Saracens will play Heineken Cup match in Cape Town

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Newlands Stadium
Image caption,

Newlands in Cape Town is home to Super Rugby outfit Stormers

Saracens will play their Heineken Cup game with Biarritz in Cape Town, South Africa - the first game in the cup to be held outside of Europe.

The Pool Five fixture will be played on Saturday, 14 January.

The venue has yet to be decided though, with the Cape Town Stadium and Newlands both options.

"We look forward to proceeding with the exciting plans, expanding the footprint and commercial value of European rugby," said chairman Nigel Wray.

"The world is becoming increasingly smaller and well connected, and, as a club, we are committed to thinking big and creating major events that people want to watch."

The Premiership champions applied for permission to play in Cape Town in July, and have now received permission from Heineken Cup organisers European Rugby Cup and the sport's governing body the International Rugby Board.

Saracens have a strong relationship with South African rugby, with former head coach Brendan Venter and current chief executive Ed Griffiths both hailing from there.

And the signing of Springbok captain John Smit this summer took the number of South Africans at the north London club to 12.

South Africa will become the 10th nation to host a Heineken Cup fixture.

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