United Rugby Championship Grand Final to be staged by highest-ranking finalist

The 16-team tournament – which involves sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa and Wales – is in its first season following the expansion of the former PRO14, with the top eight set to qualify for the opening round of knockout matches.

The teams who finish in the top four will be at home in the last eight, with league position then deciding who has home advantage all the way to the final.

Pre-determined venues were used for the final between 2015 and 2019 under the competition’s previous guises, with the Aviva Stadium and Celtic Park among those used, but the Covid-19 pandemic and the barring of fans from sporting events saw a return to merit-based stadium selection.

Leinster currently lead the URC by 10 points with three full rounds of fixtures left to play in the regular season.

“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,” said URC CEO Martin Anayi.