The news confirms the speculation over the past few days about the location of the match, the Saints’ first home Heineken Cup quarter final since 1999/2000.

The tournament’s regulations stipulate that a quarter final has to be played in a stadium with a minimum capacity of 15,000, but once the home quarter final had been confirmed with last Saturday’s win over Castres the Saints approached tournament organisers ERC to seek approval for the game against Ulster to be played at Franklin’s Gardens, which has a capacity of 13,591.

However ERC insisted that their regulations be adhered to and that the match be moved to the Saints’ nominated alternative venue of stadium:mk, which can hold 21,500 people.  Milton Keynes will therefore join the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in hosting one of the 2010/11 Heineken Cup quarter finals.

Ticketing details for the match are currently being finalised and will be announced by the Saints in the next few days. www.northamptonsaints.co.uk