The first ever United Rugby Championship (URC) final will take place at the venue of the highest ranked team, putting an end to the discussion whether the final would take place in South Africa this season.
Martin Anayi, the URC CEO, explained: “With some thrilling rugby ahead of us the time is right to confirm our plans for the first-ever United Rugby Championship Grand Final.”
“For this campaign, it is important to understand how our teams and their fans are returning to normality after so long away from stadia and that our job is to deliver the best URC Grand Final we can in these circumstances.”
“The reward of the highest-ranked team hosting the URC Grand Final adds even more to the competitive edge over the closing rounds of the league that will set us up for an incredible Play-Offs which now showcases our best eight teams in a battle to reach the URC Grand Final.”
'I don't really care about the mitigation' | 🏉@Stephan_KG and @gergilroy feel that the 20-minute red card law coming into play undermines World Rugby's crack down on head collisions | 🟥@GilletteUK | #EffortlessFlow — Off The Ball (@offtheball) April 21, 2022
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Leinster are currently top of the table, 10 points ahead of Ulster in second place. However, they have picked an under strength team ahead of their trip to South Africa to face the Sharks and the Stormers.
Leo Cullen spoke to the media after arriving in South Africa regarding where the final should be held. “In the short term in my opinion it would be the team that finishes top gets the advantage similar to the way it was in Super Rugby.”
“Because it’s going to be hard. Say you set a final in Cardiff and you have the Sharks and Stormers playing in the final.
“For the South African public in that instance, I think it’s fairer that they get to support their two teams if they are the ones to make the final,” said Cullen.
Are Leinster disrespecting the South African sides? | 🇿🇦 — Off The Ball (@offtheball) April 21, 2022
Some South African fans are giving out that Leinster are sending a b-team, and @Stephan_KG breaks down why | 👇@GilletteUK | #EffortlessFlow
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Ulster host Munster on Friday night, with the ante turned up a little higher after Thursday’s announcement.
The Stormers currently lead their conference, with the Sharks just one point further back.
The finals will consist of the top eight teams in the league table, the top four will receive home quarter-finals. The two highest ranked sides remaining in the semi finals will host again, with the highest ranked team hosting the championship game.
Tournament organisers noted: The merit-based format to decide the venue for the URC Final has previously been used between 2010 and 2014 for those season deciders and again in 2020 and 2021.
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