Bradford Bulls chairman Chris Caisley says that the bumper Boxing Day crowds showed that Christmas challenge matches do have a place on the rugby league calendar.

A crowd of 15,908 saw Bulls' clash with Leeds Rhinos at Headingley while 16,854 watched Wigan play St Helens and 6,335 saw Castleford and Wakefield.

Caisley said: "The gates were extremely good and indicate a demand from fans for good sporting action on Boxing Day.

"However, they must remain festive events. The whole success of Super League is based on its summer format and there can be no going back on that.

"Clearly we will have to look at similar friendly fixtures in the future."

He made his comments as Northern Ford Premiership officials heralded their switch back to winter.

Attendances for the opening two weekends rocketed by nearly 70 per cent.

More than 40,000 fans attended the holiday fixtures at an average of 2,354, compared with 1,396 for the first two rounds of the 1999 summer season.

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