UK Championship Attendances : 2024

I held off publishing this data for UK's division two in the vain hope that some clubs would reveal their full list of attendances. Why some are haphazard in doing so baffles me. If you're not going to do all crowd numbers, why do some of them? Of course, why not do all of them? Why do those in charge allow this sloppiness? 

The figures below are based on what we have been given, with four of the club's averages using incomplete data. The number of missing games involved is shown on the extreme right of the chart. Three clubs that were relegated down or promoted up are highlighted in a different colour and their 2023 attendance numbers are not included in the 2023 average figure*. 

Wakefield's relegation to the Championship had a huge impact on the average figure. Clubs in this division never get crowds of that volume. In fact, the average increased 30.2% despite its demotion which is rare if not unheard of. I can't recall a previous example anyway. 

Doncaster and Dewsbury were promoted and their average figures were up, although eight missing games for Dewsbury makes its 2024 average questionable one way or the other. 

Most of the clubs that were in this division in 2023 had fewer attendees which is disappointing. In fact, York was the only one to improve. Hopefully 2025 will be more positive in that regard as the product is good. 

Picture source: Wakefield Trinity. Match vs York Knights. All the best for Wakefield's 2025 season in Super League. 

*London, Keighley and Newcastle are included in the 2023 average but moved on for the 2024 season so do not affect the 2024 average figure.

Internationals 2024 : Men's Northern Hemisphere

Below is a list of men's international for the north of the Equator. That's twenty four fixtures in all, not many. The thing is that most are between countries that would be classed as emerging. The two strongest northern nations (England and France) played just one match together (the highlights are below). At least there is the Samoa tour for England and France have World Cup qualifiers. 

The Netherlands did well to play three while Norway could have done better than one I would have thought. Rugby League and Union were under one administration but the Union side decided to remove the five League clubs. The Norwegian sports federation will not recognise League as there is already one Rugby code so no funding.   

There should be more matches but cost is a factor no doubt and friendlies - as most of these are - will be self funded. That said, a tour by the USA to South Africa was organised and presumably self funded so it can be done. 

While calling this the Northern Hemisphere international article, it is any internationals outside of the Australasia and the Pacific region. 

South America Championship : 2024

It is good to see this series being held, presumably locally funded. Three evenly matched countries met in Argentina to decide the 2024 champion nation. If you want to watch the matches in full, then you can simply click here and then select the match you want to watch.

First up, Chile and Brazil met and Chile took a 24-12 lead into the half time break. In the second half Chile went on with the job for a handy 44-22 victory.

Then Brazil took on the hosts and with  6-4 lead to Argentina at half time, it was tight. With one quarter of the match to be played, Argentina was up 26-4 but an amazing comeback had Brazil narrowly take the win 28-26.

The hosts Argentina then played Chile and had to win well to take the title with a favourable points differential. With Chile ahead 18-4 at the turnaround it was all but impossible for Argentina to take the championship. They fought back to win 32-28 but Chile won the tournament with one win each but with a superior points difference.

Well done to the organisers of this event.