Sarries make history with 'home' game in Cape Town

Saracens have announced that they will play their Heineken Cup pool match with Biarritz in Cape Town, marking the first time the tournament has had a fixture played outside Europe.

European Rugby Cup and the International Rugby Board have approved an application from the Premiership champions, which will result in South Africa becoming the 10th country to stage a match in Europe's elite club competition.

Saracens' chairman, Nigel Wray, said: "The world is becoming increasingly smaller and well connected, and, as a club, we are committed to thinking big and creating major events people want to watch."

The move follows Wasps and Harlequins staging their LV= Cup meeting last season in Abu Dhabi. While Saracens have yet to reveal which ground the fixture will be played at, it is understood it will be either Newlands rugby stadium or Cape Town Stadium, which was built for last year's football World Cup.

Meanwhile, Wasps' owner, Steve Hayes, has announced he is looking to sell the club. Hayes, who also owns Wycombe Wanderers FC – Wasps' fellow tenants at Adams Park – bought the Premiership side in 2008. Hayes said a failure to receive backing for a new stadium at Wycombe Air Park had contributed towards the decision.

"The vision of planning and developing this facility was one of the key reasons I got involved in the club," he said. "And being unable to bring this to fruition remains bitterly disappointing. I will work with any potential owners to develop the sporting village model at an alternative location." PA