A DEAL is close for Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors to take a Super League game to Dublin next year.
The two clubs, who were the first to join the NRL’s Las Vegas event last year, are working to organise a fixture in the Republic of Ireland.
And the RDS Arena, home of Irish rugby union giants Leinster, has been identified as their preferred venue.
That stadium is currently under extensive redevelopment and due to reopen later this year with a capacity of more than 20,000 and renamed the Laya Arena due to fresh sponsorship.
Warrington chief executive Karl Fitzpatrick told The Wire Untangled podcast: “Kris (Wigan chief executive) and I were over in Dublin a couple of weeks ago to finalise the venue, but we’ve just got to get the date sorted.
”It’s another real opportunity for the sport, and a much more affordable opportunity for our supporter base.
”I think Wigan and Warrington fans, as well as rugby league fans in general, would absolutely lap that up.
“Not just commercially but from a brand perspective, it presents some real opportunities.
“As clubs, Wigan and ourselves like to be bold. We try to be innovators and push the envelope to get this great sport onto the platform it deserves.”
The match would have historical resonance, as a repeat of an exhibition staged at the city’s Shelbourne Park greyhound stadium on May 12, 1934, which Wigan won 32-19.
Warrington returned to Dublin, in 1954, for a 23-11 victory over Halifax at Dalymount Park on May 28 (having beaten the same side the previous day in Belfast).
And Wigan played at the RDS Arena, then known as the Royal Showground, in the last Charity Shield fixture on August 13, 1995, beating Leeds 45-20 in front of 5,716.
But no competitive league fixtures have ever taken place in the Republic of Ireland, which would become the sixth different country to host Super League.
As well as the UK and France, games have been taken to Spain (Catalans played Warrington in 2009 and Wigan in 2019, both in Barcelona), Australia (Wigan v Hull FC in 2018 in Wollongong) and the USA (last year’s Vegas debut was recently followed by Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos).
Meanwhile, Super League clubs have been invited to register their interest in taking part in next year’s Vegas event at Allegiant Stadium.