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.
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.
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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