Source: Team_Talk
Sharks move Irish game to Bolton
Sale Sharks have announced they are to switch their Aviva Premiership home match against London Irish in April to Bolton's Reebok Stadium.[LNB] The Stockport-based club were crowned Premiership champions in 2006 but their fortunes have flagged in recent seasons and attendances at Edgeley Park have steadily fallen.[LNB]The match against Irish will be played on Saturday, April 16 and will kick-off at 5.30pm, and is seen as a positive step towards marketing the club to the wider north-west sporting community.[LNB]Sale attracted fewer than 8,000 spectators to their opening two home games of the season but they are targeting a 28,200-sell-out at the Reebok next spring.[LNB]Sale chief executive Mick Hogan said: "This announcement is the culmination of nearly 12 months' work to enable us to announce this event.[LNB]"We now have seven months to achieve a sell out crowd, and I truly believe that there are almost 30,000 people in the north-west who would like to attend a live game of Sale Sharks' rugby.[LNB]"We want to show the north-west some real ambition and give the region a rugby team that they can truly be proud to support."[LNB]Sale fly-half Charlie Hodgson said: "As a player, you want to be play rugby on the biggest stage.[LNB]"To have the opportunity to play for Sale Sharks at one of the UK's great stadiums will be a fantastic honour for the players who are selected.[LNB]"Having begun my career with the club in front of 1,800 people at Heywood Road, it's absolutely amazing to think that we will be playing a home match at a world class stadium in front of 28,200 people."
