- One of the clubs’ 100 percent Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final records is going to go at Franklin’s Gardens. The Saints beat Saracens in 2009, while Harlequins have won their three semi-finals played to date, in 2001, 2004 and 2011
- When the Saints and Harlequins have won their Amlin Challenge Cup semi-finals they have then gone on to lift the trophy
- This is the first season in which all four semi-finalists – Saints, Harlequins, London Wasps and Bath – are previous Amlin Challenge Cup champions
- Friday night is the first time that the Saints and Harlequins will have met in European competition
- This weekend is just the second time that Franklin's Gardens will have hosted a European semi-final. The first was the 2009 Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final against Saracens, which the Saints won 16-13 following a late Stephen Myler drop-goal
- The Saints and Harlequins have virtually identical winning percentage records in the Amlin Challenge Cup. The Saints have won 79 percent of their games (23 out of 29), while Harlequins have won 76 percent of their games (30 out of 39)
- George North and Mike Brown both made seven clean breaks in their respective clubs’ six pool matches in the Heineken Cup. North beat 22 defenders, with Brown beating 20, but Brown made 565 metres to North’s 434
- Tom Wood and Courtney Lawes were joint-third in the list of lineout winners in the Heineken Cup pool stages, both catching the throw 27 times
- Wood is also among the top tacklers in any European competition this season, making 72 and missing just two in his six games played
What happens if the scores are tied?
If the scores are tied at the end of full time, then 20 minutes (two periods of 10 minutes) of extra time will be played. If at the end of extra time the scores are still level, then the winners will be the team which has scored the most tries in the game, including extra time.
If the teams are level on points and tries at the end of extra time, then the winners will be determined by a place kicking competition as follows:
For the place kicking competition, each team will be asked to nominate THREE goal kickers. The kickers need not to be predetermined, but they must come from the players on the pitch at the final whistle. No substituted or dismissed player will be permitted to take part. The end at which the competition takes place will be determined by a toss of a coin. The team to kick first will also be determined by a toss of a coin.
Each kicker will have two kicks from designated positions on the 22 and 10 metre lines and after each team has completed their six kicks a winner will be declared. If the teams remain deadlocked, the competition will continue on a sudden-death basis.
Tickets for Friday’s Amlin Challenge Cup semi-final remain available throughout the week. Supporters can order in person or over the phone from the Saints Ticket Office during opening hours (12-5 Tuesday and Wednesday, 12-7 Thursday and from 9am on Friday ahead of the game).
Supporters can also order online 24/7 by CLICKING HERE and following the straightforward instructions. Use the Print@Home service to beat the match day collection queues and save the admin fees, too!
