South Today said that we're unlikely to be a venue for the 2015 RWC, possibly being replaced by the Amex!
Do we really want our hallowed turf churned up? If Nicola considered we needed the money I would support him, but not really bothered. I suppose it would be good for the City to have a major event here though.
I think it would be only a minor game, perhaps the Amex is a better size for that. Perhaps the crowd would also like to get their half-time food before the end of the tournament as well
Apart from concerns about the pitch, I'm disappointed. I think it would be something else that raises the profile of the City and that can directly or indirectly benefit the Saints.
Yoshida waxed lyrical on Player about our booooootiful pitch. It was several months ago that I noticed that the Amex was listed as a possible venue and SMS was not mentioned, so no great surprise.
Good. Don't want rugby played on our turf. Our playing surface is one of the best in the country and don't want to risk it.
Only four specialist rugby grounds are among the 13 venues for the 2015 Rugby World Cup, to be held in England. They are Twickenham, Millennium Stadium, Kingsholm and Sandy Park. The other venues are Wembley, the Olympic Stadium, Manchester City Stadium, St James' Park, Elland Road, Leicester City Stadium, Villa Park, Brighton Community Stadium and Stadium MK.
Thank god for that. Don't want that awful toffs sport played on our ground. Don't buy into raising awareness of the city as the Premiership gets a thousand times as much coverage as Rugby does around the world. No benefit to the club whatsoever as I've heard the Organisers take about 75% of the gate money.
If we were a venue for the Rugby World Cup we'd only get a small group game or two anyway. I suppose it might marginally improve awareness of the city in Tonga or Romania or somewhere like that but it's no great loss.
Sorry to disagree with some of you but personally I am gutted - was really hoping that one or two of the games were going to be at St Marys - would have loved to have gone to a game locally.
You guys should be happy that your stadium isn't going to be tainted by that pathetic excuse for a 'sport'.
It's not that local - had a meeting at Southern Waters offices in Falmer Monday morning - Amex Stadium is next door - took over 2 hrs to drive there because its such an awful road!
I went to the Premiership season-opener at Leicester when both teams were last in the Premiership; I was so surprised when I got there because the stadiums look identical. That was a good day out; we were 2-0 down and came back late in the second half to draw 2-2. Kevin Phillips got goal of the month with a brilliant volley from outside the box.
