With the construction of Sheffield Eagles’ new stadium at the Olympic Legacy Park now underway, the club, politicians and supporters have expressed their excitement.
Sheffield, who are currently playing at Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium to comply with Covid-19 protocols, made a winning start to the Championship, battering Bradford Bulls 50-12 on Sunday 4 April.
Sheffield Eagles’ general manager Liam Claffey said spirits were high now building work has begun.
Claffey said: “Everything’s going fantastic down at the stadium. It’s nice to see the construction has started, obviously we’ve had a few false starts which have been nobody’s fault but it’s great that the work has finally started.”
He added: “It’s still disappointing that we have to go outside the city, we’re indebted to Club Doncaster for helping us through.
“The relief that it’s finally happening for next year is huge for us.
“We’re working behind the scenes to make sure that the club hits the ground running in terms of marketing and commercially so that we’re ready to go in 2022.”
Sheffield United’s Bramall Lane hosts Rugby League World Cup action on 6 November when England host Greece in their final group match and Claffey said that presented a big opportunity for the Eagles to flourish after the tournament.
Claffey said: “With the World Cup at the end of the year we need to capitalize on that going into 2022, so it’s an exciting time for us.
“It’s exciting to see the stadium finally going up and being ready for us when we get going in early 2022.”
Claffey said he was delighted to see Bramall Lane selected to host a World Cup game in 2021 after Sheffield missed out last time the tournament was on British shores.
“Back in 2013, we missed out.
“We bid for the England vs Ireland game, we missed out on that game at Bramall Lane, they took that to Huddersfield.”
“We were gutted to miss out last time.
The English Institute of Sport in Sheffield is also set to host a selection of group matches in the wheelchair competition as well as the two semi-finals.
World Cup rugby league will also reach Doncaster, something which excites Eagles’ fan Ciaran Rooney who has attended several games at the Keepmoat Stadium as a spectator, before the Covid-19 pandemic
Rooney said: “I really like the Keepmoat, in terms of a facility it’s a perfect stadium and because it’s a big bowl you can get a good echo and a bit of noise going”.
Doncaster’s Keepmoat Stadium is set to host three Groups games in the tournament with France, Greece, Samoa, Wales and Papua New Guinea all scheduled to feature in Doncaster, which has pleased Claffey.
He said: “The World Cup has stood up and has brought a lot to South Yorkshire, it’s not just the game at Bramall Lane”.
“They’re getting behind South Yorkshire because it’s a growth area for the sport so it’s exciting”.
He added: “We need to jump on that interest and hopefully get them people back and grow our fanbase.
“It’s exciting to get a big game in our city and off the back of that, we’ve got a development officer coming in.
“It’s really looking positive both on and off the field at the moment.”
The area of lower Don Valley is set for further improvement, the Community Stadium which is set to be completed in February 2022 is to be joined by a new basketball arena that is set to house B.Braun Sheffield Sharks.
Scarborough Group International has produced a master plan for the next stage of development at the Olympic Legacy Park which will see a further 850,00 sq. ft. of real estate development, attracting investment of around £250m and creating 5,600 jobs.
This is something that Claffey said he was pleased with as he looks to work with the other partners at the site.
Claffey said: “In terms of S9 and everything going on in the Lower Don Valley area it’s big not just for Sheffield Eagles but big for sport in general and the local community, who we’re looking to engage with.
“We’re trying to work with the school, the college and all of the partners involved in the site, so we have those strong links heading into 2022.”
Councillor Mary Lea, Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Leisure said she was also pleased to see construction has begun on the OLP site and has also expressed the importance of providing a legacy to the 2021 World Cup tournament.
She said: “I am very pleased the work has started and look forward to the completion and getting back to some normality”.
“I’m very pleased that the Eagles will have their home at the OLP and in our local area after they have experienced a long period of disruption.
“The fact that the Rugby League World Cup matches will be coming to Sheffield demonstrates the confidence sporting bodies have in the City, in that we can deliver sporting infrastructure and world-class events.”
Cllr Lea added: “We are working on the legacy for this tournament and we will work with the Eagles as part of the longer-term development of rugby league in Sheffield.
“The OLP has risen from the ashes of the Don Valley Stadium, it continues the legacy founded thirty years ago, I think it sends a message out nationally about Sheffield.”
East Sheffield Sport 