Possibly Old Trafford or St James’ Park to host Six Nations Match

[Melhor Time]

Momentum is gathering at long last for England to play international rugby at a venue other than Twickenham. Despite being the host nation for Rugby World Cup 2015, England, has not hosted a test match outside of Twickenham for well over a decade. The last occassion was in 1998 when England´s World Cup qualifying matches vs Holland and Italy took place at Huddersfield. Aside from that England has hosted one match vs New Zealand at Manchester in 1997 and Argentina moved its home match to the same venue in 2009. Prior to the 1997 match the last time that London´s Twickenham or Wembley did not host a home match for England was in seventy-four years earlier, in 1923 when England played Ireland at Leicester.

Exactly how England can think of hosting a great World Cup without firstly utilizing the north of the country beforehand is bizzare. The venues have been known for a long time now but still none of them host matches - neither club nor country. Leeds is one such city to host matches but tis team is now in the second division. A second to host is Newcastle - a sure bet to be in the second division next season. This woule leave only the Sale Sharks in the Aviva Premiership.

In addition to moving one match in the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Six Nations away from London England ought to host one November test per year as a minimum must be played away from London. Move England vs Fiji in 2012 to Coventry and England vs Argentina the following year to Liverpool. Its about expanding the market and preparing to host the World Cup. France did it and did it very well. In 2006 France vs New Zealand in Lyon got Lyon ready for the World Cup even though the All Blacks dominated. Lyon got over 40,000 for each of its three matches of Australia vs Japan, Argentina vs Georgia and New Zealand vs Portugal. No team in the Top 14 either.

Since RWC 2003
2004 vs Argentina, Marseilles
2005 vs Canada, Nantes, vs Tonga, Toulouse
2006 vs New Zealand, Lyon

2008 vs Argentina, Marseilles, vs Pacific Islands, Montbeliard
2009 vs South Africa, Toulouse, vs New Zealand, Marseilles
2010 vs Argentina, Montpellier, vs Fiji, Nantes

England during the same period = all matches at Twickenham.

 

[Feicarsinn]

You're not allowed have more than one designated stadium for the 6N as far as I know. Hence France only moving autumn games around the country.

 

[Feicarsinn]

Also, didn't Old Trafford host a game against the Argentines a few years back? This seems like a poorly thought out little rant tbh.

 

[gingergenius]

you make a point, the current modern climate is all about decentralisation so it makes sense to do so for sports. but please don't make your opinions sound like news headlines; I could start a topic saying 'possibly football to be banned by coalition' and it would be just as true as this topic...

 

[Melhor Time]

I think one of the four matches should be given somewhere else, maybe Fiji to St. James's Park, Elland Road, Walkers Stadium, Old Trafford.

2012 fixtures are known. England will play Australia, South Africa, Fiji and New Zealand all at Twickenham.

2013 could well be Argentina, Australia, Samoa and South Africa

2014 could be New Zealand, South Africa, Georgia and Tonga.

You´ve mentioned four alternative options and lets pretend that the 2012-2014 November matches are as above. My question to you is which games would you move and why.

You're not allowed have more than one designated stadium for the 6N as far as I know. Hence France only moving autumn games around the country.

Sure - the rules are such but unions can easily make changes. Nobody minded Wales moving matches to Wembley. SANZAR wanted Argentina to use Buenos Aires but only one of the three 2012 matches will be there.

France also plays its World Cup warmup matches outside of Paris. Bordeaux hosted France vs Ireland this year. Not exactly the biggest stadium avaliable - only 2,000 more seats than Coventry. Lens was the venue vs Romania in a 2003 warmup while Marseilles hoted England in both 2003 and 2007 warmup games.

Also, didn't Old Trafford host a game against the Argentines a few years back? This seems like a poorly thought out little rant tbh.

Yes and no - no actually being accurate.

Its in the first paragraph...

Momentum is gathering at long last for England to play international rugby at a venue other than Twickenham. Despite being the host nation for Rugby World Cup 2015, England, has not hosted a test match outside of Twickenham for well over a decade. The last occassion was in 1998 when England´s World Cup qualifying matches vs Holland and Italy took place at Huddersfield. Aside from that England has hosted one match vs New Zealand at Manchester in 1997 and Argentina moved its home match to the same venue in 2009. Prior to the 1997 match the last time that London´s Twickenham or Wembley did not host a home match for England was in seventy-four years earlier, in 1923 when England played Ireland at Leicester.

Argentina had a two match some series in June 2009 and opted to move one to England while playing the second in Salta. Hence all the Argentine sponsors at the match such as Quilmes, scrum, adidas and Visa.

 

[SelimNiai]

We used Wembely as we didn't have a stadium at the time not because we wanted to make more money.

 

[welshglory]

and have a bigger and better stadium for the country of course...

 

[psychic duck]

Looks like a match outside Twickenham may actually happen in the next 3 years.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/sep/17/england-tests-away-twickenham-2015?newsfeed=true

 

[powerfulduck]

Looks like a good idea to me.