Munster reveal refund details for Leinster, Ulster, and Wasps games

Munster said on Friday night it will need to reduce the capacity for the upcoming fixtures against Leinster, Ulster, and Wasps at Thomond Park on December 26, January 8, and January 23 respectively. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Munster have asked supporters for patience and understanding as they begin to facilitate refunds for ticket holders of their three home games immediately affected by the Government’s new public health measures.

Saturday night’s Heineken Champions Cup game with Castres will go ahead as scheduled with more than 20,000 tickets already sold for the game at Thomond Park but under the restrictions agreed on Friday by Cabinet, the number of spectators attending sporting events is to be limited to 50% capacity, or a maximum of 5,000 people, whichever is lower, from this Sunday until January 30, subject to regular review.

As such, Munster said on Friday night it will need to reduce the capacity for the upcoming fixtures against Leinster, Ulster, and Wasps at Thomond Park on December 26, January 8, and January 23 respectively.

“The new measures do not come into effect until Sunday, 19 December and there is no change for supporters attending tomorrow’s game against Castres Olympique at Thomond Park.

“While facilitating season ticket holders and 10-year-ticket holders as a priority, tickets sold on general sale for the upcoming games against Leinster, Ulster, and Wasps will be declared void with refunds issued to patrons.

“With a reduced capacity of 5,000, the ticket office will make direct contact with season ticket holders and 10-year-ticket holders with further details on ticket allocations in due course.”

The measures are certain to heavily impact professional rugby finances for a sport desperate to start recouping some of the losses inflicted by the closure of stadia during the first lockdown of the Covid pandemic that started in March 2020. Thomond Park welcomed supporters back only this September 25 with the Castres game set to attract Munster’s first 20,000-plus gate since the December 2019 meeting with Leinster. This season’s corresponding fixture had already been declared a sell-out.

As yet kick-off times have not been revised on Munster’s upcoming Christmas fixtures schedule.

It had been a day of uncertainty for Munster given doubts over this weekend’s European fixtures involving French clubs following new restrictions introduced by the French government banning non-essential travel between the UK and France. Champions Cup organisers EPCR on Friday postponed all games between cross-channel teams but as no travel ban exists between France and Ireland, the green light was given for Munster v Castres to go ahead as scheduled.

The postponed games are Bath v Stade Rochelais; Sale Sharks v Clermont Auvergne; Scarlets v Bordeaux-Bègles; Toulouse v Wasps, Stade Francais v Bristol. Two Challenge Cup games are also impacted: Worcester v Biarritz, London Irish v Brive.