The Rugby Football League have reached agreement with the Scottish Rugby Football Union to play the 2002 Challenge Cup Final at Murrayfield.

Announcing the placing of the Final in Edinburgh on April 27 next year Dave Callaghan, the RFL’s Executive Director of Communication, said: ‘We are delighted to be going back to Murrayfield.

‘We had reached an advanced stage of negotiations with the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff but were unable to complete an agreement because of the Football Association’s restrictions on pitch use ten days prior to the playing of the FA Challenge Cup Final. There was a real danger that our Final would have fallen within that period and we could not take any risks with one of the sport’s most prestigious fixtures.

‘Both sports have had to move their prestigious fixtures away from the now closed Wembley Stadium and the Millennium Stadium is one of the world’s leading sports stages.

‘We are continuing our discussions with both the Millennium Stadium Company and Cardiff Council about taking Rugby League’s Challenge Cup Final to the Stadium in 2003 and, possibly, in 2004.’

Greg McCallum, the RFL’s Executive Director of Rugby and President of Scotland Rugby League, added: ‘Going back to Murrayfield is a real lift for the sport. Our fans really enjoyed themselves in the Scots capital city when we played the 2000 final at Murrayfield and we’ve had requests to take the game back there from many different quarters.

‘Murrayfield has proved that it’s a great stage for both Rugby League and Rugby Union while we enjoy very cordial relations with the Scottish Rugby Football Union and their staff.’

For more details contact:

John Huxley
Media and PR Manager
Tel: +44 (0)113 237 5014
Fax: +44 (0)113 232 3838
E-mail: info@rfl.uk.com