JonM

None of which changes the likelihood of whether the person next to you reads the Daily Mail or not. The Mail's circulation is down 60% in a decade and continues to fall year on year. It's become the best-selling tabloid because it's not falling as rapidly as the Sun and the Mirror, and that's largely because of the age of its readership. The mailonline is, of course, a different matter - it's a very significant player in online news, particularly of the celeb/gossip variety. The majority of its website views are outside the UK, and so it does have a fair bit of RL content - 5 NRL stories today, for example.

Few random thoughts from last night. Great to see Billy Boston still able to attend games at the age of 90. Great to see so many ex-players sat in the crowd and taking the time to pose for photos with kids. Where I was sat, the crowd was mostly families, mix of Wigan and Hull KR supporters and all perfectly civil. Absolutely cracking atmosphere too, even at the final whistle the Hull KR fans were really loud.

I was on the halfway line, but right down at the front - quite impressive to see the hailstones bouncing off the pitch. I think those criticising the attacking play of both sides might need to take the conditions into account a bit more.

With 65 million people in the UK, it seems over 98% likely that they're NOT a daily mail reader? The Mail's proposed cost-cutting measures earlier in the year reportedly included their rugby union correspondent as a position that was no longer required. It didn't happen, but the fact that it was under consideration suggests to me that the days of Sale v Newcastle games getting column inches won't be around for much longer.

Yeah, I don't think that gives Wigan's defence the credit it deserves. Incredibly difficult to find a gap - barely a missed tackle, brilliant movement and reads of the attack across the field.

68173 attendance

Finally the Wigsn fans make some noise.

Hailstones

Can't hear it. I'm on the halfway line and can only really hear the Rovers fans.

That's the key thing for me. Two very evenly matched teams playing pretty much flawlessly, but Lewis does not look able to tackle French one on one.

I wonder if that's going to count against them at the end - lot of energy gone into the first half.

I wonder if that's going to count against them at the end - lot of energy gone into the first half.

Is that the first penalty after 32 mins?

Few minutes of hailstones just now.

Coaches come and go. Players come and go. Grounds come and go. Directors come and go. Legal details of the members club or company that operates the team come and go. The only constant is the fans. So on that basis, Hunslet/New Hunslet are the 1883 formation, York go back to 1868, Newcastle to 1999, Whitehaven to 1948, Sheffield Eagles to 1984 and so on.