Franklin's Gardens has been deemed not big enough by ERC © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

News: Myler agrees new Saints deal

News: Leinster book Aviva Stadium date

News: Saints confirmed as top seeds

Features: Team of the Week - Heineken Cup

Tournaments/Tours: Heineken Cup

Teams: Northampton Saints | Ulster

Northampton have confirmed their Heineken Cup quarter-final against Ulster will be staged at the 21,500 capacity Stadium:MK in Milton Keynes due to ERC regulations.

The Saints had hoped to keep the fixture at their Franklin's Gardens home, but the ground's 13,591 capacity falls below the 15,000 threshold for a last-eight tie.

Chief executive Allan Robson revealed the Aviva Premiership club had looked at the feasibility of temporarily increasing the capacity of their regular home, but with such a solution not being enough to bring it up to 15,000 the decision was taken to move to the Milton Keynes ground.

"We sought approval from ERC to hold the match at Franklin's Gardens, which is our home and where we belong," he said. "However ERC's regulations were introduced to develop the status of the Heineken Cup, which is why they insisted that the game be moved to a stadium with a larger capacity.

"We have known about this regulation for a year and a half, which is why we had to nominate an alternative venue and why we have been citing it as one of the main reasons to expand Franklin's Gardens into an arena that can meet ERC's criteria.

"Although we are disappointed that we cannot hold the match in Northampton, we know that stadium:mk can be a great venue for us. It is a lovely stadium with outstanding facilities that is well run and the management there have told us that they want to make it a home from home for both the team and supporters for the day."

Leinster will be moving their quarter-final against Leicester from the RDS to the new Aviva Stadium in Dublin, where they have already beaten Munster in the Magners League and Clermont Auvergne this season.