'Top teams have to be rewarded' - Cullen urges caution on South Africa URC final rumours

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen says he wouldn't be keen on the United Rugby Championship final being played in South Africa, particularly if it's between two northern hemisphere teams.

While the URC are yet to confirm a venue for this year's final, which will be played on Saturday 18 June, there have been reports it will be staged in South Africa, to drive interest in the league in the rainbow nation.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the previous five championship final venues had been pre-determined at the start of the season, while before that home advantage was given to the finalist who finished higher in the regular season.

And although there have been previous finals where both sets of fans have had to travel several hours from their home bases, such as the 2015 decider between Munster and Glasgow in Belfast, or 2016 which saw Leinster and Connacht meet in in Edinburgh, Cullen says he would struggle to understand a situation where two northern hemisphere sides may travel to South Africa for a decider.

"That's the thing I’m struggling to get my head around," he said this afternoon.

"I think it’ll be a challenge in the short term.

"There were destination finals in recent years in the league, we didn't have it last year because of empty stadiums. The last destination final was Glasgow [2019], and it so happened that Glasgow made the final, the year before we had Scarlets in the Aviva which we were at home for, so we managed to get a good crowd.

"It would be a challenge. Would that sell tickets? Whether it's a final destination in the northern hemisphere with two South African teams, or vice-versa with a final declared in South Africa with two northern hemisphere teams.

"With so much home support, it certainty would be a