Page 6 - Rugby League World (February 2020)

PHOTOGRAPHY: SWPIX; ARCHIVE WORDS: DOUG THOMSON

OPEN & SHUT CASE

The Magic Weekend is returning to Newcastle this season, but we take a trip back

to 2011 when for the only time in its history, it featured as the opening round of

Super League under the closed roof of Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.

I T’S THE only time Super League has opened list on neutral turf could give the games a pre-season
with a closure.
feel, but the RFL, who at that time ran all three
professional divisions, took steps to avoid that by
Back in 2011, Rugby League chiefs rung the
changes for the 16th summer season.
returning, where possible, to match-ups made on a
derby, rather than seeded, basis.
They decided to kick-off the then 14-club
top-flight campaign with Magic Weekend,
The attendance for the Saturday, which featured
rather than play it in May – and take the fifth version four games, was 30,891, and for the Sunday, 29,323,
of the two-day event back to Cardiff’s Millennium and the combined figure of 60,214 was an increase on
Stadium, with its retractable roof where it had been both the Edinburgh years (59,749 in 2009 and 52,043
held in 2007 and 2008. in 2010) but down on the 63,144 at Cardiff in 2008.
It followed two years at Edinburgh’s Murrayfield, And it was suggested that the roof closure created
with a ten per cent dip in attendances in 2010 – the a micro-climate which caused the pitch to become
figures of 26,642 on the Saturday and 25,401 on the unusually slippery, leading to an unusually high
Sunday remain the lowest on each of the respective number of injuries.
days ¬ – cited as the reason for the return to Wales Eorl Crabtree, who helped Huddersfield beat
by the powers that be, who said they had consulted Warrington 28-18 in the opening match of the
both clubs and fans. opening day, recalls: “I remember the game clearly,
Super League’s director of events and projects because it marked the start of the new season,
Sally Bolton explained: “The Millennium Stadium our former player Brett Hodgson was making his
has hosted some memorable Rugby League matches, Warrington debut against us and there was a lot
and the stadium’s closed roof means people can of attention on the match during the build-up to
watch all seven games in comfort. Magic Weekend.
“We have listened to what the clubs and fans “We were in the same hotel as Castleford Tigers, so
wanted and we are looking forward to putting we were able to have a catch-up with their guys, but
together a spectacular opening to the season.” we were up and about a bit earlier on the Saturday
Some observers worried that starting the fixture morning, because we were playing first up.

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