Ongoing ticket fiasco takes another twist

RUGBY HEINEKEN CUP SEMI-FINALS:THE ONGOING ticket fiasco ahead of next month's Heineken Cup semi-final between Munster and Leinster at Croke Park took another turn yesterday when it was revealed that Ticketmaster had increased their service charges yesterday from €4.50 to €5.25.

When The Irish Timesqueried the €0.75 price increase a spokesman for Ticketmaster eventually explained it as another "slight glitch which occurred in the last day" and that anyone charged the extra amount would be refunded.

The "glitch" by Ticketmaster explains why no notification or reasoning was given to Leinster or Munster supporters who purchased six tickets for €297 on Monday only to be charged €301.50 yesterday.

There are numerous reports on rugby forum websites of supporters being charged varying extra service amounts in the past 48 hours.

Ticketmaster have yet to apologise for the initial error that saw 266 Leinster season ticket-holders take advantage of the "human error" that permitted them to use the same code to buy an unlimited supply of tickets. Munster season ticket-holders were also given the same opportunity but on a lesser scale as they could only purchase one ticket with each log-in while Leinster fans could buy six.

Both the Leinster and Munster Branches announced yesterday that all these purchases have been cancelled. The 266 Leinster fans may still be denied the opportunity to buy tickets for the match.

Many of the 266, and an unknown number of Munster supporters who purchased multiple times on Sunday night would have had their credit cards debited yesterday but the Leinster Branch reconfirmed that these ticket sales have been voided and refunds are forthcoming.

Both provinces received 30,000 tickets for the 82,300-capacity Croke Park fixture on Saturday May 2nd at 5.30pm.

Munster sell the majority of their allocation (13,300) through their clubs, while Leinster make 23,000 available to season ticket-holders.

Meanwhile, Nigel Owens will referee the semi-final between Munster and Leinster at Croke Park.

The Welsh official is well known to both teams, having officiated in Munster's quarter-final (beat Gloucester away), semi-final (beat Saracens at the Ricoh Arena) and final (beat Toulouse at the Millennium Stadium) victories in last season's tournament.

Owens also presided over Leinster's 6-5 victory against Harlequins at The Stoop last Sunday.

England's Wayne Barnes – he took charge when Munster claimed a victory over the Ospreys – has been named as the fourth official.

Owens did pick up an ankle injury during the Leinster match and if he is unfit to take charge in three weeks' time, then Barnes would replace him.

Ireland's Alain Rolland will take charge of the other Heineken Cup semi-final between Cardiff and the Leicester Tigers at the Millennium Stadium with fellow Irishman Alan Lewis the fourth official.

In the European Challenge Cup another Irish referee, Peter Fitzgibbon, has been handed the semi-final between Bourgoin and the Worcester Warriors at the Stade Pierre Rajon.

Jonny Wilkinson could be one step closer to leaving the English Premiership after Toulon confirmed the player's representatives were in talks with the French club. World Cup-winning fly-half Wilkinson has been linked consistently with a move to the Top 14, and it now seems that formal negotiations have been opened.

Wilkinson, 29, has not played for Newcastle Falcons, since suffering the latest in a long line of injury problems against Gloucester on September 30th and last represented his country more than a year ago.

Semi-final referees

Friday, May 1st

European Challenge Cup: semi-final: Northampton Saints v Saracens, Franklin’s Gardens (7.45)

Referee: Roman Poite (France)

Fourth official: Christophe Berdos (France)

Saturday, May 2nd

Heineken Cup semi-final:

Munster v Leinster, Croke Park (5.30).

Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)

Fourth official: Wayne Barnes (England) European Challenge Cup: semi-final: Bourgoin v Worcester Warriors, Stade Pierre Rajon (1.30)

Referee: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland) Fourth official: Carlo Damasco (Italy)

Sunday, May 3rd

Heineken Cup: semi-final:

Cardiff Blues v Leicester Tigers, Millennium stadium (3.0)

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

Fourth official: Alan Lewis (Ireland)