YORK City Knights have confirmed that their LHF National League Two fixture against Blackpool Panthers will be played on Saturday, June 4 (kick off 5.30pm) to help create a weekend-long festival of rugby league in the Minster city.

The match was originally scheduled for the Sunday afternoon but has been moved forward so that it does not clash with the annual International York 9s tournament which takes place that Saturday and Sunday at the nearby Heworth ARLC ground.

The ever-growing York 9s attracts teams from across Europe and has recently been awarded five star status by the Rugby League European Federation.

York 9s tournament director Stefan Hopewell said: "I take my hat off to the Knights for the way they have accommodated the tournament like this.

"It is testament to the spirit of co-operation between the two organisations that this has happened.

"Moving the fixture gives the York 9s a great lift and it will ensure we have a great turnout to watch the finals series on Sunday afternoon.

"This will give it a great boost, both in terms of profile and the number of spectators watching."

The Knights' opposition that weekend, the new Blackpool club, have confirmed they are to enter a side in the York 9s as the number of semi-professional teams involved in the competition continues to grow.

Hopewell said: "This is another massive coup for the tournament as the playing standard continues to rise. We saw the West Indies win the tournament last year, with a side that had several Super League Academy players and now we have a National League Two side, which will make the playing standard even higher."

Blackpool Panthers will be encouraging fans to travel to York for the weekend to back their team in both the game against the Knights and in the Rugby Grand Prix event.

Dennis Ramsdale from the Panthers said: "We are asking all our fans to make a weekend of it and support the Panthers against York and in the York 9s."

The group stages of the York 9s will take place on the Saturday at Heworth's Elmpark Way home, to be followed by the Knights match down the road at Monks Cross. Sunday will then see the finals series of the York 9s back at Heworth.

Updated: 10:07 Thursday, March 31, 2005