As I'm London based, I'd be keen to see this... more to see what the new Wembley is like rather than GP rugby!
English rugby is heading for more acrimony between top clubs and the game's ruling body, with four leading clubs taking a showpiece event from Twickenham to Wembley.
Representatives of the four Premiership clubs based in the London area - Wasps, Saracens, Harlequins and London Irish - have snubbed the Rugby Football Union by holding talks with the Football Association about playing their London double-header at Wembley on 15 September, the opening day of next season.
The four clubs play on the same afternoon, with one match following another, in a high-profile curtain-raiser. The double-header attracted more than 50,000 to Twickenham twice in the last three years and the clubs hope to attract a far bigger crowd to English football's new home. It will be the first time club rugby union has been played at Wembley.
A source involved in the discussions said: 'Of course the RFU won't like it, but we have to think of the commercial benefits. Next season will be tough for English rugby because the Rugby World Cup will be running alongside the Guinness Premiership, leading players will be away in France for a while, and we'll need to create the "wow" factor. Holding these games at Wembley, which has every facility for fans and players, would do that.'
It would also be a blow to Twickenham, though an RFU spokesman would not be drawn on that point. He said, 'Both games are Premier Rugby Limited games and they are entitled to play them wherever they like.'
The plan has the backing of Premier Rugby Limited, rugby's equivalent of football's Premier League, who think it might help to attract a new audience. The FA have invited key personnel from the clubs and Premier Rugby to Saturday's first match at the £900m new venue, the England v Italy under-21 international. That game is a 60,000 sell-out, with the crowd reduced from the 90,000 capacity as part of a 'bedding in' exercise.
The double-header might attract more than 60,000, and, although Twickenham can hold 82,000, the clubs are set on choosing Wembley. Premier Rugby and the FA are discussing how much it would cost to hire the stadium for a day, and issues such as how to share out the revenue from Wembley's 18,000 corporate seats and hospitality facilities. It would be more expensive than Twickenham, but income would be higher.
Mike, think a few of us are going to go to Challenge Cup Final at end of August. I know youre not a big league fan but the atmosphere generated by our friends up north should do more for the stadium than the Sarries and Quins set.
Lots of mixed views on Wembley thus far so looking forward to experiencing it for myself.
i dont like the idea of playing at wembley, its in a terrible area to start with, twickers holds more, and wembley is far to corporate, nearly a third of the seats are corporate reserved
**chick gets very excited realising that come August, she'll be living in London!!**
I've never been to Wembly (though have flown over the still-nowhere-near-completed stadium last year about 40 times while circling before landing at Heathrow!) or Twickenham, or any major football stadium (Windsor Park doesn't count, and Ibrox was the scariest night of my life so I don't count it either!) so even if it was crap, I'd probably still think it was class! OK. Too much caffeine this morning I think. And studying til 2.30am probably didn't help...
I have been to the old Wembley many many times, for both rugby and football and I'm really looking forward to sampling the revamped stadium, this sounds like a great opportunity, if it goes ahead.
The Wales v Ireland game, when Wales were using it for their home Five Nations matches during the construction of the Millennium Stadium, and Ireland beat them, was agreat day there.
Personally I don't like Twickenham, it's a fine stadium but not much in the way of amenities once you have boarded the train from Waterloo.
We went there for the first South African test in the autumn internationals and enjoyed the hospitality of some South Africans who had cordened off a cul-de-sac just outside of the ground and had beer, food and music a plenty, but apart from this, there is liitle else!
Plus the advantage of only being just over an hours drive from Stanmore and then a couple of stops on the Jubilee line gives Wembley the edge for me.
UUC, you will be more than made welcome if you would like to sample the delights of Carrow Road on a matchday, once you have settled in London.
Delia's matchday pies are something to savour.
Having 4 season tickets for the Canaries on Saturdays, youth rugby on Sundays and Vets rugby midweek keeps me busy on all fronts.
