Englishmum

Please help!

We will be in Dorset over Christmas (have recently purchased a house near Dorchester/Weymouth). I’m desperately trying to think of what to get for Christmas gifts for my spouse and adult son and thought of tickets for a sporting event in south west England which they could go to perhaps just before or after Christmas. I’d love to get them tickets for the Bournemouth v Arsenal Premier League game on Boxing Day but I think there will be no chance (currently tickets are for registered members with ‘cherry points’ and undoubtedly it will be sold out unless I pay a fortune to StubHub or similar which I’m loathe to do). My spouse isn’t much of a football/soccer fan but my son likes Liverpool (absolutely no chance of tickets for their games lol!). (For what it’s worth they love ice hockey - season ticket holders for the New Jersey Devils and love Formula 1

Another idea I’ve had is to try to get tickets for a rugby game, my spouse (he’s English) enjoys it and my son enjoyed the recent World Cup - but I haven’t a clue about rugby except that there is Rugby Union and Rugby League. I’d really like to get tickets for a well-known or regarded team with a decent attendance and atmosphere at the game and a nice stadium (in preference to an attendance of a few dozen or couple of hundred spectators at most) as I’d love my son to get a bit excited about rugby. The nearest rugby teams would be Dorchester and Weymouth but they could drive or take a train to say, Yeovil, Bath or Bristol or anywhere really within 90 minutes away - are there ‘good’ or ‘famous’ rugby teams that someone could recommend?

Thank you!

BristolUK

Bath or Bristol would be good choices. Bristol top of the table. Ashton Gate (Bristol City football ground) isn't far from Temple Meads station - follow the river for about 30 minutes walk.

Exeter could be a good bet too. A handful of current England players there.

Bristol-Wasps on the 27th? That would be worth it.
Bath-Sale on the 28th too.
You're well in luck with the xmas games...I see Exeter-Saracens on the 29th.

Top players abound. I'd be tempted to take in all three.

BristolUK

jimenato may be able to help too, with more practical stuff.

I PM'd him

SpoogleDrummer

FWIW as a Liverpool fan I can't think of much worse than having to watch Arsenal play, to be fair I doubt many Arsenal fans can think of much worse than having to watch Arsenal play.

jimenato

OK - PM seen and I'm here.

I would advise Bristol Bears V Wasps on the 27th which is a Friday night - 7.45 start.

Not disrespecting Bath or Exeter at all - it's just that they have smaller stadiums and are often sold out (and cold and wet).

Friday night at Ashton Gate is a bit special - good atmosphere, the stadium is new and big enough so there's lots of room.

If we continue our current form (top of both the English Premiership and the European Challenge cup) there should be a bumper attendance that night.

Local parking can be tricky but there is a bus (M2) every 10 - 12 minutes from Temple Meads station to the ground. There are also matchday buses from Avonmouth and Brislington Park-and-Rides.

See the Bristol Bears site for tickets.

Pleased to help in any way - just ask.

¡Vamos los osos!

el collado kid

Saints versus spurs new years day. And it is just up the road . book tickets for the corporate room much better seats.

jimenato

They've just opened up the whole of Ashton Gate for the Wasps match on 27th. Usually some parts of the stadium are closed. Must be expecting a humdinger. Don't miss out.