ULSTER HAVE been informed by tournament organisers EPCR that tomorrow’s Heineken Champions Cup fixture against Stade Rochelais cannot be played at Kingspan Stadium in Belfast due to concerns over the safety of the playing surface.
The match will now be played behind closed doors in Dublin. That venue will be either the Aviva Stadium or the RDS.
An Ulster statement read: “The match in Pool B will be played as scheduled tomorrow (Saturday 17 December) with an unchanged kick-off of 17.30 (local time).
“Regrettably, because of issues with logistics, as well as concerns regarding health and safety due to the timing of the venue change, the match will be staged behind closed doors with no access for supporters.
“Following close consultation between Ulster Rugby and EPCR in recent days, and despite the efforts of Kingspan Stadium ground staff, the decision was taken to move the fixture as Kingspan Stadium’s playing surface were deemed unsafe due to the freezing conditions in Belfast.
“Live television coverage will be as scheduled on BT Sport, SuperSport and FloRugby, and EPCR would like to thank all stakeholders for their understanding and co-operation.”