If you had said to any of London Irish’s commercial management in early December that the combined attendance at the club’s two Christmas and New Year home matches would be over 30,000 they would have accused you of starting early on the Christmas sherry!

In the event 30,322 good people (including an encouraging number of little people) turned up at the Madejski Stadium to see the two Zurich Premiership matches with London Wasps and Northampton Saints. Undoubtedly the quality of the opposition was a major factor in the two attendances, the first of which set a new club record (20,318) and saw Lawrence Dallaglio and Stuart Abbott parading the Webb Ellis Trophy.

London Irish is grateful to the travelling supporters of both Wasps and Saints as well as the growing army of home supporters for their contribution to the great ambience at both games.