Bath Rugby to Play at Reading's Select Car Leasing Stadium
Reading's owner, Rob Couhig, has confirmed that the club has had 'serious discussions' with Bath Rugby about hosting two of their games at the Select Car Leasing Stadium. The agreement is part of Bath Rugby's stadium redevelopment plans, which will see their final two home games of the season played away from their Recreation Ground.
The games against Harlequins on the weekend of 15 May and Saracens on 5 June are scheduled to be moved, and if Bath Rugby were to reach the Prem semi-finals and secure a home tie next June, that fixture would also be played away from the Rec. The club's owners say the plans are being accelerated to ensure the redevelopment is completed for the start of the 2028-29 Prem campaign.
Why it Matters for Reading
The agreement is expected to bring additional revenue to the Royals, with Couhig highlighting the potential benefits of hosting rugby games at the stadium. 'This pitch is built in a way that it could handle that and recover very quickly [from rugby],' he said. 'Our football team is the first priority tenant and we would make sure it is handled the right way.'
What Comes Next?
The Select Car Leasing Stadium has been regularly used for rugby in the past, having been the home of London Irish between 2000 to 2020. Couhig has emphasized the importance of ensuring that the stadium is handled correctly, with any money generated from the agreement being reinvested in the football team. 'Let's say we did something with Bath Rugby, then we'd be allowed additional money under the SCMP [salary cost management protocol] to spend on our football players,' he said.
League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 12th in League One, 63 pts, 16W-15D-15L from 46 games, recent form LDLLL. Goals this season: 64 scored, 60 conceded (+4 goal difference). Title race: 40 points behind leaders Lincoln. Last result: Reading 0-1 Blackpool (2026-05-02). Recent form (last 5): 0W-2D-3L (LLDDL, most recent first); lost the last 2.
