There'll be much bigger crowds at both football matches than at the rugger. And a lot less knob-jockery.

Also no one will try to touch your winkie at the footie.

Great help!
So, the consensus for March 10th is either:

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

Tickets sold out at this point - how do I find out?

Gohedwig

What a bad idea:(

http://www.cpfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page...,10323,00.html

http://www.swfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page...,10304,00.html

(there's nothing on the QPR site)

That's interesting. They've obviously got a template web site.

I'm delighted to say that my team has nothing so crass. AND they beat Brechin in the semi-final of the cup tonight (the Forfarshire cup, that is:))

Shame about the rugby. You'd have enjoyed it.

Just to clarify, gohedwig, since the posters here seem to be presuming a level of local knowledge you may not possess (seeing your "we're definitely going to a rugby match" comment): neither the QPR or Crystal Palace games are rugby; they're soccer.

These teams play one division down from the Premier, but are still highly competitive; they're not like American minor league baseball games.

In Britain the "schedule" is known as the "fixture list" or "fixture", which will be helpful to know if you're googling. Try either the BBC Sport, Skysports, or Soccernet sites will help you.

The FA Cup games people are talking about are also soccer, but are a separate competition than the Premier; and as they say tickets will be scarce. You can get Chelsea-Spurs tickets from an online broker for USD 400 or more. Each.

The Guinness Premiership (Wasps at Harlequins) and the Six Nations tournament are rugby, Rugby Union to be precise. You'll have to get someone else to explain what the difference between Rugby Union and Rugby League is; I haven't a clue. The Harlequins game will be played at The Stoop in Twickenham, near (but not the same as) the larger Twickenham Stadium. Twickenham rail (not tube) station, on the Reading-Waterloo line, is where to get off. You'll have to change at Richmond tube station (or walk a mile from Hounslow Central tube station).

Neither Palace nor QPR will be sold out - just rock up on the day and pay at the door.

BTW there is a Rugby League team in london (I think it's called Harlequins - it's been called a lot of things).

If you do have to go and see rugby (and really it's unwatchable nonsense) - league is WAY more watchable than Union - and you will get the rules quicker as it shares a basic structure with American football (6 tackles vs 4 Downs).

The fans aren't as irritating either.

I'm told that Union is more fun to play though.

Grrr!!

Just because the Scots can't play football.

Having said that the funniest thing I've seen at a sporting event is that chicken thing that brings out the thing that the kickers put the ball on.

BTW - completely off topic: Do the Corries get royalties for Flower of Scotland?

Can't be bothered googling this, but I'd never really twigged before that they play football at Eton ("what we did to skive off games" being a more common feature of conversation than "games we played at school")

But among my godchildren, KCS Wimbledon and Sevenoaks (which both get A level or IB results that knock that North Portsmouth Comprehensive where Audere failed to learn Latin into a cocked hat) both play rugby.

Eton; Winchester; Charterhouse all play footer. The rules were first formalised at Uppingham, and the FA was a public school body. The OEs won the FA cup a few times.

All still have their own version of football as it was played before the rules were formalised. The Winchester version is closer to gaelic football than Rugby - Eton has it's wall game and so on.

Melvyn Bragg did a very interesting programme on this in his "12 books that changed the world" series (the book being the Laws of Association Football 1863).

Basically the older the school - the more likely it is to play the association version of the game.

Wow! You're correct - I have NO local knowledge. I'll be in London with my family for the first time. My one son is studying in London this semester - he went to a football game already. I asked him to find us a football or rugby match for when we visit from March 8-10th. Thanks for everyones' help. We're leaving for London March 7th.
Gohedwig

So, just returned fom London. Didnt't end up at a rugby match - although we thought about going a lot. Instead, on Saturday (the day of the rugby match) we ended up at Portobello Road Market and Camden Lock Market. Saturday was our third day in London - we wanted to stay in the city and not have to travel. So, thanks to everyone for their suggestions about the rugby match!! Definitely, rugby the next time.
Gohedwig