Semi Final Venues

[An Tarbh]

The ERC have confirmed the 4 possible venues for the semi finals of this seasons Heineken Cup to be played on the weekend of April 21/21.

Not surprisingly Biarritz will stay in San Sebastien for the visit of Wasps or Leinster while Northampton have earmarked the Ricoh Arena in Coventry should they upset the odds on Sunday.

Leicester will play at the Walkers Stadium and if Paris can overcome their injury woes and come away from Welford Road with a victory then the Stade de France and not the Parc des Princes, as would have been expected, will host the visit of Llanelli or Munster.

I wonder are Paris being a little superstitious after what happened in their last semi final at the Parc des Princes, no doubt Gauzini would see the match a sellout and a fantastic spectacle to boot, only little thing is overcoming Leicester on Sunday

 

[DonBilly]

The ERC have confirmed the 4 possible venues for the semi finals of this seasons Heineken Cup to be played on the weekend of April 21/21.

Not surprisingly Biarritz will stay in San Sebastien for the visit of Wasps or Leinster while Northampton have earmarked the Ricoh Arena in Coventry should they upset the odds on Sunday.

Leicester will play at the Walkers Stadium and if Paris can overcome their injury woes and come away from Welford Road with a victory then the Stade de France and not the Parc des Princes, as would have been expected, will host the visit of Llanelli or Munster.

I wonder are Paris being a little superstitious after what happened in their last semi final at the Parc des Princes, no doubt Gauzini would see the match a sellout and a fantastic spectacle to boot, only little thing is overcoming Leicester on Sunday
[/b]

Well as far as the Parc des Princes is concerned Stade Français have lost there a final versus Leicester, have won a quarter versus Nothampton and a semi-final versus Biarritz. So this is not that bad.

With Stade de France they will make more money. I know that Guazini was upset by Leicester decision of playing this QF in their usual stadium. 40% of the ticket sells are for the home side and 40% for the visiting side. So filling the Stade de France will compensate this.

 

[Cymrurugbyfan]

How are the tickets sold for these semi-final venues? Do supporters of the home team get more?

 

[Bullitt]

By all rights they should do, hense home advantage. Why a team can't use their own stadium though is beyond me.

 

[An Tarbh]

50/50 split.

 

[Cymrurugbyfan]

50/50 split.
[/b]

Good, It would be extremely unfair to give a team home advantage just by picking team names out of a bucket. (That is how they decide the venues right? Or something similar to that?)

 

[Bullitt]

So what would be a fair way then? How do you think every other tournament in the world does it?

 

[Cymrurugbyfan]

Fairness would be a neutral venue considering the sides getting a home advantage haven't earned it.

 

[Bullitt]

That's why it's called the luck of the draw.

 

[SmokeyMonkey]

The highest seeded team should always be home.

 

[Cymrurugbyfan]

An Tarbh tells me it's a 50/50 split in which case is fine by me.

 

[Rugby_Cymru]

It's a semi final.
There should be no advantages. Both sides should be visiting neutral grounds.

 

[Ripper]

So what would be a fair way then? How do you think every other tournament in the world does it?
[/b]

The higher ranked of the two teams from the Pool Play gets the Home Field is how every other tournament does it.