As the couple of posts above this one refer to, there's a RL club that was recently formed and is called Manchester Rangers, which as of March this year has been playing at the Regional Athletics Centre. They're down the RL pyramid but are aiming for the second tier (below Super League) in 10 years. I'd be surprised if City had started funding that venture, to be honest.
Meanwhile, the Eastlands Community Plan, issued in 2012, stated that:
I always thought that the East Manchester club would be in effect a development club focusing on bringing kids through (the reference to being based at the school hardly suggests a high-flying pro outfit), and that if they wanted top class RU at/near Eastlands, they'd look to bring Sale across (by funding a bigger athletics stadium with a capacity to be converted for other use if the Regional Athletics Arena were relocated, as suggested in the Eastlands Redevelopment Framework). I know Sale took a lease at Salford, but they were reported not too long ago as being unhappy with the move, so maybe they could be amenable to coming to Eastlands if something could be worked out with funding? Or has the position now changed?
Maybe it has, or maybe there's a preference to build up a club with an East Manc identity.
Meanwhile, the Eastlands Community Plan, issued in 2012, stated that:
The Rugby Football Union have acknowledged that there is a gap in club development in East Manchester and have indicated a desire to work with partners to bring forward investment into Rugby Union provision. Currently there are no Rugby Union clubs located in East Manchester and there is a strong desire to work closely with The East Manchester Academy to develop a new junior and adult club. The East Manchester Academy have established a strong curriculum Rugby programme and have invested in the creation of two full size Rugby pitches for curriculum use. The RFU have indicated that they would ring fence resources to support the development of a further full size pitch on the school site to enable the School to be established as a home for an East Manchester Rugby Club.
I always thought that the East Manchester club would be in effect a development club focusing on bringing kids through (the reference to being based at the school hardly suggests a high-flying pro outfit), and that if they wanted top class RU at/near Eastlands, they'd look to bring Sale across (by funding a bigger athletics stadium with a capacity to be converted for other use if the Regional Athletics Arena were relocated, as suggested in the Eastlands Redevelopment Framework). I know Sale took a lease at Salford, but they were reported not too long ago as being unhappy with the move, so maybe they could be amenable to coming to Eastlands if something could be worked out with funding? Or has the position now changed?
Maybe it has, or maybe there's a preference to build up a club with an East Manc identity.
