Quins 'Big Game' could get bigger yet

Harlequins are already looking forward to next Christmas's 'Big Game II' and the possibility of a record-breaking 82,000 crowd for an English Premiership match.

A restricted capacity crowd of 52,000 piled into England's Twickenham headquarters - round the corner from Harlequins's Stoop home ground - to see the Londoners stage a thrilling 26-26 draw with Leicester on Saturday.

Harlequins chief executive Mark Evans, despite seeing the match yield a record crowd for a regular-season Premiership fixture, is convinced there's room for significant growth.

Reduced local rail services may have deterred some fans from travelling during the holiday period and with Twickenham capable of holding a crowd of 82,000, Evans was in bullish mood.

"We were capped at 50,000, which meant we sold out a week in advance," he said. "I wonder how many we would have got? We didn't have a walk-up and we didn't have last-week sales, which are usually in five figures.

"We have a three-year deal with the Rugby Football Union. 'Big Game II' will happen, 'Big Game III' will happen, and we hope by then we will establish it as the big London Christmas sporting event.

"Let's hope next year we can have a real go at 'Big Game II' and maybe fill Twickenham. I really think we can." LONDON, Monday (AFP)