Brussels sprouts Ulster’s Euro hopes

ULSTER coach Brian McLaughlin is hoping that the province can profit from Stade Francais’s decision to face the Irish side at Brussels’ King Baudoin Stadium in December.

The French club has rarely been slow to move matches from its on Parisian home, Stade Jean Bouin, but has until now travelled only as far as the suburb of Saint-Denis and the Stade de France.

This will not be the first time that an Irish province has been asked to play in a non-traditional rugby heartland. Munster have previously contested Heineken Cup matches in both Spain and Switzerland.