in Bolton whilst yesterday 18,000 fans watched them score 17 tries against Greece at Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane.
That followed on from the 14,000 fans at Leeds Rhinos’ Headingley Stadium for New Zealand vs Ireland which is the fourth highest attendance of the tournament beating out the 13,000 fans who went to the same stadium in week one for Australia vs Fiji.
The only other game to record five figures is Tonga vs Papua New Guinea at St Helens’ Totally Wicked Stadium with 10,000 going to the home of the Super League Champions.
Sadly, last night’s game at St Helens didn’t draw quite as good of a crowd with around half of that number taking their seats to watch World Cup holders Australia plough through Italy.
5,586 fans were in attendance to see Australia’s last group game and Italy’s last game of the tournament, but it was a busy day of sport with two other games taking place in the World Cup as well as a day full of football which rivalled this 19:00 kick-off with Liverpool and Leeds United butting heads at Anfield shortly after.
