Croke Park faces tall order to beat Cape Town record

SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers may have dropped out of the United Rugby Championship race at the quarterfinal stage, but their Cape Town home is still top of the pops.

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When Leinster hosts the Bulls in the 2025 Final at Dublin’s Croke Park on Saturday, it will require a record attendance to beat the numbers achieved by Cape Town in 2023 (56,344) or the next best (Loftus Versfeld, 2024 – 50,388).

Croke Park does hold the URC attendance record of 80,468 – set when Leinster and Munster faced off in a Round Four league match on October 12.

Other URC matches with attendances beyond 60,000 include the Welsh double headers in 2016 (68,262 – Cardiff v Ospreys & Dragons v Scarlets), 2017 (60,642 – Cardiff v Ospreys & Dragons v Scarlets) and 2018 (62,338 – Cardiff v Ospreys & Dragons v Scarlets).

However, in a Final, only two venues have topped the 50,000 mark – Cape Town and Pretoria.

History of Finals from the Celtic League to the URC era (2001-2025)

Destination Finals: Between 2015 and 2020, the league Final (PRO12/PRO14) was played at a venue chosen from a consultation and bidding process.

Merit-based Finals: From 2010 to 2014 and in 2020 and 2021, the highest-ranked team won the right to host the Final. This has continued into the URC era, with all Finals hosted by the highest-ranked team.

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URC-era Finals: Format since 2022 and merit-based, highest-ranked team hosting the game.

Celtic League Finals: In the opening two seasons of the Championship (2001/02 & 2002/03), the title winners were decided by a knock-out and final format.
* In December 2001, Leinster won the first title, beating Munster at Lansdowne Road in Dublin.
* In February 2003, Munster defeated Neath at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Notes: Between the 2003/04 and 2008/09 seasons, the title winners were decided by a straight league format.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions that prevented fans from attending, the PRO14 Finals in 2020 and 2021 were staged in venues determined by the highest-ranked team.

ATTENDANCES – DESTINATION FINALS

2019: Celtic Park, Glasgow – 47,128 (record)
2018: Lansdowne Road, Dublin – 46,092 (record)
2017: Lansdowne Road, Dublin – 45,556 (record)
2016: Murrayfield, Edinburgh – 34,500 (record)
2015: Ravenhill Stadium, Belfast – 17,500 (sell out)

ATTENDANCES – MERIT-BASED FINALS

2014: RDS Arena, Dublin (Leinster) – 19,200 (sell out)
2013: RDS Arena, Dublin (Ulster) – 19,200 (sell out) (Please note: Ulster’s home stadium was not available for this fixture)
2012: RDS Arena, Dublin (Leinster) – 18,500 (sell out)
2011: Thomond Park, Limerick (Munster) – 26,100 (sell out)
2010: RDS Arena, Dublin (Leinster) – 19,500 (sell out)

FINALS HELD DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC

2021: RDS Arena, Dublin (Leinster) – No fans permitted
2020: Lansdowne Road, Dublin (Leinster) – No fans permitted

URC-ERA GRAND FINALS (Merit based and sold in one or two week windows)

2024: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria (Bulls) – 50,388
2023: Cape Town stadium (Stormers) – 56,344 (record)
2022: Cape Town stadium (Stormers) – 31,000 (sell out based on available capacity)

HIGHEST-ATTENDED FINALS IN UK & IRELAND

47,128: Celtic Park, Glasgow – 2019
46,092: Lansdowne Road, Dublin – 2018
45,556: Lansdowne Road, Dublin – 2017
* Note: These were destination finals with sales windows of nine months

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