Leeds at home up first – in Gogledd!

Controversy has met the launch of the Crusaders’ Super League fixtures for the 2010 campaign. Last season’s wooden spoonists kick-off the new campaign at home to defending champions Leeds – but the fixture will be played 125-miles away from Newport at Wrexham AFC’s Racecourse Ground.

In a move that is hardly likely to inspire season ticket sales, the Saders will play their arguably most attractive fixture a 250-mile round trip away from their new home base in Newport.

It's common knowledge that the club are looking to take fixtures "on the road" next season in an attempt to widen the fanbase - but moving the season's curtain-raiser against Leeds is a tough pill to swallow for many supporters.

It's easy to speculate why the fixture has been switched. The Rhinos' notoriously large away following have already visited Newport - watching their team steamroller to a 68-0 win following visagate - so the promise of a "new ground" closer to Yorkshire invites the prospect of more away fans boosting Cru's coffers.

The January 30^th game will also act as the season's curtain-raiser, so curious neutrals fans from the sport's heartlands could potentially make the short trip to Wrexham after months without Super League action.

However, there are certainly problems with a decision that has left many of the club's core supporters disillusioned:

• - The Rhinos game is one of the most attractive of the season - and yet the club's long-suffering supporters in South Wales will have to shell out a fortune on travelling costs to see the likes of Kevin Sinfield and Keith Senior in action against Cru.
• - It's also Brian Noble's first game in charge - one that Cru's traditional fanbase will be desperate to see, and yet will have to travel 250 miles for the privilege of watching this ‘home' fixture.
• - Potential season ticket holders may also be put off by the prospect of travelling so far to watch the opening game of the campaign, or being forced to miss one of the campaign's most anticipated games.
• - Additionally, curious North Walians who attend the game are unlikely to create much of an atmosphere. Leeds, by contrast, will travel in numbers and are likely to out-sing and potentially even outnumber their less illustrious counterparts.

The fixture announcement has caused further complaint as no other home venues have yet been confirmed. Whilst the deal at Rodney Parade is thought to be for 10 games per season, the club have yet to state where matches will be played and which other games could be taken to Wrexham, to the Gnoll in Neath or to any other ground across the Principality.

What are supporters with a floating interest in the Crusaders going to make of this announcement? Sports fans in Newport, who could be tempted by decent ‘Early Bird' season ticket prices, don't even know if the club's second home game - the clash with Hull on February 20th - will be at Rodney Parade. With walk-up prices a little hefty too, it's easy to feel disillusioned at the moment.

After the Leeds opener, Cru travel to Robin Park to face Wigan and the Willows to face Salford, before Hull visit Wales. Then Cru travel to Warrington and St.Helens - leaving the club with a daunting opening six games, four of which will be away from home and potentially none of which will be played at Newport.

A summer weekend in France looks tempting with Cru visiting Catalans on July 17th, whilst the trip to the Stoop to face "local rivals" Harlequins is on June 6th.

The season finishes with back-to-back home matches. St. Helens travel down on the 21st of August, with Hull KR playing on the 4th of September. Who knows - perhaps we'll have play-off games to follow that? We can dream, but where any play-off home matches would be played remains a complete and utter mystery!