Heineken Cup heads for Stade de France

Thursday 24th July 2008

Stade de France: The Heineken Cup's latest venue

Stade de France: The Heineken Cup's latest venue

Stade Français have announced that they will play their Heineken Cup Pool Four match against Harlequins at the Stade de France on Saturday December 6.

Max Guazzini's side already holds the record attendance for a Heineken Cup pool match after 44, 112 fans saw them take on Sale Sharks in the 2006/7 tournament.

The Parisians also hold the world record attendance for a regular season club fixture, having packed out the 80,000-capacity Stade de France several times for matches against Biarritz and Toulouse in the past two seasons.

To pack a similar number in for a Heineken Cup match should be child's play to the flamboyant chairman, who slashes ticket prices on such occasions, decking the stadium out in pink and putting on a succession of pre-match entertainments.

Cardiff Blues and Toulouse are also switchng pool matches to larger venues, with Cardiff taking on Gloucester at the Millennium Stadium, and Toulouse facing Bath at Toulouse's Stade Municipal.

Gallery - International Rugby - Week Four

Shaun Edwards hands out the orders as Wales warm-up at the Millennium Stadium. A sickening clash of heads in the opening minute sees both Stirling Mortlock and Jamie Roberts hurt. Mortlock is taken from the field immediately, whilst Roberts plays on for 15 minutes with a fractured skull.