Dublin could be in line for a surprise bid to host English rugby league's famous Challenge Cup final, according to Rugby Football League chairman Sir Rodney Walker. With the national stadium at Wembley now not expected to be ready until 2006, the Rugby Football League are looking to keep their showpiece occasion on the road for the next four years.
That decision could see Stadium Ireland emerge as a possible venue for the 2004 or 2005 final, should the project be completed on schedule. Murrayfield and Twickenham have been used for the last two finals and Cardiff and Edinburgh will stage the next two, which leaves two more seasons in which to find alternative venues.
Walker, who is also chairman of Wembley National Stadium Ltd, confirmed: "We are almost certainly looking at being on the road in 2004 and 2005 and a number of people have made suggestions to me about taking it to either Dublin, where they will have a brand new stadium by 2004 or 20005, or Paris. We shall explore both options and we would welcome the fans' views."
It is not thought the League have plans to return to Twickenham, where a crowd of 68,250 watched St Helen's beat Bradford last Saturday, but are keen to go back to Murrayfield, which staged last year's Bradford-Leeds decider. (PA)
Filed by Shane Murray
