Dublin to host 2013 European final

Rugby news:The Heinken Cup final will return to Dublin in 2013, it was confirmed this morning. The Aviva Stadium will play host to European rugby's showpiece event for the first time since the redeveloped 50,000 capacity arena opened last year.

Lansdowne Road, in its previous incarnation, staged the event in 1999 when Ulster became the first Irish province to lift the trophy and also hosted the all-French final of 2003 when Toulouse defeated Perpignan.

Next year’s final has already been confirmed for Twickenham although no announcement has been made on where the Amlin Challenge Cup decider will be held.

Both finals took place in Cardiff on the same weekend last month, with Harlequins capturing the Challenge Cup before Leinster claimed a second Heineken Cup title the following day.

Leinster defeated Clermont, Leicester and Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium en route to Cardiff and ERC chief executive Derek McGrath is confident the venue will do the occasion justice.

"The Aviva Stadium is a world class venue which has quickly established a close affinity with the Heineken Cup having staged three matches last season, including two magnificent knockout games," said McGrath.

"Ireland has provided four Heineken Cup champions in the past six seasons and Irish rugby is steeped in the history of the tournament since it began 16 years ago.

"The decision of the ERC Board to bring the Heineken Cup final back to Dublin for the first time since 2003 is further recognition of the passion that Irish fans have for the tournament and we are confident that our showpiece game in 2013 will be another landmark occasion in the history of Irish rugby and sport."

Ireland manager Mike Ruddock, meanwhile, has named his side to face England in the opening match of the Under-20 World Championship tomorrow night.

Just four of the side that were hammered by the same opposition in the Six Nations earlier this year are retained for the game in in Treviso, Italy (kick-off 5.10pm Irish time).

Andrew Boyle, James Tracy, Michael Kearney and Jordi Murphy were all on the wrong side of that 45-16 beating at Dubarry Park in March and will be well aware of the task Ireland face against the Grand Slam winners.

Ireland U-20s(v England): C Gilroy (Ulster); A Conway (Leinster), B Macken (Leinster), L Marshall (Ulster), A Boyle (Leinster); P Jackson (Ulster), K Marmion (Exile); J Tracy (Leinster), N Annett (Ulster), T Furlong (Leinster); M Kearney (Leinster), I Henderson (Ulster); J Murphy (Leinster), D Gallagher (Ulster), Eoin McKeon (Connacht). Replacements D Doyle (Leinster), C Carey (Ulster), D Qualter (Connacht), S Buckley (Munster), P Du Toit (Leinster), J McKinney (Ulster), JJ Hanrahan (Munster).