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| | Rugby: Features: Ireland Farewells Lansdowne Road |
 | | Irish soccer, which has been played at Lansdowne Road since the 1970s, has been particularly short-changed: the home side never gets a 49,000 capacity crowd because world football's governing body requires competitive internationals to be all-seating. |
 | | In an era of professional rugby, Lansdowne Road retained a distinctly amateur flavour, with two small club houses at the corners of the grounds, and, to the amusement of visiting teams, a railway line running beneath one stand. |
 | | Under the plans for the new Lansdowne Road, which have been approved but are still subject to an appeal, the old stadium will be replaced with a 50,000 all-seater venue -- with all the seats, but not the pitch, under cover. |
| www.xtramsn.co.nz /rugby/0,,12441-6624764,00.html (592 words) |
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