Big ticket boost for the Red Army

HEINEKEN Cup officials confirmed last night that a further 1,750 tickets for Munster’s European Cup semi-final clash with Saracens on Sunday week have been allocated to the province.

Having already secured 14,000 for the Ricoh Arena on Sunday week, Munster will now have access to almost 16,000 tickets for the game. Additionally, 1,500 tickets will go on general sale tomorrow morning through Ticketmaster and a further 500 through the Ricoh Arena itself.

Munster rugby officials have also won their appeal to have their Magners League game with Ulster re-fixed. The game will now take place 24 hours after the original date, on Wednesday April 30.

The original game on January 4 had to be postponed due to a snow-covered Ravenhill ground. It was re-scheduled for Tuesday April 29, just two days after Munster’s Heineken Cup semi-final against Saracens at the Ricoh Arena, but common sense seems to have prevailed in the end.

The week, however, will prove taxing for players, management and supporters as the Reds complete a busy seven days with a trip to Stradey Park to tackle Llanelli Scarlets just three days after the match in Ravenhill.

Munster end their Magners League campaign with a home fixture against Glasgow Warriors in Musgrave Park on Saturday May 10 on the day the Munster Player of the Year will be named at the Irish Examiner-sponsored Munster Rugby Awards in Silversprings Hotel, Cork.

Meanwhile in a bid to create greater excitement in the Magners League, organisers are set to introduce a play-off system to determine the champions of the league.

In a welcome move, the new format is set to be introduced in time for the 2009/10 season as the tournament chiefs look to increase the level of competition.

The top four clubs at the end of the regular campaign in the 10-team league are expected to enter into semi-finals and a final to determine the overall champions.