Heineken Cup Looking to Break Pool Attendance Record

The Heineken Cup Pool 4 Round 6 match between NEC Harlequins and Munster on the weekend of 14 / 15 / 16 January, 2005, will be played at Twickenham.

The Heineken Cup Pool 4 Round 6 match between NEC Harlequins and Munster on the weekend of 14 / 15 / 16 January, 2005, will be played at Twickenham.

Derek McGrath, ERC Chief Executive, welcomed the move and said: We are delighted the game is being moved to Twickenham.

“This represents a huge opportunity to break the attendance record for a Heineken Cup Pool match of 23,463, set last season at Lansdowne Road when Leinster played Cardiff Blues.

“Munster, who have possibly the biggest travelling support of any club in Europe, and NEC Harlequins will both be able to have all their supporters accommodated by this move.”

“We are really looking forward to returning to Twickenham,’ said Tony Copsey, NEC Harlequins Managing Director. “Munster is one of the biggest draws you could wish to get in the Heineken Cup and it promises to be a fantastic occasion. We are not concerned that we might be giving up home advantage by moving the game over the road, as our recent visits to Twickenham have attracted a huge Quins following at what is our former home ground.”

“Providing planning permission is granted by Richmond Council, we are hopeful that building work will have started on the new West stand at the Stoop by the time we come to play this match. For this reason, it makes sense to play Munster at a stadium that is able to cope with the demand for tickets that this fixture brings, as illustrated by previous meetings between the two sides.”

Garret Fitzgerald, Munster CEO also welcomed the change of venue saying “Harlequins discussed the possibility of changing the venue sometime ago and we gave them our full support for the venture. Pool 4 of the Heineken Cup is a very difficult assignment for us but we hope to be in contention by Round 6 in January.

The move is also good news for our supporters who have had difficulty getting tickets for some away games in the past, and we will need all of that support in a match that could be crucial for a place in the quarter-finals. This match is now fully accessible to Irish community in London.”

Munster Coach Alan Gaffney also commented on the venue change syaing “Playing a side like Harlequins away is always a tough proposition, and playing at Twickenham probably makes our task all the tougher.

“But I must say from a Munster Supporters point of view it will mean all our tremendous supporters will get to see the game. I am really looking forward to this great occassion as I am sure are the Munster supporters.”

The RFU Management Board approved an RFU proposal for the switch in venue and Francis Baron, RFU Chief Executive, said We first invited NEC Harlequins in July this year to play their Heineken Cup fixture against Munster at Twickenham and I m delighted to say that they have accepted.

We are now moving ahead together, in partnership with ERC, to put the fixture on at Twickenham.

The Round 6 switch means an emotional return to Twickenham for Munster who were beaten 9-8 by Northampton Saints in the Heineken Cup 2000 final while NEC Harlequins took part in the recent double header at the ground to launch the 2004 Zurich Premiership campaign.