Tickets for the Edinburgh 09 Heineken Cup Final are still selling at record pace with more than 17,350 sold to the general public already.

Rugby fans the length and breadth of Europe have already snapped up one of the hottest club rugby tickets in the game and all the early signs are that Murrayfield will host a bumper crowd when the Heineken Cup final returns to Edinburgh in May, 2009. Tournament organisers ERC hold back 15,000 tickets for the two finalists, so when those tickets are added to public sales the home of Scottish rugby is well on the way to being half-full already.

"We've had a record-breaking start to our sales campaign for the 2009 Heineken Cup final and all our research proves that once the tournament action kicks-off more and more people begin to think about securing their place at the final," said ERC Chairman, Jean-Pierre Lux.

"Murrayfield provided us with a great setting for our 2005 final when more than 51,000 travelled to Murrayfield to see Toulouse beat Stade Francais Paris 18-12 after extra-time. Having sold-out five of our last eight finals, we are targeting another bumper attendance for the Edinburgh 09 final."

Scottish Rugby's Chief Executive Gordon McKie said: "We are delighted at this terrific early demand for tickets. The Heineken Cup has grown in stature and popularity in recent years. It is a world-class event and we are honoured the final is returning to Edinburgh for the first time in four years."

In 2005, a crowd of more than 51,000 saw Toulouse beat Stade Francais Paris 18-12 after extra-time in an all-French final. "That final was widely regarded as the most successful tournament to that point in engaging with supporters and bringing on board partners to promote the final as an event in itself.

"Our target for the 2009 final must be to deliver another big crowd and produce with our partners the best ever Heineken Cup final, "McKie added.

Next year's final, over the weekend of 23/24 May, 2009, at the 67,778 capacity Murrayfield, will see the combined attendance at the 14 Heineken Cup finals break through the 750,000 barrier.

The Heineken Cup Final is not only becoming a 'must see' event for sports fans across Europe, but also now generates significant dividends for the host city. In 2005, the final produced a £15m injection into the Edinburgh and Scottish economy, while Wales benefited to the tune of £25 million in 2006 as the game between Munster and Biarritz Olympique became the single richest sporting event ever staged in the Principality.

The 2007 final benefited the London economy by £18 million and last season's final in Cardiff returned a further £20m+ into the Welsh economy.

In related news, Scott Hastings hasbeen named as the latest rugby legend to act as an Official Ambassador to the Heineken Cup Final.

Former Scotland and Bath skipper Andy Nicol blazed the trail for Heineken Cup Final ambassadors in 2004/05 when he took on the task for the 2005 Edinburgh final. Since then a number of the modern game's greatest names have followed suit.

Unlike Nicol, who was the first non-French captain to hold aloft the Heineken Cup, Hastings never managed to reach a Heineiken Cup final. But the 43-year-old does hold the distinction of leading the first Scottish team into action in the tournament back in October, 1996.

Heineken Cup Ambassadors

Edinburgh 2005: Andy Nicol; Cardiff 2006: Ieuan Evans; London 2007: Austin Healey; Cardiff 2008: Scott Quinnell; Edinburgh 2009: Scott Hastings.

Heineken Cup Final Facts and Figures

* A of 719,015 fans have gone through the turnstiles for the 13 Heineken Cup finals - an average of 55,309 per match. The first final, between Cardiff and Toulouse at the old Arms Park on 6 January, 1996, attracted a crowd of 21,800..

* There are 232 players from the 13 match day 22-man squads who own Heineken Cup final winners' medals - 55 have two medals and Cedric Heymans is out on his own with three (with Brive in 1997 and Toulouse in 2003 and 2005).

* Players from 14 different nationalities are on the winners' roll of honour, headed by 72 Englishmen and 65 Frenchmen. There are also players from Ireland (51), Scotland (10), Wales and New Zealand (eight each), South Africa (five), Samoa (four), Argentina (three), Australia (two) and one from each of Italy, USA, Canada and Poland.

* The 10 Scottish medal winners are: Andy Nicol, Dave Hilton, Eric Peters (Bath 1998); Simon Holmes, Budge Pountney, Don Mackinnon, Mattie Stewart, Richard Metcalfe, Craig Moir (Northampton Saints 2000); Mark McMillan (London Wasps 2007).

* The 13 Heineken Cup finals have been staged at seven grounds - Cardiff Arms Park (1996 and 1997), Stade Lescure (1998), Lansdowne Road (1999 and 2003), Twickenham (2000, 2004 and 2007), Parc des Princes (2001), Millennium Stadium (2002, 2006 and 2008) and Murrayfield (2005).

* The most points scored in a Heineken Cup final are the 64 rattled up at Parc des Princes in 2001. The 34 scored that day by Leicester Tigers is the most scored by a team in a final and the 30 scored by Stade Francais Paris is the most scored by a losing team.

* The most tries scored in a final are the four by Brive when they beat Leicester Tigers 28-9 in Cardiff in 1997. The 19 points winning margin is the biggest in the 11 finals.

* This 14th final will be the 977th tournament match.

HEINEKEN CUP SEASON 2008 / 2009

2008: ROUND 1 - 10/11/12 October; ROUND 2 - 17/18/19 October; ROUND 3 - 5/6/7 December; ROUND 4 - 12 / 13 / 14 December

2009: ROUND 5 - 16/17/18 January; ROUND 6 - 23/24/25 January QUARTER-FINALS - 10/11/12 April; SEMI-FINALS - 1/2/3 May HEINEKEN CUP FINAL - EDINBURGH 2009 - 23/24 May