Ulster Win Will Set Up Aviva Return
Ulster will host a Heineken Cup semi-final at the Aviva Stadium for the second successive season if they can get the better of Saracens in London this weekend.
Stade de la Mosson in Montpellier will stage a first Heineken Cup semi-final with the winners of the Clermont Auvergne v Montpellier quarter-final meeting the winners of the Harlequins v Munster tie at the 32,000-capacity stadium in France’s Languedoc region.
The first of this year’s Heineken Cup semi-finals will take place on Saturday, April 27 with the second match scheduled for Sunday, April 28 at either Twickenham Stadium or the Aviva Stadium following today’s announcement of the dates and venues of the games in the last four.
If Saracens defeat Ulster in their quarter-final, then they will meet the winners of the Toulon v Leicester Tigers game at Twickenham, however, if Ulster win through, the semi-final will be played at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
The Ulstermen have recent experience of a Heineken Cup semi-final at the Lansdowne Road ground, having beaten Edinburgh 22-19 there in the semi-final stage of last year’s tournament.
The Heineken Cup semi-finals are played at venues designated by ERC, and the teams who will secure home country advantage in the last-four were determined by a draw which was conducted in January following the conclusion of the pool stages.
With the knockout stages of the tournament set to dominate the European rugby landscape when the four quarter-finals are decided this weekend, the road to the 2013 Heineken Cup final at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, May 18 is now clearer.
Details of ticket sales for the two high profile semi-final matches will be available on www.ercrugby.com later in the week.
2012/13 HEINEKEN CUP SEMI-FINALS:
Saturday, April 27 –
Clermont Auvergne or Montpellier v Harlequins or MUNSTER, Stade de la Mosson, 6pm local time
Sunday, April 28 –
Saracens or ULSTER v Toulon or Leicester Tigers, Twickenham Stadium, London, or Aviva Stadium, Dublin, 3pm
* If Saracens qualify, the semi-final will be played at Twickenham. If Ulster qualify, the semi-final will be played at the Aviva Stadium
Heineken Cup final – Aviva Stadium, Saturday, May 18 (kick-off 5pm)