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Rugby Union

Murrayfield to stage 2009 'Magic Weekend'

15/07/2008

Rugby league's 'Magic Weekend' is set to move from Cardiff's Millennium Stadium to Edinburgh's Murrayfield for two years from next season, the Rugby Football League (RFL) has announced.

In 2009 the event will take place over the weekend of May 2nd and 3rd, with another weekend in May 2010 set to stage the second round in accordance with the agreement between the RFL, the Super League and the Scottish Rugby Union.

Sally Bolton, the RFL's director of events and projects, said: "We are delighted to announce these new and exciting details of the 'Magic Weekend'.

"After successfully introducing the concept in 2007 and 2008 and firmly establishing it in the rugby league calendar, we believe our plans for 2009 will take the event to the next level and offer supporters a unique family entertainment experience.

"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.

"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."

Scottish Rugby chief executive Gordon McKie 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."

Next year will represent the first time the Scottish capital has hosted top-level rugby league since the Challenge Cup final took place at Murrayfield in 2002 while Wembley Stadium was being rebuilt.

The 'Magic Weekend' event - when all the Super League clubs take part in a round of fixtures over a single weekend at the same ground - has been a major success since its inception in 2007.

And Ms Bolton added that Edinburgh - and Murrayfield in particular – would be "a fantastic opportunity" to boost the sport's profile north of the border.

The plans for the new event also include a "fan village" and other entertainments around the stadium on the day.