TWICKENHAM TO HOST 2001 SILK CUT CHALLENGE CUP FINAL
The Rugby Football League announced today that they have reached agreement with the Rugby Football Union to stage the 2001 Silk Cut Challenge Cup Final at Twickenham Stadium.
This historic agreement will see Rugby League’s most prestigious and oldest knock-out competition return to London after a year in Scotland. The RFL switched the final to Murrayfield, Edinburgh for the 2000 final following a departure from its traditional home at Wembley Stadium, prior to its demolition and redevelopment.
The Rugby Football League have been discussing the proposal to play the final at Twickenham for several months with the Rugby Football Union and have concluded a one-year agreement for the Silk Cut-sponsored game on 28 April 2001.
Sir Rodney Walker, Chairman of the Rugby Football League and Vice-chairman of the Rugby League International Federation, said: ‘It is absolutely crucial not only to the sport of Rugby League but to our sponsors, Silk Cut, that this game is played in a prestigious stadium. It is difficult to imagine anywhere in the world of sport that fulfils that requirement better than Twickenham and we are delighted that the RFL has been able to reach a satisfactory agreement with the Rugby Football Union .
‘Relationships between the two codes have been improving rapidly in recent years and I believe that staging the Silk Cut Challenge Cup final at Twickenham will further cement the friendship and understanding that has emerged at the start of this new century.
‘Traditionally the Silk Cut Challenge Cup final has been housed in a stadium that holds a suitably large crowd and Twickenham is one of the few rugby stadiums in the world that measures up to that requirement with a capacity of 73,000. I believe that this will be a wonderful day for the sport of rugby.’
Said Rugby Football Union Chief Executive, Francis Baron: ‘We are delighted to have reached this one-year agreement with the Rugby Football League, which represents a natural extension of the deal we recently completed for the Lincoln Financial Group Rugby League World Cup.’
Playing the Silk Cut Challenge Cup final at Twickenham returns Rugby League to Rugby Union’s magnificent headquarters for the second time in a year following the staging of the Lincoln Financial Group Rugby League World Cup Group One opening match between England and Australia on Saturday, October 28.
JOHN HUXLEY
Media and PR Manager.
Issued by the Media and Marketing Department of the Rugby Football League, Red Hall, Red Hall Lane, Leeds LS17 8NB. Telephone: 0113 237 5014 (direct line), 0113 232 3838 (fax) johnh@rfl.uk.com (e-mail).