Leinster and Ospreys meet in Rabo Direct Final

Posted on May 14, 2012 in Leinster, Ospreys

Leinster have reached their third successive RaboDirect PRO12 Final and will have home advantage over the 2010 champions, the Ospreys, at the RDS, Dublin, on Sunday, 27 May (kick-off 4.00pm).

Their 19-15 home semi-final win over Glasgow Warriors not only earned them a ticket into the Final, but also guaranteed them home advantage after they finished as the No1 seed from the regular season.

The Ospreys beat reigning champions Munster 45-10 at the Liberty Stadium on Friday night to book their ticket into their second Final in three seasons. They were champions in 2010, beating Leinster at the RDS, and semi-finalists last season.

The two teams will be eligible for up to 50% of the tickets in each category and details of sales will be issued by both clubs asap.

RaboDirect PRO12 Final, 2012

Sunday, 27 May – 4.00pm

LEINSTER RUGBY v OSPREYS

RDS, Dublin

Leinster outside half Johnny Sexton was named as the RaboDirect PRO12 Man of the Match against Glasgow after scoring 14 points, but Ospreys No 10 Dan Biggar toped that with a 25 point haul against Munster to pass 300 for the season and 1,000 in his career at the Ospreys.

"The Ospreys were pretty outstanding against Munster and it’s going to be a difficult game". said Jonny Sexton, "They beat us in Dublin two years ago in the final, and they beat us at the RDS this season as well.”

The RaboDirect PRO12 Final will bring down the curtain on one of the great professional careers when Ospreys wing Shane Williams plays his final game for the Welsh region. Williams has already won three titles in this competition, two Grand Slams and been named the IRB World Player of the Year.

He scored a record 58 tries in 87 Tests for Wales and also scored two tries for the British & Irish Lions in four Tests on two tours. He was the RBS 6 Nations Player of the Tournament in 2008.

“It has been great been involved in some small way with Shane’s career and it would be wonderful to send him into retirement with another title. But we know that Leinster are the best team in European rugby and the RDS is one of the toughest places to go and play,” said Biggar.

“It was great to play so well in beating Munster, but you don’t win anything in a semi-final. We are under no illusions as to how hard it is going to be in Dublin and how well we are going to have to play.”

Leinster will be hoping it will be third time lucky in the Final having been beaten 17-12 by the Ospreys in 2010 and going down 19-9 to Munster at Thomond Park last year.

Dublin to become European capital of rugby 2013

Posted on May 14, 2012 in Amlin Challenge Cup, Heineken Cup

Dublin is in line for a major economic boost next year when the Irish capital becomes the epicentre of European club rugby with the staging of both the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup finals in May 2013.

Tournament organisers, ERC, announced today (14 May, 2012) that the RDS will be the venue for the Amlin Challenge Cup final on Friday, 17 May, 2013 with the Heineken Cup showpiece going ahead the following day at the Aviva Stadium.

Research following the Cardiff 2011 finals showed that the economic impact to the Welsh capital from the 83,000 fans who attended the games amounted to €30 million (euro).

Speaking at the event today Leo Varadkar, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport said: “I am delighted to be here today and I’m really looking forward to Dublin being transformed into the European Capital of Rugby next year.  Only last week we officially launched the Gathering Ireland 2013, which encourages everyone with an Irish connection to return home next year.  I believe next year’s Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup Final will provide a real festival feel during The Gathering, and will be a great addition to our events calendar for The Gathering for next year.”

The research also demonstrated that over 84% of fans who attended the finals were from outside Wales with 61% staying at least one night in the host city, while those who attended both finals stayed even longer.

With both 2013 finals being played in close proximity, up to 70,000 supporters will have the opportunity to visit the city and savour what has become an unmissable weekend festival of European club rugby.

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Glasgow Warriors head to Dublin for semi final challenge

Posted on May 11, 2012 in Glasgow, RaboDirect Pro 12

Glasgow Warriors head coach Sean Lineen has challenged his players to take their game to the next level in Saturday’s RaboDirect PRO12 semi-final against Leinster at the RDS (kick-off 7.35pm, live on BBC ALBA).

The play-off match will see the Warriors seek to become only the second team to defeat the reigning European champions twice this season, Glasgow having recorded a 23-19 success in the first RaboDirect PRO12 meeting between the teams in Ireland last September.

Leinster have since lost just once in all competitions, with the Warriors one of only two teams to take points off them in the RaboDirect PRO12 this calendar year, courtesy of a 10-10 draw at Firhill back in February.

The Dubliners underlined their class in the Heineken Cup head-to-heads, inflicting a 38-13 defeat on the Warriors at the RDS before edging a tighter affair 23-16 in Glasgow.

Lineen believes it will take “something truly special from all 23 players” to see off a team who have booked another Heineken Cup final date for the following week, but has emphasised the belief underpinning his squad’s approach.

The head coach commented: “We’ve shown great consistency and character to reach the semi-finals, but this is where the hard work really begins.

“We’re not satisfied just to be in the play-offs; we’re absolutely determined to keep our run going, and that means finding a way to beat a side who are the benchmark for every other team in Europe.

“Leinster’s record in both the RaboDirect PRO12 and Heineken Cup these past few years speaks for itself, and you only need to look at the statistics to see how hard it is to beat them.

“But we have confidence in ourselves, our game plan and each other and while we have huge respect for Leinster, we won’t be standing back and admiring them.

“To win, we need every player to be better than they’ve ever been before. That’s a big ask, but it’s what it will take, and we’ve every confidence the players will deliver. They’ve risen to every challenge we’ve put in front of them this season, and this is undoubtedly the biggest yet.”

The Warriors team for Saturday’s match will be confirmed tomorrow morning. Lineen said: “Training has been excellent all week. As you would expect, the hunger and intensity have been right out of the top drawer, with everyone absolutely desperate to get into the 23 for the weekend.

“It promises to be another fantastic occasion, and the players will soak up the experience. But most of all they will be inspired by it and work to show the wider audience just how good a team they are.”

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Pro12 Play-offs confirmed

Posted on May 8, 2012 in RaboDirect Pro 12

Following the conclusion of the Round 22 RaboDirect PRO12 games on Saturday, the line up for the Play-Offs can now be confirmed.

Top seed Leinster will host fourth placed Glasgow Warriors at the RDS, Dublin, on Saturday 12 May (kick-off 7.35pm), whilst the second and third placed teams, Ospreys and Munster, will face each other at the Liberty Stadium 24 hours earlier on Friday 11 May (7.35pm kick-off).

HEC semi-final fan-zones in Edinburgh and Dublin

Posted on Apr 26, 2012 in Edinburgh, Scottish Rugby

Edinburgh Rugby have announced details of capital city fan-zones for home and away supporters for this Saturday’s colossal clash with Ulster in the Heineken Cup semi-final.

More than 4,000 of the club’s fans are expected to travel to Dublin to watch Edinburgh Rugby in Dublin this weekend as they play for a place in the Twickenham final next month.

To help fans show their support in the two capitals, the club has invested in designated fan-zones at the Ballsbridge and neighbouring Berkeley Court hotels, five minutes walk from the stadium in Dublin.

For supporters in Edinburgh, club partner G1 Group will welcome fans at the city’s Murrayfield Hotel and the Three Sisters venues, designed to cater for families and revellers respectively.

Edinburgh Rugby managing director, Craig Docherty, said: “Whether you’re travelling to Dublin to watch the game or staying at home to support us on the screen, both options, home and away, offer supporters the chance to get together with like-minded fans and enjoy this historic occasion.”

The away end – Dublin

The away fan-zone will kick-off at 12 noon on Saturday with extra bar facilities opened to cater exclusively for Edinburgh Rugby fans. Public bars are also open throughout the hotel as well as the ‘Heineken Green Space’ outside, with buffet stations and a barbeque catering for hungry travellers.

Club staff will arrive on the scene at approximately 2pm, with over a thousand free giveaways including branded flags, black and red scarves and Mohawk hats, to help fans make their present felt, while they’ll also be able to talk tactics with the non-playing Edinburgh Rugby players from 3pm-4pm.

After the big game, live music will re-start the proceedings at the Berkeley Court Hotel, with 10 screens around the hotel showing a replay of the match, half an hour after the final whistle at the Aviva Stadium.

The home end – Edinburgh

The Murrayfield Hotel, a familiar gathering spot for the club’s fans on away days, is the suggested choice for families, with a BBQ fired up and the match shown live, inside and out.

The black and red bunting is already up at the Three Sisters with the party crowd invited to watch the match on big screens in the club’s courtyard.

Pre-game entertainment, a tribal Scottish band and a DJ will help get the fans fired up to watch the match, where they can also enjoy a bite from the outdoor barbeque.