Murrayfield to stage 2005 Euro final

Murrayfield was today announced as the venue for next year’s Heineken Cup final.

Edinburgh will stage its first major European rugby final after tournament organisers were impressed by the Scottish Rugby Union’s presentation.

Previous European finals have been held in Cardiff, Dublin, Paris, Bordeaux and Twickenham, the venue for Sunday’s showdown between Wasps and Toulouse.

Heineken Cup chiefs are continuing their policy of identifying the final venue a year ahead, so as to maximise ticket sales and marketing potential.

Jean-Pierre Lux, chairman of European Rugby Cup Limited, admitted it had been ’an ambitious choice” but he was fully behind the SRU’s ability to take up the challenge.

Edinburgh reached this season’s Heineken Cup quarter-finals – the first Scottish team to gain a place in the knockout stages – and tournament organisers will be looking for at least a repeat showing next season.

Edinburgh apart though, Scottish teams have struggled badly in top-flight European competition, and it raises the question about how suitable a venue Murrayfield would be if, for example, two French teams contested the trophy.

That scenario unfolded in Dublin last year when Toulouse beat Perpignan, a game which saw Lansdowne Road almost half empty.

Lux made today’s announcement at Twickenham, where more than 72,000 tickets have been sold for Sunday’s game, just 2000 short of capacity.

Wasps are bidding to become the fourth English European champions after Bath, Northampton and Leicester, while Toulouse are chasing a record third title.

SRU chief executive Phil Anderton believes the whole of Scotland will receive an economic boost from the award.

He said: “We are delighted to have secured the Heineken Cup final against some very stiff competition from other European countries.

“Today’s announcement is a great boost for Scottish rugby, the professional game in Scotland and the city of Edinburgh.

“We will be actively pursuing a capacity 67,800 attendance for the Heineken Cup final and, given that many supporters could travel to Edinburgh than would be the case for a Six Nations match, then we believe the economic impact for both Edinburgh and Scotland could be greater.”