Heineken Cup – Quarter Final Sell Out

The Sold Out signs have gone up on the 2004 Heineken Cup quarter-finals scheduled for Easter weekend with the biggest crowd expected in Stadium de Toulouse for the Toulouse v Edinburgh game.

Defending champions Toulouse have led the way by ensuring there will be a capacity crowd of 36,500 packed inside Stadium de Toulouse for their clash with Edinburgh Rugby, a game that will be refereed by Irishman Alain Rolland.

And there won’t be an inch to move inside Thomond Park (13,257) when Munster tackle French champions Stade Frangais Paris; Stradey Park (10,800) for their showdown with Biarritz Olympique and at the Causeway Stadium (10,000) when London Wasps go head-to-head with English rivals Gloucester – it all adding up to over 70,000 going through the turnstiles.

ERC Chief Executive Derek McGrath said: We have the prospect of four outstanding matches and, while the quarter-finals are at a 100 per cent capacity, there would appear to be an appetite to fill the venues twice over.
Therefore there is a very strong argument going forward that quarter-finals be played at bigger venues.

And, for the first time in the nine-year history of the tournament, we have five countries represented in the quarter-finals, underlining the enhanced competitive nature across the board of Europe club rugby.

I am not that surprised at having four sell-out quarter-finals because attendances in the Pool stages this season have been phenomenal.

The 72 Pool matches attracted 588,275 fans – a staggering increase of 20 per cent, which equates to just under 100,000 spectators, on the 2002/2003 season.

Heineken Cup Quarter-Finals
(All kick-offs local time)
Friday 9th APRIL.
19.45: Llanelli Scarlets v Biarritz Olympique, Chris White (E), Sky / Sport +
Saturday 10th April.
16.00: Toulouse v Edinburgh Rugby, Alain Rolland (I), FR2 / Sky
17.00: Munster v Stade Frangais, Nigel Williams (W), RTE / Sky / Sport +
Sunday 11th APRIL.
15.00: London Wasps v Gloucester, Joel Jutge (F) Sky / Sport +