No change in European Cup final venue
ERC chiefs said they will stick with their strategy of announcing the final venue in advance of the tournament. That was, and continues to be, a strategic ambition supported by all stakeholder nations, spokesman Diarmuid Murphy said.
“The prime reasoning behind the on-going ERC policy of selecting and announcing the venue for the final before the start of the tournament is to build a major European sporting event, allowing ERC and their tournament and broadcasting partners the necessary time to create the stage all concerned believe the final deserves.
He added: “The huge contribution the Irish teams have made to the tournament, and the firm belief that Ireland had the local support base should there be no Irish participation in the final, contributed to Dublin being unanimously supported by all competing nations for the 2003 final, total support that remains intact.”
He said the first tranche of tickets went on sale in January and the 6,000 tickets on offer were sold in less than two hours. Around 1,200 hospitality packages were also sold before the semi-finals and there is on-going interest in the packages.
“Title sponsors Heineken and all the tournament partners remain fully supportive of the Dublin final and both finalists were fully aware before the tournament started that Dublin was the venue for this major European event,” he added.
ERC will announce marketing and ticketing strategies for the final tomorrow at a Lansdowne Road press conferences.
Meanwhile, surprise finalists Perpignan have completed the signings of England Grand Slam winning winger Dan Luger, Australian centre Daniel Herbert and New Zealand back-row forward Scott Robertson.
It is believed the contracts run till June 2006 and 28-year-old Luger’s package alone would be worth £120,000 a year plus other perks which is far and above what his current club Harlequins could offer.
However Harlequins, who said at the weekend that they would not be renewing talismanic Irish hooker Keith Wood’s contract as they try to remain within the salary cap for next season, claimed Luger had not made up his mind.
Herbert, the 29-year-old 66-times capped centre, was also wanted by , Leicester.
Robertson is considered one of the finest number eights in the world though the 28-year-old started his career in the centre.
Nicknamed Razor the Canterbury Crusader is due to replace Canadian international Phil Murphy, whose outstanding performance against Leinster on Sunday suggested that perhaps they didn’t need the Kiwi after all.
Murphy is believed to be in line for a move to London Irish if they retain their Premiership status.
Meanwhile, Scotland rugby chiefs have followed their Welsh counterparts in axing their A side for financial reasons.
The decision to do away with their international second team is expected to save the SRU some £250,000 during the course of next season.
SRU chief executive Bill Watson said: “The decision was taken primarily for financial reasons but also in the aftermath of Wales’ decision to dispense with their A team this season, and in the light of the French Federation’s intimation that post Rugby World Cup they did not wish to participate in an A tournament shadowing the Six Nations Championship.
He added: “Discussions are continuing at Celtic League level and one option that is being seriously considered is playing Celtic League matches in and around international weekends, thus ensuring players on the fringe of the Scotland squad would still be getting high intensity matches.”
*AIB Second Division champions Dolphin have announced that their Kiwi coach Hamish Adams is to remain at the helm for another two years.
The New Zealander, who coached the Cork club to 12 wins from 15 this season and a return to Division One for the first time since 1998, was known to have been the target of other clubs but has decided to commit himself to Dolphin.
“We are delighted to announce that Hamish is staying on,” said team manager Alan Miller. “Even though last year we barely avoided relegation, we knew Hamish was right for us, and this year with largely the same squad he has been immense.”
Dolphin, who secured promotion with a 38-6 win over Malone in Musgrave Park a fortnight ago, play UCC in the Division Two play-off semi-final in Musgrave Park on Saturday with the winners meeting either Old Crescent or DLSP in Lansdowne Road on May 10.
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