IT’S NOT RAVENHILL but Ulster will call the RDS “home” for a day if they earn the right to host this year’s RaboDirect Pro12 final.
Under competition rules the highest-seeded finalist nominates the venue for the tournament decider, which will be held this year on Saturday 25 May.
As the final venue must be able to accommodate a crowd of 18,000 or more, Ulster could not choose to play at their home ground of Ravenhill where redevelopment work is still ongoing. The stadium will have a capacity of 18,200 when the two-year project is completed next summer.
With two regular season games remaining, Ulster lead the Pro12 by three points from Leinster and are virtually guaranteed a place inthe play-offs.
Chief executive Shane Logan said that while no-one is presuming that Ulster will be in final, it is important to prepare for the eventuality.
“Our primary focus is to have the two new stands open to welcome our loyal supporters at the start of the 2013/14 season.
“Our build is on time and on budget but it would not have been possible, without significant delay to our redevelopment project, to open the stands on a temporary basis for any potential RaboDirect PRO12 final.”
He added: “If Ulster do make it to the final, I have no doubt that the RDS will be a fantastic location for the game and I hope that our supporters will travel there in huge numbers to back the team.”
The RDS, which holds 18,500, previously hosted the Magners League / Pro12 final twice with Leinster losing to the Ospreys on both occasions in 2010 and 2012.
