AVIVA Stadium now "almost certain" to host 2013 Heineken Cup Final:

IRFU set for bumper May 2013 Heineken Cup Final pay day

It is expected that Lansdowne Road's AVIVA Stadium will be confirmed as host of Northern hemisphere rugby's premier club rugby competition for the culmination of the 2013 event.  The Irish capital could also host the Amlin Challenge Cup Final the same weekend; but the big prize for the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) is undoubtedly the Heineken.  It will be a fantastic opportunity to advertise the country with up to 500,000 rugby fans arriving in the city for Final weekend and media from more than 20 countries broadcasting the event around the world.

Fingers crossed for Friday:  IRFU Chief Executive Philip Browne

While there are those who will (correctly) argue that the organisation who shares the Aviva Stadium with the IRFU (that is the Football Association of Ireland - FAI) are much more in need of a bumper payday having only sold out the venue twice in 16 attempts; hosting such a big event will help attract top rugby names to Irish shores. 

The announcement is expected to be made at a Committee Meeting of the European Rugby Cup (ERC) in Dublin on Friday afternoon with the AVIVA Stadium odds on favourite to be announced as 2013 host.