Man United fan's Old Trafford claim as England rugby hits Liverpool
England meet Fiji at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday in a historic Nations Championship Test — England's first in Liverpool and first outside Twickenham since 2019. Manchester United fan Richard Wigglesworth, England's senior assistant coach, said United would be "pretty happy" if their planned new ground is half as good as Everton's waterfront arena.
Everton's 52,769-capacity Hill Dickinson Stadium is staging another landmark event just months after opening. England players have called the fixture a massive opportunity to bring Test rugby to the north, while Wigglesworth has offered a striking benchmark for Manchester United's stadium rebuild, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Key Takeaways
- England face Fiji at Hill Dickinson Stadium in the first rugby union Test ever staged in Liverpool.
- Richard Wigglesworth, a Manchester United fan on Steve Borthwick's staff, praised Everton's stadium as a model for United's planned Old Trafford replacement.
- Tom Roebuck, Henry Pollock and Marcus Smith said northern fans finally get a major England Test without travelling to Twickenham.
- The waterfront venue has already hosted an international football friendly and record-breaking Magic Weekend crowds.
Why Is England Rugby at Hill Dickinson Stadium Today?
Saturday's Nations Championship clash sends England to Everton's Mersey waterfront home. England winger Tom Roebuck told the Echo it will be the first time the national side have played a Test match in Liverpool at the club's new stadium.
For England, it is also their first game in this country outside Twickenham since 2019. Wigglesworth said the occasion lets northerners in the squad and coaching group, including head coach Steve Borthwick from Carlisle, showcase the sport to fans who rarely see England nearby.
Hill Dickinson Stadium has moved quickly beyond Everton matchdays. The Blues hosted Ivory Coast against Scotland on March 31, staged a record-breaking Super League Magic Weekend that will return next year, and now welcome a Test that players hope will grow rugby in the North West.
What Did the Man United Fan Say About Old Trafford?
Wigglesworth's football loyalties lie with Manchester United even as he coaches England at a rival Merseyside club's stadium. Speaking exclusively to the Echo, the 43-year-old Blackpool-born coach said he "couldn't believe the design" of Hill Dickinson Stadium.
"Even from the top seat of the stand, what a great view it is and how close it still looks to the pitch," he said. With Manchester United proposing a slightly larger replacement for Old Trafford, Wigglesworth added: "I'm a Manchester United fan so I have a lot of interest in new stadiums at the moment. The one that we're proposing is slightly bigger but if it's half as good as this one, we'll be pretty happy."
The former scrum-half, capped 33 times for England, is bringing his family to Merseyside. He said his rugby-mad son is excited to see Everton's new stadium — a rare crossover moment between United fandom and Toffees infrastructure.
How Could This Match Grow Rugby in the North?
England players have framed the fixture as more than a one-off. Roebuck, born in Chester and recalled after George Furbank's injury, called it a "massive" chance to bring Test rugby north after years of Twickenham-centred fixtures.
"It could almost be deemed as an untapped place, the north," Roebuck said. Henry Pollock urged newcomers to watch live Test rugby in a football stadium, while Marcus Smith said northern supporters are usually asked to travel to London.
Wigglesworth joined a T1 rugby session with Everton in the Community, the RFU and the Sale Sharks Foundation before the match. For more crossover sports stories, see our Celebrity Breaking News coverage.