MUNSTER HAVE CONFIRMED that they will install additional seating in Thomond Park to boost the capacity of the Limerick venue for Saturday’s highly-anticipated Heineken Champions Cup clash with Saracens.
The capacity will be increased from 25,600 to 26,267 for the visit of the reigning European and Premiership champions.
Munster say they have already sold more than 23,000 tickets, while the extra seating will be located behind the in-goal areas at both ends of the pitch “to give as many supporters as possible the opportunity to see Munster take on the Premiership holders.”
Munster had a 25,600 sell-out crowd at Thomond Park for their first home Champions Cup game of the season last month, when French side Racing 92 came away with a draw.
Johann van Graan’s side will be hoping for a better outcome against Saracens this weekend and their supporters will be waiting with keen interest to see what kind of team Mark McCall names to travel to Limerick.
Saracens were handed a 35-point deduction and a heavy fine for breaching salary cap regulations in the Premiership, with McCall having subsequently indicated that he may have to prioritise their domestic league campaign over the Champions Cup this season.
Without their frontline England internationals, Saracens were beaten away to Racing in round one before they hammered Ospreys on home soil in the second round of pool fixtures.
The likes of Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, Billy Vunipola, and Mako Vunipola made their first appearances since the World Cup final in last weekend’s 25-12 win away to Bath in the Premiership and it now remains to be seen if Saracens come to Thomond Park fully locked and loaded.
A strong Saracens team would only add to the excitement around this fixture, with Munster keen to reaffirm their superb home record in Europe.
- This article was updated at 7.33pm to correct “on the goal-line” to “behind the in-goal areas” in the third paragraph.
