Ospreys beat Leicester in last season's EDF final

Coventry's Ricoh Arena has been chosen to host the EDF Energy Cup semi-final double-header in March.

The event has been held at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium for the past two years but this season's games clashed with a Wales football international.

The semi-finals will take place on 28 March, at 1430 GMT and 1715 GMT, and will be broadcast live on the BBC.

The final of the Anglo-Welsh competition will be held at Twickenham on Saturday 18 April, 2009.

The 32,000 capacity stadium, the home of Coventry City football club, has hosted two Heineken Cup semi-finals and a pool match since it opened three years ago.

Premier Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty said: "The Ricoh Arena is a fantastic stadium and will be a fitting venue for the semi-finals.

"Several of our clubs - Northampton Saints, London Wasps and Saracens - have played there before and were very impressed.

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Tournament director Terry Burwell added: "We are delighted to be able to take the semi-finals to a new venue and we are looking forward to a memorable double-header.

"I would like to thank the Welsh Rugby Union and the Millennium Stadium for their hard work in hosting the last three semi-final days.

"Once we knew that we were unable to use the facility this season because of the clash then we searched thoroughly for the most suitable venue and we very much feel that we have found it in the Ricoh Arena."

The first round of EDF Energy Cup matches begin this weekend, with Newport-Gwent Dragon taking on Newcastle in the opening fixture on Friday.

The second round of matches are on the weekend of 24/25/26 October, with the final round of group matches on 1/2 November.