2020 Pro14 Grand Final

The 2020 Pro14 Grand Final was the final match of the 2019–20 Pro14 season. The 2019–20 season was the sixth with Guinness as the title sponsor, the eleventh with a grand final and the third season with 14 teams, following the admission of two Italian teams. The match was planned to be held at Cardiff City Stadium,[1] however, on 19 March 2020, Celtic Rugby DAC cancelled the event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[2][3] The re-arranged match took place on 12 September 2020 at the Aviva Stadium between defending champions Leinster and Ulster.[4][5] Leinster won the match 27–5 to defend their title and complete a hat-trick of title wins.[6]

2020 Pro14 Grand Final
Event2019–20 Pro14
Date12 September 2020
VenueAviva Stadium, Dublin
Man of the MatchIreland Josh van der Flier
RefereeAndrew Brace (IRFU)
Attendance0[a]
2019
2021

Route to the final

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The top two sides from each of the two conferences met in the semi-finals, with the higher placed team having home advantage. Teams placed second and third in opposite conferences would have met in the two quarter-finals, but this was scrapped this year.[3] The play-offs took place immediately following the final round of derby fixtures.

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
4 September 2020
 
 
  Leinster (A1)13
 
12 September 2020
 
  Munster (B2)3
 
  Leinster27
 
5 September 2020
 
  Ulster5
 
  Edinburgh (B1)19
 
 
  Ulster (A2)22
 

Semi-finals

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4 September 2020
19:35
Leinster  13–3  Munster
Try: R. Kelleher 27' c
Con: Sexton (1/1) 28'
Pen: Sexton (2/3) 40', 67'
ReportPen: Hanrahan (1/3) 5'
Aviva Stadium
Attendance: 0[a]
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
5 September 2020
19:35
Edinburgh  19–22  Ulster
Try: McInally 14' m
Graham 46' c
Dean 57' c
Con: Van der Walt (2/3) 47', 59'
ReportTry: Lyttle 54' c
Herring 62' m
Andrew 75' c
Con: Burns (1/2) 55'
Madigan (1/1) 76'
Pen: Madigan (1/1) 80'
Murrayfield Stadium
Attendance: 0[a]
Referee: Frank Murphy (IRFU)

Pre-match

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The match was televised free-to-air by TG4 in the Republic of Ireland, and on BBC in Northern Ireland. It was also shown on Eir Sport.[7]

Final

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Summary

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Details

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12 September 2020
19:35
Leinster  27–5  Ulster
Try: Lowe 12' c
Henshaw 45' c
Doris 71' c
Con: R. Byrne (2/2) 14', 47'
Sexton (1/1) 72'
Pen: R. Byrne (2/2) 26', 44'
ReportTry: Hume 3' m
Aviva Stadium
Attendance: 0[a]
Referee: Andrew Brace (IRFU)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Leinster
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ulster
FB 15   Jordan Larmour
RW 14   Hugo Keenan
OC 13   Garry Ringrose (c)   67'
IC 12   Robbie Henshaw
LW 11   James Lowe
FH 10   Ross Byrne   59'
SH 9   Jamison Gibson-Park   59'
N8 8   Jack Conan
OF 7   Josh van der Flier   72'
BF 6   Caelan Doris
RL 5   James Ryan   62'
LL 4   Devin Toner
TP 3   Andrew Porter   62'
HK 2   Rónan Kelleher   59'
LP 1   Cian Healy   52'
Substitutions:
HK 16   James Tracy   59'
PR 17   Ed Byrne   52'
PR 18   Michael Bent   62'
LK 19   Scott Fardy   62'
FL 20   Will Connors   72'
SH 21   Luke McGrath   59'
FH 22   Johnny Sexton   59'
CE 23   Rory O'Loughlin   67'
Coach:
  Leo Cullen
FB 15   Michael Lowry
RW 14   Rob Lyttle
OC 13   James Hume
IC 12   Stuart McCloskey
LW 11   Jacob Stockdale
FH 10   Billy Burns   54'
SH 9   Alby Mathewson   47'
N8 8   Marcell Coetzee   47'
OF 7   Sean Reidy
BF 6   Matty Rea   55'
RL 5   Iain Henderson (c)   47'
LL 4   Alan O'Connor
TP 3   Tom O'Toole   55'
HK 2   Rob Herring   20'   34'   72'
LP 1   Eric O'Sullivan   47'
Substitutions:
HK 16   John Andrew   20'   34'   72'
PR 17   Jack McGrath   47'
PR 18   Marty Moore   55'
LK 19   Sam Carter   47'
BR 20   Jordi Murphy   55'
SH 21   John Cooney   47'
FH 22   Ian Madigan   54'
BR 23   Nick Timoney   47'
Coach:
  Dan McFarland

Man of the Match:
  Josh van der Flier

Assistant referees:
George Clancy (IRFU)
Frank Murphy (IRFU)
Television match official:
Brian MacNiece (IRFU)

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d This game was played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions.

References

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  1. ^ "Warburton: Cardiff Will Be 'Electric' For 2020 Guinness PRO14 Final". GuinnessPro14. 22 August 2019. Retrieved 22 August 2019.
  2. ^ "Coronavirus: Pro14 final cancelled due to coronavirus". BBC Sport. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Pro14 to return in August with derbies". BBC Sport. 18 June 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
  4. ^ "Pro14 semi-final: Leinster 13-3 Munster - reigning champions book final place". BBC Sport. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Edinburgh 19-22 Ulster: Richard Cockerill says hosts 'got what we deserved'". BBC Sport. 5 September 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Leinster recover from slow start to land their third PRO14 title in a row". The42. 12 September 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Leinster v Ulster: Kick-off time, TV details, team news and more". The Irish Times. 10 September 2020. Retrieved 10 September 2020.