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Wembley Statue Shortlist
The RFL has revealed the final shortlist of Rugby League legends who are in contention for selection as the subject of the statue that will celebrate the sport’s long association with Wembley Stadium.
Rugby League is the second sport to be recognized at Wembley, with soccer legend Bobby Moore the only other work of public art at the stadium, and some of the greatest names in British sporting history have been identified in an exhaustive search which began last November.
After a public vote, a long list of contenders was considered by a series of specially-convened selection panels comprising fans, Rugby League journalists, coaches, players, national newspaper editors and MPs to produce a six-strong shortlist as follows:
• Billy Boston
• Eric Ashton
• Martin Offiah
• Gus Risman
• Alex Murphy
• Group representation
The RFL is now inviting the public to give their views on which of the above should be the subject of the statue before the governing body’s independent Board of Directors makes the final decision at the end of July. Once the subject has been identified, the sculpture will be commissioned with a view to unveiling it at Wembley before the Rugby League World Cup 2013 semifinal doubleheader at the stadium next November.
Rugby League has been associated with Wembley for over 80 years with the first Challenge Cup Final played at the stadium in 1929.
