27 Jul 2017
Regular Super League fixture to be hosted in Australia as part of tourism drive
BY Matthew Campelli
The Australian city of Wollongong will be the first location outside of Europe to host a regular Super League rugby fixture next year.
Wigan Warriors, the most successful team in English rugby league, will take on Hull FC in Wollongong’s 23,000-capacity WIN Stadium on 10 February 2018.
A week later, both teams will face Australian National Rugby League (NRL) teams in a double-header at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney. Wigan will take on South Sydney Rabbitohs and Hull FC will compete against St George Illawarra Dragons.
The matches have been organised as part of a “strategic direction” between Wigan and the New South Wales government to promote club rugby league on the “national and international stage”.
The pair have entered into an official Tourism and Destination Partnership, with the three-match tour being facilitated by tourism agencies, Destination New South Wales and Destination Wollongong.
Ian Lenagan, chair of Wigan, said the move was “one of the most innovative and exciting” in the history of the rugby club, while Hull FC chair Adam Pearson added that the match would be a “landmark occasion” for the sport.
“Wigan Warriors has worked extremely hard in partnership with the New South Wales government to create history for our game,” said Rugby Football League chief commercial officer and Super League executive director Roger Draper.
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