The Rugby Championship is "coming to London for the first time" on Oct. 8, according to RUGBY WORLD. That match could become the first of many, with SANZAAR CEO Andy Marinos "keen to stage more Rugby Championship fixtures in Europe -- and London in particular." It is a way to "expose the tournament to a wider audience." Marinos said, "We saw how positive the World Cup was in the U.K. and we feel our game is about taking it to as many supporters as possible." Regular-season NFL and NBA games are now staged in London and Marinos sees the U.K. capital as "a key market for international sporting showpieces." He said, "It's testament to what a big sporting arena London is. While the World Cup was on last year, the NFL were kicking off a game (between Jacksonville and Buffalo) in semifinal week. ... Australia and New Zealand have already taken international rugby abroad to the USA and to Hong Kong and people will continue to look at new markets, but Europe and the U.K. has such a strong rugby heritage and we at SANZAAR would like to continue that approach" (RUGBY WORLD, 7/29).
