Twelve months after pulling off one of the biggest gambles the sport has ever made, rugby league returned to the Millennium Stadium for a second Super League extravaganza and enjoyed another memorable visit to the Valleys.

A crowd of 63,144 over the two days – almost 5,000 more than saw the six Super League matches in 2007 – testified to the burgeoning popularity of a concept that is the envy of many other sports.

It mattered not that the stadium was not quite half full for some of the matches, especially the opening fixtures on Saturday and Sunday, because a good time was had by all, both inside the stadium and in the bars and restaurants of the Welsh capital.

The sight and sound of tens of thousands of fans milling around on the streets of Cardiff in their multi-coloured replica jerseys enjoying a beer and friendly banter will live long in the memories of all the Welsh people not familiar with the friendly spirit which runs to the very heart of rugby league.

"This has been another really fantastic weekend with fans of all clubs freely mixing and enjoying themselves both inside and outside the stadium" said the Rugby Football League's chief executive Nigel Wood. "The 'Magic Weekend' is only in its second year but has already established itself as a fans' favourite and a highlight of the rugby league calendar.

"Everyone involved in rugby league should feel proud to be involved with this event.

"The fans have been superb in creating a carnival atmosphere and the players have played their part in some superb matches.

"After last year we listened to what supporters suggested and we'll do the same again. We will make further improvements each year to ensure it becomes a a must-see event."

The only disappointing aspect of the weekend was the quality of some of the rugby played, especially in the closing mis-match between Wigan and St Helens, who romped to a 57-16 victory over the hapless Warriors in what was a disappointing climax.

There was also a distinct lack of competitiveness in the middle fixture on Saturday when Castleford delivered a dismal performance in losing by a similar scoreline, 54-16 to Wakefield Trinity.

As poorly as the Tigers played, however, no-one at Cardiff could fail to have been impressed by the form and fare offered by the Wildcats, who are challenging Catalans Dragons for the title of Super League surprise packages in 2008.

The French club cemented second place behind leaders Leeds with a thrilling fightback to beat Harlequins 18-16 after being 16-6 down early in the second half.

Catalans, who are now unbeaten in their last six matches, snatched victory with a 77th-minute try from Justin Murphy to provoke what must be the most curious discourse ever witnessed in a post-match press conference. Harlequins coach Brian McDermott is not the easiest interview subject after his team have lost but the former Bradford prop lost the plot after seeing his team once again surrender a winning lead.

Asked what his overriding emotions were, McDermott said: "I have no opinion on that question. Are you a psychologist."

Told that Catalans coach Mick Potter felt Quins deserved to win he said "I disagree" and when asked whether letting games slip was a mental problem he suggested he was considering his future at the club and the future of rugby league in London.

The Catalans-Harlequins game was certainly entertaining, as was Huddersfield's equally dramatic collapse against Warrington who looked dead and buried at half-time when they trailed 22-6 but swept the Giants aside with a second-half transformation to win 36-34, a result which continues to raise doubts over the future of Jon Sharp.

Leeds were a cut above a below-par Bradford who lost much of the momentum they have built in recent weeks while Hull were left seething by the performance of referee Steve Ganson, who again found himself embroiled in controversy over a crucial decision before Hull KR scored the winning try.

Whether their team won or lost, every fan left Cardiff with lots of issues to consider and many more happy memories of a road trip to remember.

The RFL are considering taking Magic Weekend to Edinburgh or even Dublin in future years but Cardiff remains the intended destination for 2009 when a sporting success story will almost certainly continue to grow in stature.