Saracens Heineken Cup Quarter final vs Ulster at Twickenham

http://www.ercrugby.com/eng/news/20477.php#.UQkafx2vHSg

Just thought Ulster fans would like to know where Saracens are playing you.

Personally I am pleased as a Sarries fan

Thoughts?

Also pleased. Will mean the most amount of people can get to the game and no plastic pitch.

I would have liked the plastic pitch. Would have given us an edge though I suppose it wouldn't necessarily be fair.

You should be pleased. You'll have more support and your team has used Twickenham before.

I hope Saracens market it properly. If they do I reckon they could sell a lot of tickets.

Great news....would be even better if I could get to it.......

I'm actually quite glad it's at Twickenham... Let's make it an Ulster cauldron...

I wouldn't rule it out. But the thoughts of having to listen to that FOOCKING SONG again......

Good that it's not in Buenos Aires I suppose.

I don't think Ulster will outnumber Saracens but you'll likely outshout us.

Saracens' fans in general are very quiet.

Oh I never expected to outnumber you Beshocked, just make more noise... And the real Stand Up will be ringing round all day...

Seriously anyone know when tickets are likely to go on sale? I'll actually be able to get down for this one and would very much like to go!

Have to look into travelling to this one now.

UK Heineken Cup quarter-final attendance record 37,881
Heineken Cup quarter-final attendance record 55,000

I recon that both those records have a very good chance of being broken.

Happy, happy, happy!

Bit ridiculous it could well end up with a higher crowd than several finals have had!
Good to see Richmond council continuing to trample on its own residents and tax payers by continuing to ignore its own rules on additional games at Twickers. Who needs local shopping and access to your own home?

PSW, if there are more than 55000 people there it will outstrip this years final venues maximum capacity.

This, in theory, allows Ulster an official allocation of about 20000 tickets right? Or are they only going to open the bottom tier?

Would Ulster be able to fill an official allocation of 20,000 tickets?

I think they'll try and fill as much as possible but it depends on the sales doesn't it.

I'd say so beshocked. Plenty of the diaspora will head along, as will many non-Ulster Irish fans. 20,000 would be less than we had in the Aviva last year for the semi.

UlstermaninGlasgow wrote:I'd say so beshocked. Plenty of the diaspora will head along, as will many non-Ulster Irish fans. 20,000 would be less than we had in the Aviva last year for the semi.

Yes, we had about 40,000 at least for the semi-final. But Dublin is way, way cheaper to get to and much more accessible. You can get there on day return on the bus for little more than £20. London is a flight and most likely a hotel. So no reason to expect the same take up. On the other hand, there will be plenty of people in London itself with Irish/Ulster connections.

We had about 6,700 in Limerick for the quarter final last year (that was our full allocation) and the demand for tickets exceeded that so I would be disappointed if we weren't somewhere around 10,000+

I forgot that Harlequins will host Munster at their Twickenham Stoop home the following day.

I'm going to guess that the travelling Munster fans will also get a ticket to watch the ulster game the day before

It would make sense to me, If i was travelling over 6pm kick off for Ulster game doesn't mean you have to travel extra early to watch it.

If only Harlequins had a bigger ground I'd expected a lot of Ulster/Munster men to have attended both, as is not many Ulster fans will get to see Munster but plenty of Munster fans traveling will get to see Ulster.

I was thinking the same myself Kingshu. Know of a few Munster lads in London who were intending on going to both now that the Ulster match is in Twickers.

I had expected Harlequins to go for a Twickenham Quarter Final against Munster. I think that was a missed opportunity for Quins, but a great catch for Sarries.

One of my mates had predicted Quins would host in HQ whilst Sarries would go to Wembley. What a high profile, attention grabbing Rugby-ful weekend in London that would have been. Club Rugby would have dominated the captial for the weekend in a way not done before.

I can only assume that Quins didn't want to lose the home advantage that the Stoop brings, i.e. less chance of a partisan away crowd gaining the upper hand.

That and the wendyballers would probably have complained that it would ruin the place before the FA cup or something.

More likley its just too expensive to get wembley at that short notice. It does strike as a bit odd that Quins (a better supported team than arries) will be playing Munsters ( a better supported team than Ulster ) across the road at a venune 1/6th the capacity but there you go.

Quins managed to get permission to hold it at the Stoop, and you've got to think thats a rugby decision- home field advantage. I don't know if Saracens favored Allianz Park but it probably would have been just a step too far what with the capacity increase needed and the just-opened stadium still needing to pass a few checks in terms of capacity.

I wouldn't be surprised though if Saracens had a bigger eye on the gate receipts whilst Quins were prioritising home advantage.

Notch,
I am sure you are right. Quins want the maximum home filed advantage whilst Sarries are used to going for the big gate.
I would bet if Quins manage to win, their home semi-final will be at Twickenham. It would be a huge event.

Doctor grey don't think Saracens could play at Wembley because I think there's a football game going on there that weekend.

Oh also unfortunately for Quins if they win they get an away semi at either Clermont or Montpellier.


Notch Saracens don't really prioritise in home advantage but are unbeaten this season at "home" in all venues and competitions.


True about Munster. Could well be a big attendance at Twickenham.

Both Saracens and Ulster have quite a few players that could draw in the crowds too -e.g. Ashton,Farrell,Goode from Saracens, Best,Bowe and Ferris from Ulster.

I think between Sarcacens and Quins moving to Twickenham suits Sarries more.

Quins would want home advantage as much as possible,

For Sarries the move makes so much sense, don't want to push it, expanding stadium after only a few games there,

Are used to playing home games at different places, so don't lose any home advantage (alot of Sarries players will have played more at Twickenham, that Aviva stadium by April).

Will make a lot more money from it.

If win semi final would be in Twickenham anyway, so better to get used to it.

For Ulster its better as more Ulster fans will get to see this.

Last year Saracens v Clermont at Vicarage Road only had a crowd of 11,047 (Vicarage Roads capacitcy is 17,000),

I don't know if Ulster would be a bigger draw for fans to watch Saracens than Clermont (who have a lot of big names, but may be less well know than UK and Irish players, to the causal fan?), but I think there could be as many Ulster supports as Sarries fans, maybe? Maybe Twickenham is a bigger draw for Sarries fans than Vicarage Road, in getting the causal fan through the turnstile?

I presume (hope) that they'll open then bottom and middle tiers and price the tickets similarly to "Saracens @ Wembley" - so around £20.

I think there could be a large away support with the various Irish teams in London that weekend.

How'd I also forget
London Wasps v Leinster on the Friday

I'll say a lot of the Leinstrer fans will stay another day and see Ulster, and travel back on the Sunday, Munster fans will arrive Fri/Sat see Ulster game and then see Munster on Sunday.

So with the Ulster fans, and the Munster/Leinster travelling fans that will take in an extra game, I suspect that people supporting Ulster may just outnumber Sarries fans??

Kingshu I think Ulster will get a lot of support but more than Saracens? I doubt it. You'll outshout us though I reckon.

Saracens have numerous casual fans who wouldn't go to most games but will go to the big ones. They have a significant catchment area - North London,Essex,Hertfordshire and Middlesex, potentially Buckinghamshire too.

The profile of their players is growing on the international stage which helps too.

I would say Ulster is a bigger draw than Clermont simply because the Irish travel more in their numbers. The French don't.


If Saracens do beat Ulster and Toulon beat Leicester then Owen vs Jonny would probably be a big draw for casual fans.

I'd say Sarries will have the bigger crowd, and with Leinster and Munster playing the same weekend, all I really want is there to be a big big crowd.

Playing away from Allianz Park, will not effect Saracens one bit, they are a team used to travelling, and are not used to Allianz Park yet anyway.

Also I'd say for the casual Sarries fan, a game against Ulster in twickenham, would seam a bigger deal than Clermot in Vicarage Road.

Just because they would be more fimilar with the Irish players than French ones, and it being in Twickenham, makes it seam to be a bigger game. (personally if I was a Sarries fan, Clermot would be bigger, but the Casual fan it may be Ulster)

Anyway I see both these records being broken, (UK one anyway).
UK Heineken Cup quarter-final attendance record 37,881
Heineken Cup quarter-final attendance record 55,000

Kingshu indeed for the casual Sarries fan it is.

No offence they might not know much about most of your players but they should have heard of the likes of Bowe,Ferris,Best,Trimble etc.

To be fair quite a few of them probably won't know most of the Sarries players too.

Saracens are still building up their brand too.


Clermont are a top side but you wouldn't for example say they are as significant a draw as Toulouse or Leicester because these two sides have a long history at the top. Clermont are one of the new shining stars on the block.

Saracens,Ulster and Clermont are three teams who are the teams on the up but they haven't got the long term success of the most successful clubs in Ireland,England and France.


Both Saracens and Ulster should be a draw because they both have current English and Irish internationals.

I still can't believe that if we beat Munster we have to go to France to play (probably) Clermont.

I can see why COS has gone for the Stoop and I'm happy it's there but it means the tickets will be expensive and I likely won't get one and a Double header would have maxed out Twickers (and then Quins and Sarries fans couk support each other and stand more of a chance of outshouting the Irish...)

Still, I'll try and get down to France if we do win, be a great weekend away

Chequered Jersey true a double header at Twickenham would have been awesome!

ChequeredJersey wrote:I still can't believe that if we beat Munster we have to go to France to play (probably) Clermont.

I can see why COS has gone for the Stoop and I'm happy it's there but it means the tickets will be expensive and I likely won't get one and a Double header would have maxed out Twickers (and then Quins and Sarries fans couk support each other and stand more of a chance of outshouting the Irish...)

Still, I'll try and get down to France if we do win, be a great weekend away

Start at about £25 according to the mail i recieved a week or so ago.

Yeah, but to actually get one will involve Ebay and inflated prices!

ChequeredJersey wrote:Yeah, but to actually get one will involve Ebay and inflated prices!

Hehe. Not for season ticket holders

http://www.saracens.com/news/view.php?Id=7380

Saracens have sold out their first game at new stadium which hopefully bodes well for the rest of the season.

http://www.rugbynetwork.net/boards/read/s104.htm?107,13823833

I think most of you will love this video about Saracens vs Ulster.

Credit to those on rugby network.

Funny.