Leinster officials meet to decide venue

Officials from the Leinster Branch met today to discuss a venue for April's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Biarritz.

Officials from the Leinster Branch met today to discuss a venue for April's Heineken Cup quarter-final against Biarritz.

They will sit down with coach Matt Williams and the rest of the management team tomorrow to decide whether to stage the match in their Donnybrook home or switch the tie to the increased capacity of Lansdowne Road.

Williams and the Leinster players are keen to play the tie in their traditional home but if the branch feel a crowd of 25,000+ can be attracted to the IRFU headquarters - as opposed to the 8,500 that squeeze into Donnybrook - their decision could well be swayed by the financial rewards.

Meanwhile, Leinster may have emerged from the Heineken Cup pool stages as the only team with a 100 per cent record but their European exploits have done little to impress Swansea coach John Connolly, who led Stade Francais to the final in 2001.

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The Australian dismissed compatriot Matt Williams' side chances of lifting the trophy come May, instead plumping for Toulouse to take the accolades.

"I don't think Leinster will win it, no," the Australian told the BBC. "They are a very confrontational side, but we (Swansea) lost to them more than they beat us.

"They've got a good home draw in the quarter-final and a 50-50 chance of a semi in Ireland if they get through.

"The final's in Dublin, so if they're ever going to win it this could be their year. But I'd be surprised."