Adrian Lam suggests annual Nou Camp trip would boost Super League
Wigan coach Adrian Lam believes having a Super League game at the Nou Camp every year would benefit the competition in the long run.
The Warriors fell short to a 33-16 defeat to Catalans Dragons at the Nou Camp on Saturday, the first rugby league match to be played at the iconic home of FC Barcelona.
The match attracted a record Super League crowd of 31,555, smashing the previous record of 25,004 set by Wigan-St Helens back in 2005.
Speaking after the game, Lam said: “It would be nice if we could do this once a year, whether it be us or another Super League club.
“There has been a good vibe around town and the support the Catalonians have put in this week has been sensational.
“We have been welcomed as a team and we appreciate being invited here. We understand what an honour it is to play in a stadium like this and we’d like to thank all the fans that came down and helped make it the biggest Super League crowd in history.
“It’s great exposure to the world of rugby league. It was a record crowd of over 31,000 today, so it’s great exposure to the world of rugby league.”
Lam admitted he was disappointed with his side’s performance, but emphasised how significant the occasion was not only for the Wigan club, but for rugby league in general.
He added: “That was probably the worst we have played the whole year.
“I don’t think the occasion got to us. We have been one of the great clubs on big occasions over the last 10 years or so but it looked like we were fatigued at times and ran out of gas at some stages.
“It was the biggest moment in some of the players’ careers today.
“Super League got it right to come here and play in a stadium like this. It was the biggest crowd in a regular Super League match ever so there was no better moment than to showcase our sport to football fans and the rest of the world.”
Lam confirmed Joe Greenwood is a doubt for Magic Weekend after the England international suffered a knee injury at the Nou Camp.
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