'Magic' weekend heading north

Derby element scrapped from next year

Last updated: 15th July 2008

Murrayfield

Murrayfield: will host seven games

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"Millennium Magic" is no more after the Rugby Football League decided to take the roadshow to Edinburgh from next season.

Murrayfield will host a full round of engage Super League fixtures over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend for the next two years after securing an agreement with Super League bosses.

Murrayfield, which proved a popular venue for the Challenge Cup final in 2000 and 2002, will stage seven matches over the two days of May 2 and May 3.

This year's Millennium Magic Weekend in Cardiff drew a combined attendance of 63,144 - some 4,313 up on the inaugural event in 2007 - but RFL officials threatened to take it elsewhere after claiming the Welsh Rugby Union failed to give the project their full backing.

Sally Bolton, the RFL's director of events and projects, said: "A number of cities had expressed an interest in hosting this event but we believe this new location has all the right ingredients to continue its development.

Exciting

"The concept of the Magic Weekend is all about taking the sport on the road and staging engage Super League in prestigious and exciting cities and Murrayfield presents a fantastic opportunity for us to take the experience to the next level.

"Our plans for a specially-created fan village around the stadium are set to create a carnival atmosphere for the whole family.

"The city itself offers family entertainment and a feast of activity before the games kick off each day and also after the final whistle.

"Our event partners for 2009 are committed to working with us to offer a range of accommodation to create an appropriate portfolio for supporters and teams alike."

Seeded draw

The format of the fixtures has yet to be determined but the League have decided to scrap the "derby" element in favour of a seeded draw and clubs' season-ticket holders will receive vouchers enabling them to buy day tickets at half price.

Gordon McKie, Scottish Rugby's chief executive, said: "We are thrilled to have secured another major sporting event for Murrayfield and Edinburgh, again underlining Scottish Rugby's commitment to hosting world-class premium events at the stadium.

"The exceptional and flexible facilities available at Murrayfield allow us to add a unique festival atmosphere to major events.

"We are very much looking forward to working in partnership with our key stakeholders to ensure that the Magic Weekend is a tremendous success."

Comments

Roy Stewart says...

Been to Cardiff & Edinburgh for previous Challenge Cup finals & have no doubt Edinburgh can host a cracking weekend with great facilities around the ground & if the numbers are there then the atmosphere will be great. There are more RL fans up here than you realise & I will be in a group of several supporting the Rhino's having followed them for many years. Plenty accomodation & bars more than happy to see such an event so bring it on.

Posted 19:28 18th July 2008

Graham Foulds says...

I note a lot of cynicism and there has been a lot of negativity about this - for the majority of fans Edinburgh is no further than Cardiff and a darn sight easier to get to on the whole. As for Rhino til I die's comments - that I am afraid is a typical narrow Yorkshire view - perhaps we should have it at Headingley and tha' could walk lad - the world doesn't end at Huddersfield!

Posted 12:58 17th July 2008

Steve Jones says...

While Edinburgh is a great place, the main advantage that Cardiff holds over Murrayfield is the ability to close the stadium to the elements. Playing 7 games on the same pitch in a little over 24 hours could be very damaging if the weather is adverse, which it sometimes can be in Scotland. I remember Murrayfield being under 6 feet of water just before the Bradford - Leeds final a few years ago. If the weather is bad, what sort of playing surface is the final game on Sunday going to have?

Posted 12:41 17th July 2008

David Alexander says...

Didn'tgo to Cardiff because of rediculous pricing and wont be going to Edinburgh, simple as

Posted 11:10 17th July 2008

Paul Craig says...

I cant belive that the RFL has changed the venue to Murryfield. 17 of us have attended the great weekend that Cardiff has offered for the last 2 years, this i feel is due to the bars being so close to the ground and the atmosphere that the whole weekend offers. We have already desided not to attend and will instead be going to France for a Catalan game. Thanks RFL for ruining a perfectly good weekend away.

Posted 20:22 16th July 2008

Ian Samuels says...

Edinburgh has more hotels and cheaper hotels than cardiff! Are the RFL deluded? Are we expecting Edinburgh not to raise prices for this weekend? Every other city has and will, trust me hotel prices will be at a premuim Also The RFL has blasted the sale of tickets from the welsh rufc only available 4 weeks before the magic weekend, and yet now we are being told we can purchase next years event very soon, do i want to buy a ticket 10 months in advance for a match i don tknow who we are playing against? NO! Cardiff was brill, the staduim (which is still the best in the uk) in the city, easy access for all things without costs of taxis etc, local derbys which was one of the main attractions,and believe it or not there were plenty of hotels as i only booked one a week before! at £60 a night for two`! They had something big growing in cardiff and would have had 80,000 + im sure for 2009,,,, but i think they will be lucky to get a total of 30,000, congratulations RFL

Posted 20:21 16th July 2008

Paul Jones says...

my girlfriend and i r totally gutted the rfl have moved the weekend from cardiff which was a fantastic city to stage such an event with an amazing stadium plus so compact you was within walking distance of anything you wanted we loved it last year and was looking forward to going again but now if we want to go next year we would have to catch a flight to get there instead of one train that takes 1 1/2 hours. from a very dissapointed fan

Posted 17:42 16th July 2008

Thomas Cummings says...

If it aint broke RFL don't fix it. I'm very unhappy it has been moved. I like in Reading and support Hull KR so being able to see a Hull derby in Wales was very convenient, straight up the M4. I really enjoy Millenium Magic this year all the games on the sunday we went were amazng, and the coverage on Sky was good for the Saturday. I think that the RFL may regret the decision, This probably spells that the Celtic Crusaders will not be getting a license next season, I may be reading into this a little too far. Disappointing its being moved.

Posted 15:07 16th July 2008

Rhino- Til-i-die says...

i know.. why not have 'moscow magic' weekend next year.. it works for football . i won't be going , and i know a lot of people that are saying the same . seeing as most of the teams are based in a narrow band across the country (the M62 is close to most grounds) , why not move it to manchester or leeds ? that would make it more accessible to all concerned . while they are at it why not scrap the wembley final and have that near the M62 as well seeing as it will be a northern final . Elland road would be good choice of venue if it's an all yorkshire tie .

Posted 14:15 16th July 2008

Keith Talbot says...

me and my family enjoyed cardiff. we will not be going to scotland. the rfl will kill the game eventually.

Posted 09:37 16th July 2008

Chris Fincher says...

Look forward to going next year along with a few pals who have been educated into the fantastic game of RL. Problem is atmosphere at Murrayfield. There is none. Have been to a few games of both codes at the stadium and it needs to be full with a partisan crowd before it comes alive. It will give the supporters of RL north of the border the chance to create the sort of atmosphere the stadium has sadly lacked cxcept at challenge cup finals. Roll on May 2009.

Posted 09:21 16th July 2008

Martin Craig says...

myself and a party of 14 have attended Cardiff 2 years running and found the stadium and the city centre on each others doorstep and worked very well for all our needs.We stay at the future hotel excellent food and price.Why are we moving to a stadium well outside the city we will have to use taxis or public transport for nights out or stay in the stadium village at £3.50 per pint a lot more expence for us already on a tight budget do you not think R F U we will not be attending next year going to FRANCE for wigan game instead

Posted 21:50 15th July 2008

Keith Golesworthy says...

I can't be happier my daughter and I can drive to a game from Aberdeenshire. People will be surprised how many Scots watch Rugby League and promoted correctly will turn out. Last time we went was to see the Rhino's which did end up disappointing. I think that was when the Bulls last beat us.

Posted 20:04 15th July 2008

Clyde Melia says...

cardiff is great shops pubs atmosphere next to the groung murryfield is like wembly no atmosphere no pubs no shops why o why change bad idea true fan

Posted 20:03 15th July 2008

Bobby Byod says...

whats the point in having it at murrayfield as far as i am aware it does not have a roof some teams complained that the pitch was 'sweating' at cardiff how they going to feel playing the last match of the weekend on a pitch that has been rained on for two days & had 6 previous games on it!!!!

Posted 18:30 15th July 2008

Phil Vencejo says...

I thoroughly enjoyed the last 2 weekends in Cardiff; great stadium a minute's walk from a fantastic choice of bars and restaurants. Both weekends were big streetparties where RL was the theme of the whole weekend. Edinburgh? No Way! The stadium is two and a half miles from town centre. Outside the ground, instead of there being a great choice of food and drink from around the world, there will be a "Fans Village"..... Burger and a plastic glass of overpriced lager? We have the greatest game on earth run by the worst administaration!

Posted 14:16 15th July 2008

Kathryn Bartley says...

As a rugby league fan who lives in Edinburgh, I will personally benefit form this event being moved to Murrayfield. However wouldn't it be better if it was staged in the north of England, central to where most rugby league fans reside. I think in this hard economic climate, minimizing the cost to the majority fans should be a priority and will maximize attendance. Secondly I have serious reservations about the new format (seeded rather than derby). This may make the spectacle better, but surely this is operating a handicap system and is unfair on clubs who may be punching above their weight by possibly giving them a tougher draw. Will these "seeded draws" be additional to all the other games played and will they count towards superleague points?

Posted 14:05 15th July 2008

Tony Davies says...

It just about sums up the Welsh RU again. They screwed things up when the FA was using the stadium and did not capitalise on the opportunity and now they have don it again. As you said, it's our loss and Scotland's gain, but a shame!!

Posted 13:53 15th July 2008

Graham Foulds says...

What a great idea - Edinburgh party capital of Europe. We went to Challenge Cup up there a few years ago and couldn't have been more welcome. I think Cardiff lost it because of the marketing - if it wasn't for Sky promoting it all the time you would hardly have known.

Posted 13:09 15th July 2008

Les Tidey says...

as a long distance wigan fan, yes I regularly travel to wigan from essex. I have really enjoyed two years of milleneum magic at cardiff. the welsh people made us welcome, the stadium is wonderful and we could walk everywhere. moving it to inhospitable scotland no thanks I will stay at home.

Posted 13:00 15th July 2008

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