BUSY staff at the Eco-Power Stadium are preparing for another Doncaster sporting double on Saturday.
For the South Yorkshire city’s Rugby League club will host Toulouse Olympique in a big Championship clash just hours after football team Doncaster Rovers take on Carlisle United in a key League Two meeting.
Richard Horne’s Dons aim to respond to a 26-22 defeat by Widnes Vikings at the Eco-Power last time out and deny Toulouse a fourth straight win in a match which kicks off at 7.30pm.
At 3.00pm, Rovers aim to bolster their bid for promotion from the fourth tier at the expense of Carlisle, who are fighting to preserve their Football League status.
It will be the second rapid stadium switch-around in eight months after the Dons defeated Toulouse 20-18 shortly after Rovers saw off Accrington Stanley 4-1 back in August.
After the football fans file out, groundstaff will get to work on altering the posts and pitch markings and preparing the stands before the Rugby League supporters start to pass through the turnstiles.
“We have great, experienced people working here, so there will be no issues,” said Dons chief executive Carl Hall.
“And ourselves and Rovers are linked under the Club Doncaster banner, so are used to sharing and working with each other with no dramas whatsoever.”
The Dons played at Rovers’ old Belle Vue ground for eight years before the building of the current venue, originally known as the Lakeside (then Keepmoat) Stadium, to house both clubs in 2007.
And well-known women’s football team Doncaster Belles are now staging matches at the ground after playing elsewhere since 2018.
