Munster agreeable to Sarries US trip

Munster’s Heineken Cup draw with Saracens could see the two-time champions embark on a long-distance trip to play the ambitious Londoners, possibly in the Irish expatriate hotbed of Boston.

Saracens, backed by considerable investment from South Africa, had wanted to take a home pool game against Biarritz to Cape Town last season, only for local difficulties over the choice of stadium to stymie the plans. Munster chief executive Garrett Fitzgerald told the Irish Examiner last night that Sarries may hatch similar plans for an away day to tap into the Reds’ huge support.

Fitzgerald, who last season spoke of his concerns about the viability of Munster embarking on such a project themselves, said last night, as Munster revealed a projected deficit for the year ending June 30, 2012 of €1 million, that if the conditions were right and suited his province, he would be agreeable to Saracens conducting the experiment and bearing the costs burden.

“Saracens looked last year at taking one of their home matches to South Africa and I’m sure we will get some proposals from them to take that match somewhere, so it will be interesting to see what happens,” Fitzgerald said.

“If it’s their game and it means no additional cost to us, and in the event that it could be financially beneficial to us, then it’s something we’d look at.”