We're visting London in March 8-10, 2007 - staying at Hotel Vicarage, near to Hyde Park. No professional soccer games during the dates when we're in London. What about rugby? Suggestions for best stadium/ rugby club to see a game?
Gohedwig

gohedwig,

According to the fixture lists there will be 2 Championship matched played in London on March 10;

Crystal Palace v Leicester
Queen's Park Rangers v Sheffield Wednesday

The Championship is the division below the Premiership. If you're prepared to go down another division to League 1, you could also go to Millwall v Carlisle.

Jim

I had no idea that Queens Park Rangers and Sheffied Wednesday had Rugby teams!!

Jim - This is great information. How do I find directions / purchase tickets to either match - they're located in London? I'll be near to the High Street Kensington tube station. Thanks for your help
Gohedwig

On March 10, Harlequins are at home to Wasps in the Guiness Premiership, while in National League 1, London Welsh play host to Sedgley Park.
For tickets visit
http://www.seatbooker.net/quins/union/index.html (requires a login to buy, but not to view)
OR
http://www.london-welsh.co.uk/

For Place and QPR - just turn up. Neither will be sold out. The same goes for the rugger buggers.

Crystal Palace is NOT in Crystal Palace, nor despite the Ground being called Selhurst Park is it in Selhurst! Get the train to Thornton Heath and follow the crowds, it's a bit of a trek, but it is the easiest way.

For QPR go by tube to either Shepherds Bush and walk down the Uxbridge Rd, to South Africa Rd - the stadium is impossible to miss as it has great big floodlight towers. Alternatively get of at white City and walk up South Africa Rd (past my office and the BBC).

I would recommend the Shepherds Bush option as there are restaurants and pubs there - the White City route takes you past only the Springbok pub, which is pretty ropey. The White Horse in Uxbridge Rd is popular with home fans.

rugger buggers?

Buggers who play rugger.

As opposed to the "good listeners" who watch it.

FA Cup quarter finals will be played on that weekend:
Arsenal or Blackburn v Manchester City
Chelsea v Tottenham
will be in London. But forget about getting a ticket - both will sure to be a sell-out to regular supporters and no general sale will be made.

You might just stand a chance with the Gooners - they aren't selling out the Cradle of Filth.

As for Chelsea v Spurs - not a chance (and you'd be taking your life in your hands anyway). I'll be going, although I can't say I'm optimistic.

Thanks for your help
So, you think I'll be able to get tickets for:
Crystal Palace v Leicester or
Queen's Park Rangers v Sheffield Wednesday
Buy tickets at stadium?
Gohedwig

Or for a day trip, why not try Plymouth Argyle v Watford? [only kidding]

This is all new to me - I wouldnt know the difference beween any of the matches
Where do you find a list of these matches any way?

Gohedwig

Hi, gohedwig,

FA cup [soccer's premier knock-out trophy in the UK and possibly the world] draw for the quater finals was made today - so fairly easy to find. [always supposing you know about the FA cup, I suppose.]

Otherwise, you could go onto the BBC sport web-site and do some surfing on up-coming events, or e-mail a tourist board and ask for sports being palyed in their area.

Google is good!

Given the attitude of most football [that is, soccer fans] I'd opt for the rugby option. Quins v wasps would be fun.

Good luck!

We're definitely going to a rugby match. What's the big difference in fans and fun betwen a rugby and football match?

Gohedwig

That is a 6 nations rugby weekend, but unfortunately England doesn't play till Sunday. There are 2 televised games on Saturday- one being Scotland-v- Ireland. It would be quite fun to find a Scots pub or an Irish pub and watch the game on telly.

Because it is an International weekend, most of the First class games are off. Quins is the only premier game in London that weekend.

If you go down a League London Welsh are at home as well.

It's very hard to describe the difference between teh good natured drunken banter you get from rugby fans, and the drunken total warfare you get from football fans. An outsider might struggle to see the differences.

But, trust me, you'll have abetter experience with the rugby types.

The old saying is that soccer is a game for gentlemen played by hooligans, and rugger is a game for hooligans played by gentlemen. I couldn't possibly comment, being a rowing man myself.

Given the attitude of most football [that is, soccer fans] I'd opt for the rugby option. Quins v wasps would be fun.>>>>>>

This is complete cobblers. The supporters of QPR or Palace are hardly hard-core hoolies (Leicester have a bit of a reputation though). I have been going to football since 1968 and I have never been in a fight that I didn't want to be in.

However I have been attacked and annoyed more times than I care to remember by pissed-up MPS tossers in Putney on rugby international days (and I can categorically state that not one of them would last five minutes at the Lane).

Rugby supporters are unbelievably unacceptable. Most of them are closet cases that want to show other men their willies and bums, and the rest are psychopathic drunkards.

If you want a laugh and a bit of a sing and a few pints - go to football. If you want someone to put their willy in your beer or throw up in your hat - go to rugby.

not at all prejudiced against rugby supporters then audere?

how many fights were you in that you wanted to be in?

and what is an MPS tosser?

Yours in spurs,

Ann

Can I just say...hahahahahaha.

It is funny, but also untrue. I'm both a football fan and a rugby fan, and the fact is you can actually have a better day out at the rugby. It's a far more relaxed atmosphere, and especially for the uninitiated (as I think the original poster is), far more fun.
I paid my first visit to Twickenham a few weeks ago for the Scotland game, and I was worried I might not make it past GSTQ, never mind have my ears assualted with 80 minutes of chinless Nigels singing 'swing low..'

But it was actually a brilliant day out (ignoring the result).

My advice to the original poster...if you can get a ticket for a 'big' football game...ie. one of the cup-ties, then go. But if not, then give QPR and Palace a miss and go and have a few pints at Quins - Wasps.
You'll enjoy it far more, and it'll be a better atmosphere as well.