RFU Open To Further Manchester Games
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is reportedly considering staging further England international games in Manchester following Saturday’s Rugby World Cup game.
England’s 60-3 victory against Uruguay attracted a crowd of 50,778, despite the host nation’s early exit from the competition.
According to Stephen Brown, England 2015 managing director and chief financial officer, Saturday’s fixture at the Etihad Stadium, home of Premier League side Manchester City, was an amazing success.
Stephen Brown told Press Association Sport: “It was an amazing success and the welcome we got from Manchester was unbelievable, full of buzz about what was taking place.
“I believe that was as much because England were playing in Manchester as it was because it was a World Cup match.
“It’s a commercial challenge hosting a game in someone else’s stadium compared to your own, it’s a different kind of arrangement. But the case has been made for us considering more games in the north if and when we can accommodate that. There’s no question that it’s the right part of the country to be celebrating rugby and that’s why we took England to Manchester in the first place. It’s a part of the world where we want to engage more people. In my personal opinion it’s a good thing and I’m sure discussions will take place.”
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