Twickenham an option to host Euro showpiece

TWICKENHAM is being considered as one of three options to stage this season’s re-scheduled Heineken Champions Cup final in October, according to reports.

With EPCR scrapping plans for it to be played out in Marseille – they will instead host the 2021 event – tournament bosses are now said to be weighing up venues for both this year’s Champions and Challenge Cup finals.

The Telegraph report that Twickenham, Bristol City’s Ashton Gate Stadium and Wasps’ Ricoh Arena are in the frame.

The Champions Cup final is now scheduled for Saturday, October 17, with the Challenge Cup the previous night.

Scarlets are due to travel to Toulon in the last-eight of the Challenge Cup, while the Dragons will be in Bristol on the weekend of September 19.

The two matches were postponed from early April when the competition was suspended by the coronavirus pandemic.

■ ENGLAND are set to return to action with a rescheduled match against the Barbarians at Twickenham on October 25, according to reports.

The day after the Premiership final, Eddie Jones’ side will play out a fixture which should have taken place before they headed off on their summer tour to Japan, MailOnline reports.

It will be the first time England have taken the field since playing Wales in the 2020 Six Nations back on March 7.

MailOnline report that the RFU are hoping to be able to secure UK Government approval to have a half-full crowd of around 40,000 at the match, having already sold more than 30,000 tickets for the non-cap fixture.