Keep the place warm for us..

[RobbieRockBoy]

Looks like Munster will be making the annual trip to the south of France for the semis.

Once again screwed by the powers that be.. more fuel to the fire.. more incentive to win

final venues
23 March 2006, 2:53 pm
The City of Manchester Stadium could be the next new venue to stage Heineken Cup action - if Sale Sharks beat Biarritz Olympique in the quarter-finals.
The Board of ERC, the tournament organisers, today confirmed the four potential venues for the semi-finals, to be held on the weekend of 22 / 23 April, en route to the 11th final being staged at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on Saturday, 20 May (3.00 pm)

If Biarritz Olympique qualify for the semi-finals their match against the winners of the clash between Leicester Tigers and Bath Rugby will be played at Estadio Anoeta, San Sebastian, and if Sale Sharks win it will be an all-England clash at the City of Manchester Stadium.

If Toulouse qualify for the semi-finals their match, against the winners of the quarter-final between Munster and Perpignan, will be at Le Stadium, Toulouse, and if Leinster win the semi-final will be played at Lansdowne Road, Dublin.

The draw for the semi-finals made in Cardiff following the Pool stages gave the winners of Biarritz Olympique v Sale Sharks and Toulouse v Leinster “home” semi-finals with the matches to be played at neutral venues in their home country. The ERC Board have approved San Sebastian in Spain as a suitable semi-final venue.

A Sale Sharks victory would see the 47,500 capacity City of Manchester Stadium become the 76th venue to host a Heineken Cup match. The stadium, which is home to English football Premiership side Manchester City, was constructed as the athletics stadium for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

The venues, dates and kick-off times of the semi-finals will be confirmed on Monday, 3 April.

POTENTIAL HEINEKEN CUP SEMI-FINAL VENUES


Potential Semi-finals


Venues


Capacity


Previous semis at venue

Toulouse v Munster/Perpignan




Le Stadium


37,000


2002/3 Toulouse v Munster

1998/99 Colomiers v Perpignan

1997/98 Toulouse v Brive

Leinster v Munster/Perpignan


Lansdowne Road


48,500


2003/4 Munster v London Wasps

2002/3 Leinster v Perpignan

1995/6 Leinster v Cardiff

Biarritz Olympique v Leicester Tigers/Bath Rugby


Estadio Anoeta, San Sebastian


32,000


N/A

Sale Sharks v Leicester Tigers/Bath Rugby


City of Manchester


47,500


N/A

HEINEKEN CUP 2005 / 2006 QUARTER-FINALS
(All kick-offs LOCAL times)

SATURDAY 1 APRIL
12.30 Leicester Tigers v Bath Rugby The Walkers Stadium (32,000)
Joel Jutge (France) (Sky Sports / Sport+)

16.00 Toulouse v Leinster Le Stadium (37,000)
Dave Pearson (England) (FR2 / RTE / Sky Sports)

17.30 Munster v Perpignan Lansdowne Road (48,500)
Nigel Whitheouse (Wales) (RTE / Sky Sports / Sport+)

SUNDAY 2 APRIL
18.00 Biarritz Olympique v Sale Sharks Estadio Anoeta (32,000)
Alan Lewis (Ireland) (Sport+ / Sky Sports)

[Dave Cahill]

Looks like the ERC gave Mr Rs letter the care and attention it deserved

[Uncle Mort]

Looks like Munster will be making the annual trip to the south of France for the semis.

No - I can't work this out - despite having read and re-read it a number of times. Leinster are playing in the South of France, not Munster, followed by a match in Lansdowne Road. And boy - we owe Perpignon big time after our first no show.

[RobbieRockBoy]

Looks like Munster will be making the annual trip to the south of France for the semis.

No - I can't work this out - despite having read and re-read it a number of times. Leinster are playing in the South of France, not Munster, followed by a match in Lansdowne Road. And boy - we owe Perpignon big time after our first no show.

Helps if you spell their name right first..

[Duff Paddy]

Many a slip 'twix cup and a lip, boys.

[ckav]

Looks like the ERC gave Mr Rs letter the care and attention it deserved

What goes around, comes around. That letter was a joke. Glad to see that it was filed under Delete....

Let's not get too excited, though ...there's the small matter of taking on arguably the strongest team in Europe in their backyard next weekend.

[ad nauseam]

[quote Let's not get too excited, though ...there's the small matter of taking on arguably the strongest team in Europe in their backyard next weekend. [/quote]

Full of cheer and optimism, I see. How do you see us doing? Not too optimistic about our chances myself, but we should at least give them a good test and hopefully take a few of their better players down with us.