Ulster's Easter fixture stays

THE DUBLIN-based governing body of European Club Rugby (the ERC) have turned down a request from the Ulster Rugby Football Union…

THE DUBLIN-based governing body of European Club Rugby (the ERC) have turned down a request from the Ulster Rugby Football Union not to have their Heineken Cup Munster versus Ulster clash played on Easter Sunday, it was confirmed yesterday.

Ulster, conscious of the strong Christian commitments of players such as Irish international Andrew Trimble, captain Johann Muller, and scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar, had asked the ERC to have the game on a day other than a Sunday.

The Ulster Branch also made the request in the knowledge that a significant number of fans, whatever about attending a Sunday game, would have reservations about going to a game on perhaps the most important date in the Christian calendar, Easter Sunday.

Ulster’s press officer Lyndsey Irwin confirmed the request was rejected. “We did ask the ERC to consider not making us play on a Sunday but ultimately it is their decision and the decision of the broadcasters. There is not an awful lot we can do about it,” she said yesterday.

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Irwin said, however that while there were a number of players for whom the practice of their Christianity was important: “our players do play on a Sunday, it is not an issue for any of them.”

While the 1.45 pm kick-off at Thomond Park in Limerick would also present difficulties for fans she was confident the full 6,000 ticket allocation to Ulster would be taken up.

David Tweed, who played for Ireland and Ulster in the 1980s and 1990s, said in his playing days the Sunday issue did not arise because no games were played on that day, but it would cause problems for him were he playing now.

Tweed, a councillor with the staunch Traditional Unionist Voice party in Ballymena, Co Antrim, said he didn’t want to make a “big issue” of the game being played on Easter Sunday but felt the ERC could have facilitated Ulster.

“When there are sensitivities involved I think they should be taken on board,” he said.

John Corcoran of the ERC said it was decided the Leinster v Cardiff Blues games would take place on Saturday “as Leinster Rugby confirmed their intention to bring the match to the 50,000 capacity Aviva Stadium, which would therefore give far more fans the opportunity to attend this game”.

“The Saturday evening kick-off also reflects the appeal of the clash for international broadcasters,” he added.

Gerry Moriarty

Gerry Moriarty

Gerry Moriarty is the former Northern editor of The Irish Times