City of Salford Construction on a new 20,000 seat £35 million pound stadium was complete in 2012. Now named the AJ Bell stadium it is home to Salford Red Devils and Sale Sharks rugby union team. Swinton Lions were founded in 1866 and play in the Championship at heywood road sale. They won the Rugby Football League Championship six times between 1927 and 1964, before it was superseded by Super League. They have also won the Challenge Cup three times between 1900 and 1928. Broughton Rangers were founded in 1877 and won the Rugby League Challenge Cup in the 1901–02 and 1910–11 seasons.
Hanazono Rugby Stadium Hanazono Rugby Stadium The in Higashiosaka is the oldest dedicated rugby union stadium in Japan. There is next to Hanazono Central Park (花園中央公園, hanazono chūō kōen). Owned by city of Higashiosaka, it opened in 1929 and has a capacity of 30,000. It is the stage for the annual National High School Rugby Tournament held every year at the end of December and has hosted important international, Top League games. Hanazono is the home of the Kintetsu Liners rugby union team. The stadium has been selected as one of the venues for 2019 Rugby World Cup (Japan) which will be the