Fans scrum down for Lansdowne ticket frenzy

SSIA money and the opening up of Croke Park for rugby won’t come in time for the eagerly-awaited showdown between Leinster and Munster in the semi-final of the Heineken Cup.

Tickets for the guaranteed sell-out in Lansdowne Road in three weeks’ time are set to become the hottest pass for any event, sporting or otherwise, in Ireland this year after quarter-final victories by both provinces on Saturday.

The mad scramble for the first-ever meeting of Irish teams in Europe’s top rugby competition begins later today when the European Rugby Cup will confirm the date of the match.