Extra bite for Boxing Day derby

THE traditional Boxing Day derby between Warrington Wolves and Widnes Vikings will have extra bite with the Halliwell Jones Stadium set to stage the much anticipated clash.
The Vikings make a welcome return to Super League in 2012 and will be facing a Wolves side that topped the league table, with both teams much to prove who will take the bragging rights into the new season and who will be the Christmas turkey?!
The traditional fixture, which kicks off at 3pm on December 26, returns with both coaches looking to use the game as part of their pre-season preparation.
“It’s great to have our neighbours Widnes back in the top flight. We’re really looking forward to it this year, they’ll be keen to do well back in Super League, so that will be an interesting taste for them.”, commented Wolves boss Tony Smith.
“It’ll be good for us and give us an opportunity to see where we are at through our pre-season.”
Widnes coach Denis Betts, pictured above with Tony Smith, is equally looking forward to the challenge. “The Boxing Day fixture comes at an exciting time of the year. As a player it was a date I always looked forward to on the calendar and it’s no different these days as a coach. It’s fair to say that having gone without a competitive game for a few months, both sets supporters will be desperate for a rugby league fix too.”
“Facing the Wolves also gives us an opportunity to renew the local derby between the two clubs ahead of our games in Super League next year and it’s something we’re really looking forward to.”
Tickets for the North Stand will go on sale exclusively to Warrington Wolves 2012 Season Ticket holders from 12pm Friday November 25 until Saturday December 3 from the WolfWare store at the stadium and from WolfWare Online. Please bring your 2012 season ticket with you when you book, or quote your book no when ordering online.
Tickets for the South Stand will be on general sale from Friday November 25 and from Sunday December 4 for the North Stand.
The new areas of the stadium and the Martin Dawes East Stand will NOT be open for this fixture due to the building work that will be completed early in the New Year.
Meanwhile the Wolves have announced Emirates Airline as the title sponsor of their ground breaking 2012 pre-season tour to Australia.
Starting on the January 7, the 23-day tour will culminate in ‘the Wire’ taking on Russell Crowe owned South Sydney Rabbitohs, in a pre-season warm-up match at Redfern Oval.
To launch the new sponsorship, Warrington Wolves captain Adrian Morley and South Sydney Rabbitohs outside back Greg Inglis met for a photocall – pictured below.
Morley, who enjoyed a six year stint in the NRL with the Sydney Roosters said: “An English Super League club taking its team on a training and playing tour ‘down under’ is very exciting. Emirates has such a rich heritage within world sport and with their support this should be a momentous occasion that really captures the imagination of our supporters.”
In 1987, only two years after its inception, Emirates began to build up its impressive sponsorship portfolio which now includes partnerships with the IRB (International Rugby Board), FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and the ICC (International Cricket Council). Today, the airline is linked to some of the world’s leading sport events spread across the six continents to which Emirates flies non-stop from Dubai.
As well as exclusive naming rights to the tour, the ‘Fly Emirates Tour 2012’ will see the Emirates logo proudly displayed on the training, leisure and playing apparel worn by a Warrington Wolves touring party comprising of 25 players and 11 staff. The Warrington Wolves touring party will also travel in January to Sydney on the Emirates A380 superjumbo – the world’s biggest aircraft.
Laurie Berryman, Emirates’ Vice President UK & Ireland said: “We have been a strong supporter of the Warrington Wolves in the UK for a number of years now and it seems fitting that the squad will be travelling on one of our daily A380 services to Sydney via our industry leading Terminal 3 in Dubai.”
Speaking ahead of the Emirates Tour 2012 Hollywood superstar and South Sydney Rabbitohs co-owner Russell Crowe said: “I have been very interested watching Warrington’s progress in the last few seasons. They have become a real force. I’m sure it will be a good sharpening up for both teams and a treat for South Sydney Members.”