The Magners League organisers have confirmed the date for next year’s Grand Final. This season will see the top-four teams in the league enter into a play-off series with the final set to take place on Saturday, the 29th of May. The venue for the decider will be confirmed once the four semi-finalists are known – but the finalist that finishes highest in the league will be able to nominate the stadium. The Celtic Rugby Board have warned that the final venue must have a capacity of 18,000, which would appear to rule out the RDS and Ravenhill if Leinster or Ulster were to reach the final. “Getting the date and proposed kick-off time for the Grand Final was the first step, along with underlining the format for the Play-Off matches. As stated at the start of the season, the top four teams in the regular league will progress into the Play-Offs, with the top two teams enjoying home advantage,” said Celtic Rugby Director David Jordan. “With no pre-determined venue for the staging of the Grand Final, the board has agreed the following principles to determine where the biggest game in the history of the Magners League shall be played. “The team that reaches the Grand Final having achieved the highest finishing position in the regular Magners League shall have the right to nominate a venue of more than 18k capacity within its own Union’s jurisdiction to host the game”. “All nominated venues will have to meet with the approval of the Celtic Rugby board, and its commercial requirements, and, in the unlikely event of neither finalist being able to nominate a suitable venue, the board will take the game to a ground of its choice.”
11 Feb 2012
