Toulouse opt for bigger venue for quarter-final

Toulouse and Northampton Saints will play their Heineken Cup quarter-final on April 12 in the 36,500 capacity Stadium Municipal de Toulouse.

Toulouse, the 1996 Heineken Cup winners, have opted not to play the tie at their Stade Ernest Wallon ground (capacity 18,000) and instead take on the 2000 European champions at the stadium that hosted 1998 soccer World Cup matches.

"This is the No 1 tournament in Europe and the quarter-final against Northampton is an enormous game," said Guy Noves, the Toulouse head coach.

"Northampton are currently one of the best teams in Europe with some great players and it is logical to play this game in a stadium that not only has a bigger capacity but is also available. I think it will be full.

"We want to share the event with as many people as possible and we can double the crowd we would have had at Stade Ernest Wallon."

Toulouse have already benefited from switching big matches to Le Stadium - they attracted a Pool stage record crowd of 20,000 for their 1999/2000 quarter-final against Montferrand and, despite the stadium then being revamped for the World Cup, a full house of 26,000 watched them clash with Brive in the 1997/98 semi-finals.

Leinster Lions have already announced they will play Biarritz Olympique at the 49,000-capacity Lansdowne Road and, with Llanelli's tie against Perpignan a 10,800 sell-out and the 16,815 tickets for Leicester Tigers' clash with Munster like gold dust, the 2003 quarter-finals are set to attract record attendances.

The full Heineken Cup quarter-final dates, venues and kick-off times are:

Friday, April 11: Llanelli v Perpignan, Stradey Park, 1930

Saturday, April 12: Toulouse v Northampton Saints, Stadium Municipal de Toulouse, 1445

Saturday, April 12: Leinster Lions v Biarritz Olympique, Lansdowne Road, 1535

Sunday, April 13: Leicester Tigers v Munster, Welford Road, 1600