Extra flights for Cup final

IRISH airline Ryanair have put on two additional flights from Dublin to Santander for the European Champions Cup final in Bilbao ‘amid huge demand from Leinster and Munster rugby fans.’

It appears fans of the Irish provinces are counting their chickens already, despite the fact Leinster face a semi-final against Guinness Pro12 Champions Scarlets, with Munster away to Racing 92.

A press release from the airline boasted a ‘huge demand from Leinster and Munster fans’ for flights to the region Ryanair spokesman Robin Kiely said: “Ryanair have already added four extra flights for the Champions Cup Rugby final, and with two Irish teams in the semi-finals, there has been strong demand from supporters for even more flights to the game.

“We’ve now scheduled two additional extra flights for the final, which are on sale now and selling fast.”

The Scarlets, who negotiated their way out of a group that included Toulon, Bath and Benetton, already appear to have been written off by the bookmakers, who have the Irish side 1/7 favourites.

Should the unthinkable happen and the Welsh side knock Leinster out on April 21, then fans would be unable to get a refund as Ryanair’s policy states: ‘All Ryanair flights are changeable but they cannot be cancelled.’

There has also been controversy over the venue, with the game being played at the Aviva Stadium. Tournament rules state Leinster are allowed to play the semi-final in their home country, but not at their home ground – the RDS.

But the move to the Aviva has angered some, given that the province play there regularly and have done so already three times this season. TV pundits Brian Moore Stuart Barnes joined the clamour for the game to be moved to a more neutral venue, with the later labelling the situation ‘farcical’.

Despite the notion in some quarters that this game is a foregone conclusion, the trip will hold no fear for the Parc y Scarlets outfit.