Sarries pick Cape Town Stadium for Biarritz clash

The stadium, which has a capacity of 64,100 and was built at a cost of £415m on the site of the old Green Point Stadium, was used for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Matches played at the stadium included England's 0-0 draw with Algeria and both a quarter-final and semi-final.

Now the Pool 5 match on Saturday, 14 January, 2012, (kick-off 5.40 pm local time) between the reigning English champions and the French club who have contested two of the last six Heineken Cup finals will be played at the stadium which will become the 97th venue to stage elite European club rugby action.

Saracens chairman Nigel Wray said: "As a club, we want to push boundaries and to stage big rugby events that people want to see, and the prospect of playing such an important match at a beautiful new stadium on a summer's evening in the Cape is fantastically exciting.

"We have been a north London rugby club since 1876, but we have added a strong South African flavour, with Remgro as 50% shareholders and around a dozen of our players having strong South African connections.

"It makes perfect sense for us to play a home game in South Africa, as we work hard to expand our commercial and supporter base."

Mark McCall, Saracens Director of Rugby, said: "Cape Town is fortunate to offer two exceptional venues for rugby. We enjoy an ongoing partnership with the Western Province Rugby Union, and only this week released Springbok prop Deon Carstens to join the Stormers, but the players are looking forward to playing Biarritz at the new Cape Town Stadium.

"The match will be closely watched throughout the rugby world, and we want to perform for Saracens, for the Heineken Cup, and for Cape Town."