Newport v Newport as codes clash
A looming fixture clash involving two sports clubs in the Welsh town of Newport could have a major impact on the last day of their domestic football and rugby seasons.
Both Newport County, who play in the fourth tier of the English Football League, and Newport Gwent Dragons rugby club are scheduled to play at the town's Rodney Parade ground on Saturday, May 6.
County are due to host fellow relegation candidates Notts County on the last day of the League Two season.
Football chiefs want matches to kick off at either 3:00pm local time (1400 GMT) or 5:00pm (1600 GMT) in a bid to ensure no side pushing for promotion or trying to avoid the drop has an advantage over a rival team.
It's a similar story in rugby, with the Dragons set to welcome local rivals Cardiff Blues at 5:15pm (1615 GMT) on the final day of the regular Celtic League season -- potentially their most lucrative game of the campaign.
Rugby officials want all six Celtic League fixtures to kick-off at the same time with play-off and European places at stake.
"Our expectation is that games will be played simultaneously and we are in contact with the club," said a Football League statement released to the Western Mail, Wales's national newspaper, on Monday.
Meanwhile a Celtic League statement said: "At this point in time the information we have is that Newport Gwent Dragons have priority for the stadium on the day."
Playing the two fixtures back-to-back has been ruled out as impractical, as there would only be a 15-minute gap to alter pitch markings, literally change the goalposts and get two different sets of fans into and out of the ground.
Reversing the fixtures is also no longer an option, as Newport have already travelled to Notts County and the Dragons gone away to Cardiff already this season.
Home advantage is important to both Newport clubs and, as Rodney Parade is owned by Newport Rugby Football Club, the Dragons believe that gives them first call.
However, when Newport County signed a 10-year lease until 2023, part of the agreement was their wishes would take precedence in the event of a fixture clash.
"We're trying to resolve this situation, but don't have a final position on it at the moment," Dragons chief executive Stuart Davies told the Western Mail.
"I'm a little surprised it has taken this much time to surface, because we flagged this up many months ago, in fact as far back as the summer when we became aware of this fixture clash," the former Wales rugby international added.
Rugby Union has traditionally been the national sport of Wales but football's profile has risen recently, with the Welsh team upsetting the odds to reach the semi-finals of last year's European Championships.