Magic Weekend will revive derby matches

The Magic Weekend will be back at Murrayfield next year, almost certainly with a resumption of the derby fixtures that comprised the first two years of the event in Cardiff, to build on the success of taking a full round of engage Super League fixtures to Edinburgh.
There is an acceptance by the RFL that some of the fixtures this time — the product of a draw — were uninspiring and that the biggest draw card was the only derby of the weekend, between Wigan Warriors and St Helens. Rather than building to a climax, the aggregate 59,749 crowd for the two days was at its most sparse for the last of the four matches on Sunday night.
It is likely to mean a revival of the local rivalries, between Hull and Hull Kingston Rovers, Leeds Rhinos and Bradford Bulls, and Castleford Tigers and Wakefield Wildcats, although there is an argument to stagger the derbies over two years and mix and match the fixtures.
Whatever the misgivings about the concept expressed by a handful of leading players, the Magic event has established its place in the calendar, and given the economic climate, a marginally lower attendance than last year for the first time in Scotland was a satisfactory outcome for the RFL and Scottish Rugby Union (SRU), which had courted the event and was delighted by the response.
The Edinburgh economy received a £10 million boost and the SRU has an option for a third year in 2011, although the impetus for a possible “Geordie Magic” bid at St James’ Park would grow were Newcastle United to be relegated from the Barclays Premier League.
Wigan’s first win over St Helens in two years has not yet secured Brian Noble a new contract for 2010, but he is anxious to extend his tenure as coach. “I absolutely want to stay,” he said. “We’ve made some massive strides the last three years. We’ve a team that, if it applies itself, can go on to win trophies for years to come.”
Source:The times