WILDERSPOOL Stadium is bowing out of service by staging its first professional final for 12 years.

England A face France in the climax of the inaugural European Nations Cup tournament on Sunday, kick-off 2pm. It will be the first and last international final to be staged at Warrington Wolves' home.

Thirteen finals have previously taken place at the venue and 11 of them were showdowns in the now defunct county competition.

The last major final to take place at Wilderspool Stadium was on October 20, 1991, and five former Warrington players figured in the match.

St. Helens defeated Rochdale Hornets 24-14 in the conclusion to the 1991 Greenalls Lancashire Cup competition in front of 9,269 fans.

While the game stood out for being a David and Goliath affair, with joint first division leaders Saints being pushed all the way by the second division outfit, the final will be best remembered for an unsavoury incident after the 80 minutes of rugby.

Paul Bishop, who started his career at Wilderspool, played scrum half for Saints on that afternoon and marred the celebrations with his dismissal after the final whistle.

Widnes referee David Campbell, the former Crosfields chairman and father of ex-Wolves winger Chris, showed Bishop the red card for stamping. Former Saints half back Brett Clarke had to receive treatment after the incident.

In the back row for Saints that afternoon was New Zealander George Mann, who later had a 17-match spell with Warrington in 1997.

In the Rochdale line-up, in the centres, were Ronnie Duane and Darren Abram, who is now head coach at Leigh Centurions, plus prop forward Tony Humphries, who is these days putting time back into the amateur game with Latchford Albion. Warrington-based Cliff Eccles, the younger brother of ex-Wire star Bob, and Simon Bamber, who started out at Woolston Rovers, also pulled on Rochdale colours for what was the club's last appearance in a major final.

Wigan have won more finals at Wilderspool than any other club. Their four Lancashire Cup successes in 1928, 1947, 1949 and 1973 were only topped by their Championship final triumph in 1934.

The only other Championship final to grace Wilderspool was the Swinton versus St. Helens Recreation clash in 1927. It was Recreation's second final defeat at Wilderspool of the season. Their 13-8 loss in front of 24,432 supporters followed their 10-2 Lancashire Cup demise at the hands of St. Helens in front of the 19,439 fans who had turned out to see what was the first final to take place at Wilderspool.