Heineken Cup final venues to be announced soon

LeeroyJones

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/sport/2010/0504/1224269640773.html

so it looks like the next 2 finals will probably be in Twickenham and Lansdowne Road, well they're the only 2 mentioned in the article.

So when is this rotation system between Paris, Dublin, London, Cardiff and Edinburgh going to stop?!? I know we have only had it once but surely other cities deserve a look in!

If rugby is serious about spreading the game around Europe, it needs to step outside the bubble, or at least pay some attention to Italy, who have teams competing in the outright competition.

There are some fantastic stadiums around the continent and it is a great opportunity to showcase the sport to new viewers. I suppose many football grounds don't want rugby played on their surfaces but it would be at the end of the season when the surfaces are generally relaid anyway so that shouldn't be an issue.
I would love to see a final staged at the San Siro, or the Nou Camp or Allianz Arena etc

I remember somebody posting an article about the semis being moved to other neutral cities too, i can only see positives coming from branching out.

Podge_irl

Lansdowne Road is too feckin small for a HEC final.

Risteard

I'd agree about the San Siro. I've never been there but it looks like a fantastic stadium and sold out for the ABs match. Would definitely generate even more awareness in Italy.

Sadly, as said, Lansdowne Road is too small.

outwest

it should never be in ireland again, stadium is too small,

what about munich, be great to show of the final there, they have some fine beers there

Deadly Delta

Wouldn't Croke Park be available for this kind of thing?

Podge_irl

Deadly Delta wrote: »

Wouldn't Croke Park be available for this kind of thing?

Technically, but I doubt it would ever be put forward by the IRFU. Whatever about hosting a Leinster-Munster clash, I can't see the GAA being thrilled about hosting a Toulouse-Biarritz final or something similar.

Riskymove

Podge_irl wrote: »

Technically, but I doubt it would ever be put forward by the IRFU. Whatever about hosting a Leinster-Munster clash, I can't see the GAA being thrilled about hosting a Toulouse-Biarritz final or something similar.

advance ticket sales tend to be good these days anyway regardless of actual attednance on the day...it has developed into a major event in europe

...look at all the leinster and munster fans looking to offload tickets

I have no doubt that if croker was announced as a venue that a lot of irish fans would buy tickets ahead of knowing finalists

Podge_irl

Riskymove wrote: »

advance ticket sales tend to be good these days anyway regardless of actual attednance on the day...it has developed into a major event in europe

...look at all the leinster and munster fans looking to offload tickets

I have no doubt that if croker was announced as a venue that a lot of irish fans would buy tickets ahead of knowing finalists

Oh, I think it would sell out (or come close to it), I just don't think the GAA would want to host a rugby game that had no Irish connection. Just my opinion, I could be well wrong.

Riskymove

Podge_irl wrote: »

Oh, I think it would sell out (or come close to it), I just don't think the GAA would want to host a rugby game that had no Irish connection. Just my opinion, I could be well wrong.

Money talks and bull**** walks, etc

toomevara

I'm all for a bit of expansion when it comes to the Semis and the final, but sometimes a neutral location just doesn't work. I went to the Toulouse/Perpignan final in Lansdowne back in '03 and it was an atmosphere free bore-fest, massively disappointing (granted the comp didn't have the profile back then that it has now) not a lot of French supporters in the crowd and too many neutrals, only around 30,000 turned up...Now I know you could have a Leinster/Munster final in Bora-Bora and the place would be jam packed, bit there are few other sets of supporters who travel with the numbers or passion that our lot do....

Deedsie

If Ireland are hosting the HEC Final again It should be in Croke Park. Landsdowne is barely big enough for a semi final. I hope the ERC turn them down saying its too small.

Riskymove

toomevara wrote: »

. I went to the Toulouse/Perpignan final in Lansdowne back in '03 and it was an atmosphere free bore-fest, massively disappointing (granted the comp didn't have the profile back then that it has now) not a lot of French supporters in the crowd and too many neutrals, only around 30,000 turned up....

i remember that too but it really is key that the event has grown now to a serious event

the other option is (like the Magners) to await the participants before deciding venue, but that has a lot of disadvantages

LF1

Absolutely no way the ERC should host a final in Landsdowne Road. Its only 50,000 capacity for godsake nowhere near big enough

tolosenc

Fix the North Stand and have it Lansdowne.

The semi-final weekend should be in a big stadium in a big city in (Western) Europe, where rugby isn't a major sport. Travelling fans could make a weekend of it, amybe with a ticket valid for both matches. Local rugby fans would have a hell of a treat, and it might spring some interest in other locals.

Nou Camp
Bernabéu
Westfalenstadion
San Siro
Stadio Olimpico
Estádio da Luz
Amsterdam Arena
King Baudouin Stadium
or even the Luzhniki Stadium or the Athens Olympic Stadium...

rockman15

was in the san siro for two matches before...AC milan vs Celtic and AC vs Inter Milan...the second one was a sight to behold. ive never seen such "passion" for disliking other fans and loving your own team at the same time!!!

ive a few amtes who were in it for the AB game. Said it was as good as the Milan derby matches in terms of atmosphere. perhaps that would be limited if say cardiff and munster were playing a H.Cup final there.

Chochese

Podge_irl wrote: »

I can't see the GAA being thrilled about hosting a Toulouse-Biarritz final or something similar.

They've done so in the past... Notre Dame vs. Navy Academy and Bears v. Steelers in American Football.

The ball is roughly the same shape, just tell the besuited GAA men that it's an NFL game again

kensutz

Also there's an american football match coming next year afaik in Croker.