MAYBE IT is a sign of the recessionary times or maybe a couple of fans reneged on their die-hard status after witnessing the docile capitulation to Munster in Thomond Park last Saturday. Either way, the Leinster Branch have returned 429 tickets ahead of next Sunday’s Heineken Cup quarter-final against Harlequins in London.
Under ERC rules, 25 per cent of The Stoop’s 12,638 capacity must be made available to visiting supporters at the quarter-final stage. When initially queried about Harlequins announcing a further 500 “returned” tickets on their website yesterday morning, a Leinster spokesman stated their full allocation had been sold, adding a demand for more tickets still existed.
Harlequins ticket officer John Salinger clarified the confusion, categorically confirming 429 tickets came back from Dublin and that a further 100 single seat tickets were still available on the club website (\ www.quins.co.uk) at £35 last night.
The subsequent Leinster Branch response stated: “People withdrew at the start of the week or they can’t afford it or corporate packages pulled out.”
Their ticket officer was unavailable yesterday so an exact reason or breakdown of returns was not forthcoming.
Salinger, however, was available and stated that 70 per cent of the returned Leinster tickets are for the South Stand area, adding that tickets for the main stand and sideline could also still be purchased.
The majority of travelling supporters will be seated together, unlike Leinster’s policy – and the policy of several other clubs – for big games when visiting ticket holders are dispersed around the ground to subdue their collective voice.
Despite the returns, Leinster still expect a 70-30 split in supporters, noting that up to 3,000 of their followers will be at The Stoop this Sunday.
The assertion is based on the premise that many fans purchased tickets off the Harlequins website before the Leinster Branch received their allocation.
All that is required to purchase off the English clubs website is a simple registration process, unlike Munster’s opponents on Sunday, the Ospreys, where membership or season ticket-holder status is required.
Munster fans have long been known for their ingenuity when it comes to gate-crashing opposition citadels for crucial European matches, most famously the 2006 semi-final at Lansdowne Road when the Leinster-allocated north terrace was a sea of red come kick-off.
They went a step further last month when, after noticing a significant volume of applications from “new season ticket holders” with Irish addresses had applied to buy tickets from the Ospreys allocation for Sunday’s game in Limerick, the Welsh franchise refused to accept any more membership applications from Ireland.
Harlequins are clearly not facing a similar threat although they may seek to learn from the Ospreys should they and Munster progress to a European semi-final over the May Bank Holiday weekend. That said, surely the 82,300 Croke Park capacity will satisfy demand.
Back to on-field matters, Harlequins coach Dean Richards compared Leinster to ‘bridesmaids’ while also sounding a note of caution.
“We are pretty wary of what Leinster have to offer,” said the former English number eight.
“World-class players tend to rise to the occasion, and we certainly expect that from Leinster and the likes of (Brian) O’Driscoll, Gordon D’Arcy and Felipe Contepomi.
“Leinster have always been the bridesmaids in Europe, but now they are aiming to be right up there.”
Leinster coach Michael Cheika will announce his travelling party today with Brian O’Driscoll and Luke Fitzgerald expected to return.
However, a question mark remains over hooker Bernard Jackman (knee) and Springbok World Cup winner CJ van der Linde (toe).
Cheika is expected to also include Jonathan Sexton despite his disciplinary hearing in Ravenhill at 4pm today.
The Ireland A outhalf has been cited for allegedly kicking Munster centre Lifeimi Mafi in last Saturday’s 22-5 defeat. If found guilty, the the offence carries a minimum four-week suspension and maximum 12 weeks.
