Cardiff actually secured the championship midweek with a hard earned victory against arch rivals Pontypridd but didn’t pick up the trophy until this afternoon. Even a 15-32 defeat couldn’t dampen the Blue and Blacks celebrations.
The Arms Park side will be hoping Cardiff Blues can replicate their success with victory against Leicester Tigers tomorrow when the two teams collide in a Heineken Cup semi-final showdown next door at the Millennium Stadium.
Millennium Stadium Manager Gerry Toms is urging fans who have not yet snapped up their tickets to do so early and avoid the bank holiday queues on match day. Mr Toms is advising fans to plan ahead as a large walk up crowd is expected for the semi-final showdown – the biggest game in Cardiff Blues rugby history.
Twice already this season the Blues have raised their Heineken Cup home record gate at the home of Welsh rugby. They beat Gloucester in front of a crowd of 27,114 in the Pool stages and then pipped Toulouse in the quarter-final with 36,728 fans roaring them on.
The Welsh region are heading towards the magical figure of 48,500 – hoping to eclipse the once world record club crowd that turned out to see Cardiff meet Newport at Cardiff Arms Park in 1951.
Mr Toms said: “We’ve had great crowds at the previous Heineken Cup games here this season but have also experienced a huge number of people turning up on match day hoping to purchase tickets. We are well equipped to sell tickets on the day and will be selling up to kick-off but with a host of pre-match entertainment and the queues expected on what will be a sunny day out for rugby lovers in Cardiff we are calling on fans to help themselves, and us, by getting hold of their tickets as early as possible.”
Tickets for the game will be on sale on Sunday from the Millennium Stadium Ticket Office (02920 822425) and are priced at £40, £30, £20 and £10 for concessions.
Sales this weekend will be from Ticketline and Millennium Stadium Ticket Office at Gate 3 in Westgate Street (Saturday 10am – 4.30pm and Sunday 9.00am – 3.40pm).
