FORGET Knowsley Safari Park, if you want to experience a real jungle get down to Sedgley Park's Park Lane ground to see the Tigers and the Lions get it together.

From January 1, 2004, there will be a meeting of the two rugby codes, after Sedgley Park, current runaway leaders of rugby union's National Division Two and known as the Tigers, signed a 10-year ground sharing deal with Swinton Lions, who play in rugby league's National League Two.

"We have been in negotiation since April, after Swinton approached us and we're delighted to announce the ground sharing agreement," said Tigers' president Geoff Roberts.

"We are an ambitious club, we're doing very well at the moment and we would dearly like to win promotion. If we do we will be looking to improve spectator facilities and that costs.

"It's not easy to move forward when you only have income from eight months of the year, but welcoming Swinton to play at Park Lane means there will be income from rugby all year round, it also opens up other avenues, such as grant aid and sponsorship to continue ground development.

"We get on, we speak the same language and we have similar goals. We both want success and progress and we realised we stand a better chance of achieving that together.

"At the same time we will be maintaining separate identities. It is not a matter of Swinton taking over Sedgley, or Sedgley running Swinton. It is a true partnership, a coming together of two clubs for the benefit of both."

Sharing that view is Swinton LIons' vice-chairman Richard Taylor, who has been involved in the negotiations from the start.

"I have just this minute signed the contract and it is now on the way to the solicitors. This is a very exciting opportunity for both clubs and the fact we have signed up for a ten year period shows our faith in the facilities and prospects at Sedgley and our hope that we have finally found a new, albeit, shared home.

"For the past 11 years we have been like nomads, playing home games at Leigh, Chorley, Moor Lane and of course Gigg Lane. Now we believe we have finally found a permanent home at Park Lane."

With off-field activities playing just as big a part as those on-field, sports clubs, both professional and amateur and those in between, are constantly seeking ways of improving facilities.

Sedgley Park will be looking to increase its ability to attract finances, along with opportunities for cross-merchandising. Indeed, negotiations are currently underway with potential sponsors looking to commit to both clubs.

Swinton have already attracted shirt sponsorship from the Allied Irish Bank, who have been trying to get involved in sport, for some time. Once representatives of the blue chip company had seen the potential presented at Sedgley, they signed up with Swinton.

Taylor believes the move shows the amount of faith the rugby league side has in its new union partner.

"We've already seen rugby clubs of both codes ally themselves with football clubs, but such relationships have inherent problems. Both Sedgley and Swinton believe the way forward is for union and league clubs to combine, they have much more in common."

The obvious example is the Leeds Rhinos (rugby league) and Tykes (rugby union) combination. But whereas both those clubs are under one ownership, Sedgley Park and Swinton Lions are adamant that apart from sharing the odd player, the relationship ends once the teams step onto the pitch.

The move will certainly give both clubs benefits they do not have at the moment: "Both Sedgley and Swinton will be able to offer players 12-month contracts. That will help to keep costs down for both clubs and attract top quality talent," said Taylor.

"I think you'll see fairly rapid development at Park Lane. Sedgley are very keen to develop their new stand, they're also looking at building more stands, in addition to turnstiles and other spectator facilities."

"The ground already possesses a terrific pitch, with groundsman Tony Bolton creating a fantastic playing surface. Then there's the changing rooms, the gym, the medical facilities and of course the clubhouse operation and restaurant, which is very professionally run," he added.

"I really can't see any negatives, only positives for both clubs. I think the future holds great prospects for the supporters and players of both clubs."

There are already discussions concerning a cross-code game between the two sides and with the prospect of a Sedgley junior side being called Sedgley Lions, it appears both teams are committed to each other.

It is not as if the two clubs are strangers. Geoff Roberts' printing company used to produce Swinton's matchday programmes and the combination has already created one intriguing prospect: "Tigers and Lions, I wonder what we can make of that?" said the Sedgley president.