Hayes: Falcons are doing us proud in USA

PREMIERSHIP Rugby have heaped praise on Newcastle Falcons for spearheading the league’s latest American adventure.

The Falcons will take on European champions Saracens at the 18,500-capacity Talen Energy Stadium in Philadelphia next Saturday in what will be the second Premiership fixture staged in the United States following Sarries’ clash with London Irish in New York last year.

Dominic Hayes, Premiership Rugby’s commercial director, below, said: “We looked to our clubs to understand from them which ones would be happy to take on the challenge of taking a game 3,500 miles away from their home ground and Newcastle put their hands up and wanted to be the home side.

“They are very ambitious in that respect, they are a progressive club and I don’t think they get as much credit as they should for that, they see the opportunity and have an ambition to work with us in the US market.”

Hayes added: “First and foremost we want our partnership with AEG to be a success, so we are working with them to make sure they come out positively buoyed for next year and the long term. We have a commitment to them ...obviously we are staging an Aviva Premiership fixture and that is no mean feat from a logistics perspective.

“I think the success is that we have an event that is a positive experience for the clubs involved.”

Hayes continued: “We are keen for rugby to grow and develop in the US in a long-term sustainable way, that’s good for us.

“I think they’ll be a strong crowd but this is a long-term play.

“As much as we would love a sell out at every event we put on, we appreciate the challenge and are optimistic about building to a sell-out over the four-year term.”