EPCR have today announced the selected venues for the semi finals of the Champions Cup, with a number of fans unhappy with the selections.
From the semi final stage onwards, the Champions Cup sees its contests take place at 'neutral venues' based in the home nation of the higher seeded team.
As a result, EPCR have been forced to name four potential venues for the semi finals, with teams from England, France, Scotland and Ireland all still in the competition.
Bordeaux and Leinster are the heavy beneficiaries of the announcements, with the French venue selected as the Stade Atlantique Bordeaux Métropole - Bordeaux's home stadium - and the Irish venue selected as the Aviva Stadium in Dublin - a venue which Leinster frequently use for big home matches.
The other French side - RC Toulon - who will only get a home semi final if Sale Sharks win away at Leinster, would also host their semi final at the Stade Atlantique Bodeaux Metropole.
In the event that they beat Toulon in their quarter final, Glasgow Warriors would make the trip to Edinburgh their semi final against either Sale Sharks or Leinster.
Most controversially, the Stadium MK - home of EFL side MK Dons - has been chosen as the English venue.
Based in the East Midlands, this stadium has hosted Champions Cup semi finals before - notably for Leicester Tigers in 2016 - and with its high capacity, it does seem the ideal fit for Northampton Saints.
However, should Bath Rugby make it to the semi finals, their fans would face a 106 mile journey taking almost two and a half hours for a 'home' fixture.
This, coupled with the decision to include the Aviva Stadium and Bordeaux's home ground - has led to many fans of the reigning Gallagher Prem champions to deem this unfair.
Many have suggested Bristol's Ashton Gate as a strong alternative, holding 25,000 people and being based much closer to Bath, whilst Cardiff's Principality Stadium could also have been used, being half as far away as the chosen Stadium MK.
European Rugby Champions Cup Semi Final Venues
Read the full list of potential venues for the European Rugby Champions Cup semi finals below:
- Union Bordeaux Bègles v Bath Rugby or Northampton Saints – Stade Atlantique Bordeaux Métropole, Bordeaux
- RC Toulon v Sale Sharks – Stade Atlantique Bordeaux Métropole, Bordeaux
- Glasgow Warriors v Leinster Rugby or Sale Sharks – Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh
- Leinster Rugby v RC Toulon – Aviva Stadium, Dublin
- Bath Rugby or Northampton Saints v Stade Toulousain – Stadium MK, Milton Keynes
