Sport

Clubs want final moved

Although it still remains likely that the Heineken European Cup final on May 24th between Stade Toulousain and USA Perpignan …

Tue Apr 29 2003 - 01:00

Although it still remains likely that the Heineken European Cup final on May 24th between Stade Toulousain and USA Perpignan will take place at Lansdowne Road as scheduled, the growing campaign in France to have the blue riband of the European club game moved was given a little sustenance yesterday by the chairman of the ERC, Jean-Pierre Lux, writes Gerry Thornley.

Lux said confirmation of the venue for the final will be provided in the next day or two, and "the door is not closed" on the possibility of the final being moved to France.

It is the first time in the competition's eight-year history that two teams from the same country have reached the final, the venue for which is decided before the competition starts, and the Perpignan president Marcel Dagranat yesterday stated that the Catalan club would bring no more than 2,000 supporters to a Dublin final.

Toulouse, reputedly, would bring no more than 5-6,000 supporters, whereas both French clubs agree they could ensure a 50,000 attendance for a final in France. Indeed Dagranat and his Toulouse counterpart Rene Bouscatel have proposed that the final might be moved to Barcelona.

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However, 6,000 tickets have already been sold for the Dublin final, several hundred hospitality sales have assuredly been completed, and the main sponsors, Heineken, and other sponsorship partners are in agreement about having the decider at Lansdowne Road. Furthermore, television contracts have been agreed for coverage of the final, with RTÉ committed to provide the outside broadcasting unit on May 24th. So the odds must be that the final will remain in Dublin.

Meanwhile, the Scottish Rugby Union announced yesterday they were getting rid of their A team for the 2003-04 season in an attempt to save money. The decision to do away with their second team is expected to save the SRU some £250,000 next season and comes after Wales decided to get rid of their A team on cost grounds.

The United States won their play-off match against Spain to claim the 20th and final spot at Rugby World Cup 2003. They had a 62-13 victory in Madrid a fortnight ago and beat the Spaniards 58-13 in Fort Lauderdale.