HC final 2014.....will be in France

[sheepshagger]

Tweeted by the ERC earlier today, to be formally announced at the competition launch later...

[nelly the elephant]

Tweeted by the ERC earlier today, to be formally announced at the competition launch later...

Formidable...........will be looking to book my usual room at the Mercure, Montmartre.....

[Xanthippe]

Tweeted by the ERC earlier today, to be formally announced at the competition launch later...

Formidable...........will be looking to book my usual room at the Mercure, Montmartre.....

May have to look for a Mercure in another city - there was something in the way it was announced that made me think it might not be in Paris.

Love your choice of hotel though - it's my first choice for Paris accommodation.

[Vamos los azules]

South of France would be awesome. It is the French rugby heartland after all.

[Xanthippe]

South of France would be awesome. It is the French rugby heartland after all.

Not sure if I was thinking as far south as you were but my immediate thought was the Stade Velodrome in Marseilles.

[Hornet]

South of France would be awesome. It is the French rugby heartland after all.

Not sure if I was thinking as far south as you were but my immediate thought was the Stade Velodrome in Marseilles.

That Stadium is being refurbished for the 2016 Euro Football Tournament bring it up to 67K capacity. Work is due to finish Summer 2014 but if it could be finished earlier it would be an ideal candidate for the HEC final, (and gives the French an ideal opportunity to showcase it before the Euro's).

[nelly the elephant]

Tweeted by the ERC earlier today, to be formally announced at the competition launch later...

Formidable...........will be looking to book my usual room at the Mercure, Montmartre.....

May have to look for a Mercure in another city - there was something in the way it was announced that made me think it might not be in Paris.

Love your choice of hotel though - it's my first choice for Paris accommodation.

Stayed there for the final in 2010...it was recommended by a buddy who was planning on going but had to cancel due to work commitments. Great location...was a perfect base for the weekend.

[Morf]

South of France would be awesome. It is the French rugby heartland after all.

Not sure if I was thinking as far south as you were but my immediate thought was the Stade Velodrome in Marseilles.

That Stadium is being refurbished for the 2016 Euro Football Tournament bring it up to 67K capacity. Work is due to finish Summer 2014 but if it could be finished earlier it would be an ideal candidate for the HEC final, (and gives the French an ideal opportunity to showcase it before the Euro's).

That and FFR's continuing reluctance to use the Stade de France because of the massive fees charged. The ERC might look for a bigger profit on another French stadium.

[suisse]

Hmmm....nice political decision from the ERC. Either this means the last Heineken Cup Final will be in France, ironically, or this is a little sweetner to get the French on their side?

This was expected to go to Rome or Italy, yeah? Goalposts have moved and so has the Final venue.

[dmnsctt]

Yeah, sounds like a sweetener for the French indeed. I too thought it would be in Rome or I had a hunch that it might be in Barcelona....

[ronk]

Hmmm....nice political decision from the ERC. Either this means the last Heineken Cup Final will be in France, ironically, or this is a little sweetner to get the French on their side?

This was expected to go to Rome or Italy, yeah? Goalposts have moved and so has the Final venue.

By that logic, we can expect the 2014 Heineken Cup Final in Twickenham. It'd be somewhat harder to pull out of the tournament.

[Darce]

Hmmm....nice political decision from the ERC. Either this means the last Heineken Cup Final will be in France, ironically, or this is a little sweetner to get the French on their side?

This was expected to go to Rome or Italy, yeah? Goalposts have moved and so has the Final venue.

By that logic, we can expect the 2014 Heineken Cup Final in Twickenham. It'd be somewhat harder to pull out of the tournament.

This is the 2014 final. There's no remit to arrange a 2015 final as there is no agreement for a tournament in 2015

[Mackman15]

Folks, any soundings on when tickets are available for sale?

[Broken Wing]

ERC says: Following phenomenal interest in the recent ERC finals, ticket information regarding the 2014 Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup finals will be available in early June.

[sheepshagger]

Pool draw takes place here on Tuesday, assume it will be confirmed then.

My pick is in Toulouse or nearby.

[Xanthippe]

Pool draw takes place here on Tuesday, assume it will be confirmed then.

My pick is in Toulouse or nearby.

Reckon there's a very good chance we'll all be off to Marseilles next May but just to be on the safe side I've added a hotel booking for Toulouse for May 14-16 2014 to my previous bookings for Marseilles and Paris - now watch them picking somewhere completely different

[TheBear]

They'll need a town with two stadia, if they're to maintain the recent trend of having both finals in the same city. It seems to have worked quite well so far, so there's no real reason to change that, unless they can't find two stadia.

[sheepshagger]

Toulouse have two that Leinster have played in anyway...

[icebaby]

Pool draw takes place here on Tuesday, assume it will be confirmed then.

My pick is in Toulouse or nearby.

Tuesday? Heino are advertising Wednesday at 2:30

[sheepshagger]

Am a day ahead of myself - Wednesday it is