‘Wasps and Leicester gave us a contest worthy of the occasion’s pretensions, while their fans not only filled Twickenham to its 80,000 plus capacity – reported to be a record for a club game – but rocked it to its substantial foundations. There was, as there has never been before, a sense of this as truly English club rugby’s big day.’ Huw Richards, scrum.com
‘Monumental. Twickenham had the biggest crowd ever at a club game for one of the greatest club games… As an occasion, it was so far ahead of the Heineken Cup Final last weekend that comparisons are ridiculous. In terms of standard of play and heart-stopping spectacle, it murdered both the Heineken showpiece and yesterday morning’s Super 14 final in a small, empty stadium in Christchurch.’ Stephen Jones, The Sunday Times
‘When historians chart the development of professional rugby union, Saturday’s events will rank among the key milestones. Even as Lawrence Dallaglio bade farewell it was impossible not to wander away through a world-record crowd for a club fixture and not feel confident the game will flourish, even in the big man’s high-profile absence. Those football fans who still regard Twickenham finals as parochial sideshows mostly played and watched by middle-class men with wobbly stomachs would scarcely recognise the sport these days.’ Robert Kitson, The Guardian
‘Twickenham yesterday had the feel of a really big match. There was all the emotion over Dallaglio’s departure swirling around the stands, and there was the biggest crowd ever to watch a club game on hand to stir up the gladiators.’ Paul Ackford, The Sunday Telegraph
