England consider taking 6 Nations north
The Rugby Football Union is pondering moving one of their 2013 Six Nations clashes away from Twickenham, according to reports.
With the 2015 World Cup around the corner, the RFU is looking to take England to the north of the country in a bid to stir up support ahead of the global gathering. Following two reports commissioned by the RFU and Premiership Rugby - in response to a working group established by Sale, Newcastle Falcons and Leeds Carnegie highlighting their concerns over the future of rugby in the north of England - they may also ponder switching an autumn international away from Twickenham. And the move - according to the Daily Telegraph - may even come as soon as this summer with England's clash with the Barbarians potentially moved away from their HQ.
The RFU is set to use four of the northern football stadiums - Anfield, St James' Park, Old Trafford and Elland Road - in 2015 and other recommendations to come out of the report, compiled by former Harlequins supremo Mark Evans, include moving the Premiership final away from Twickenham and the re-establishing of a North of England select side.
And Evans, who refused to discuss the contents of the reports according to the newspaper, admitted there would be some obstacles to overcome before the switching of venues. "There are complications in the short term because of things like the corporate hospitality contracts that are linked to Twickenham but one of the many things we need to do as a sport is to create bigger, high-profile events in the north of the country," Evans told the Daily Telegraph. "That needs to be in a planned and sustainable programme and it can't be second-rate or a one-off. That is just a waste of time.
"Why shouldn't the Calcutta Cup [the Six Nations match against Scotland] be closer to Scotland? Or a Premiership final at Old Trafford? If England want to have a truly national sport, one of a number of things that must be looked at.
"The last time England played a proper high-profile game in the north was against the All Blacks in 1997 and that was only because Twickenham was being redeveloped."
