England’s rugby match against Australia at Twickenham last Saturday was my first visit to the home of English rugby in 42 years. During my school days, football was not only third best after rugby and cricket but frowned upon. I quickly rebelled, rejecting what I saw as the establishment sport and falling for the illicit populism of the round ball.
Since that day I estimate I have been to something like 700 football matches, principally at West Ham where I’ve had season tickets for most of the last 30 seasons.
So what is it like to be a football fan at the rugby? First off, Twickenham’s transport links make Wembley look like Piccadilly Circus. Which idiot decided to site the home of British rugby next to a light industrial estate in zone 5, not even on the tube system, a long walk from the tiny overground station hopelessly ill-equipped for tens of thousands arriving at once? And don’t even think about trying to park nearby.
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