Harlequins are planning to stage a so-called "Big Game II" next Christmas — and to attract a record Guinness Premiership attendance of 82,000.

A Twickenham restricted-capacity "full house" of 50,000 watched Quins stage a thrilling comeback to draw 26–26 with Leicester yesterday and the club's chief executive, Mark Evans, said he was confident the bar could be raised following the success of this "Big Game" event. Had it not been for a reduced local rail service, said Evans, Quins would have sold upwards of 60,000 tickets for the match against Leicester but even so the 50,000 figure set a record for a single regular-season Premiership fixture.

"We were capped at 50,000, which meant we sold out a week in advance," said Evans. "I wonder how many we would have got? We didn't have a walk-up and we didn't have last-week sales, which are usually in five figures. We have a three-year deal with the Rugby Football Union. 'Big Game II' will happen, 'Big Game III' will happen, and we hope by then we will establish it as the big London Christmas sporting event.

"Let's hope next year we can have a real go at 'Big Game II' and maybe fill Twickenham. I really think we can."