HEINEKEN CUP:FOR THE first time in the history of the Heineken Cup, this year's two semi-finals could be played in the same city – Dublin – on the same weekend.
If Leinster and Ulster win their quarter-final matches against Leicester and Northampton Saints respectively, they both earn home-country advantage for their semi-finals, which will be against French sides.
According to ERC rules the winner of the first named team in the quarter-finals, which are Leinster or Leicester Tigers and Northampton or Ulster, will have home country advantage.
Those semi-final matches take place over the weekend of April 30th-May 1st.
Although the venues for the semi-finals and the final are controlled by the European Rugby Cup (ERC), a successful Leinster would play at the Aviva Stadium and Ulster, because they have no ground with a capacity large enough to accommodate ERC requirements, would probably play their semi-final on the same weekend at the Aviva.
While the ERC make the final call, unofficially there would be no objection to having a weekend rugby spectacular in Dublin, should both Irish teams survive the next round of matches.
The semi-final neutrality requirement is satisfied simply by the designated home team playing outside of their normal stadium, which is the RDS for Leinster and Ravenhill for Ulster. The ground must have a capacity of at least 20,000 and it must be in the same country as the designated home team. In rugby terms the island of Ireland come under the auspices of the IRFU.
The ERC are also aware Irish teams have a huge following and currently hold most of the records for competition attendances.
The highest attendances for quarter-final matches are held by Leinster and Munster. Leinster’s clash with Leicester in the 2004-05 season drew 48,500 fans to Lansdowne Road, while Munster’s meeting with Perpignan in 2005-06 attracted the same capacity.
The record attendance for a semi-final was set by Munster and Leinster when they played at Croke Park in the 2008-09 season in front of 82,208 people.
As yet nothing has been decided as both sides must first win their quarter-final matches in a few weeks’ time but the potential is that a Heineken Cup weekend in Dublin could attract close to 100,000 fans to the city. Leinster would sell all of the 51,000 seats and although it is not certain Ulster could do the same, the combined attendances would be approaching a six-figure mark.
No Heineken Cup semi-finals have been played in the same city since the tournament kicked off in the 1995-96 season.
Less than 4,000 Leicester fans will make the trip to Dublin for their club’s quarterfinal against Leinster on April 9th. The English Premiership side were entitled to 25 per cent of the ground capacity, or, around 12,500, tickets but returned most of the allocation. There are now less than 1,000 tickets remaining across all categories and are on public sale. Leinster are hopeful the match will be a sell-out.
MASI VOTED PLAYER OF CHAMPIONSHIP
ITALY'S ANDREA Masi was yesterday voted the RBS Player of the Championship for the 2011 competition. Over 17,000 public votes were cast to ensure the award was won by an Italian player for the first time, writes Johnny Watterson.
Ireland’s Tommy Bowe was last year’s winner, although Irish players did not figure too highly in this year’s running. Flanker Seán O’Brien was in fifth place behind Masi, Fabio Semenzato (Italy) and England’s Toby Flood and Chris Ashton.
Ronan O’Gara came seventh in the final voting.
The shortlist of names was compiled of winners of the RBS Man of the Match award from the first four weekends.
Masi received his for Italy’s historic victory over France, scoring a try in that match as well as in their match against Scotland.
