Aviva Stadium Among Potential Champions Cup Semi-Final Venues
BT Murrayfield in Edinburgh, Dublin’s Aviva Stadium and Franklin’s Gardens in Northampton, as well as three French stadiums – the Allianz Riviera Stadium in Nice, Lyon’s Matmut Stadium de Gerland and Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux – have been chosen as the venues which are in line to host this season’s Champions Cup semi-finals on April 22-23.
If Leinster manage to defeat Wasps in the first of the quarter-final matches this Saturday, then the three-time champions will travel to France to meet either number one seeds Clermont Auvergne, or Toulon.
If Leinster are up against Clermont, the semi-final will be staged at the Matmut Stadium de Gerland, however, if Toulon provide the opposition, then the game will be played at the Allianz Riviera Stadium.
But if Wasps get the better of Leinster, then the current Aviva Premiership leaders will have home country advantage against either Clermont or Toulon at Franklin’s Gardens.
If Munster and title holders Saracens win their respective quarter-finals, then Munster will have home country advantage in the semi-final with the two European heavyweights clashing at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. However, if Toulouse defeat Munster, the four-time tournament winners will play Saracens at Stade Chaban-Delmas in Bordeaux.
But if Glasgow Warriors upset the formbook and knock out Saracens, then the Scottish club, who have reached the quarter-finals for the first time, will be guaranteed home country advantage taking on either Munster or Toulouse at BT Murrayfield, the iconic Edinburgh stadium which will also stage this season’s Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals in May.
The format for the semi-final matches in the Champions Cup recognises performances by teams during the pool stages as well as the achievement of winning a quarter-final match away from home.
The Champions Cup semi-finals are played at venues designated by EPCR which have been selected in this instance in conjunction with the Irish Rugby Football Union, Scottish Rugby, Premiership Rugby and the Ligue Nationale de Rugby.
CHAMPIONS CUP SEMI-FINALS – APRIL 22-23:
SF 1: if Clermont Auvergne v Leinster – Matmut Stadium de Gerland (Lyon)
SF 1: if Toulon v Leinster – Allianz Riviera Stadium (Nice)
SF 1: if Wasps v Clermont Auvergne – Franklin’s Gardens (Northampton)
SF 1: if Wasps v Toulon – Franklin’s Gardens (Northampton)
SF 2: if Munster v Saracens – Aviva Stadium (Dublin)
SF 2: if Toulouse v Saracens – Stade Chaban-Delmas (Bordeaux)
SF 2: if Glasgow Warriors v Munster – BT Murrayfield (Edinburgh)
SF 2: if Glasgow Warriors v Toulouse – BT Murrayfield (Edinburgh)
2017 Champions Cup Final: Saturday, May 13 – BT Murrayfield, kick-off 5pm