Once upon a time crossing the Severn Bridge was the most exotic cross-border club rugby experience available. This week, Newcastle will abandon Kingston Park to face Saracens at the Talen Energy Stadium, a football stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania. At first glance it is akin to Derbyshire or Somerset trying to sell tickets for a game of cricket in Osaka. “Premiership Rugby would have to answer whether these fixtures are having any impact on rugby in America. “Strategically I’ve long thought there’s a future for north v south rugby in South Africa,” Griffiths says.

Source: The Guardian September 12, 2017 07:52 UTC