Champions Cup: EPCR boss backs South Africa to host European finals

EPCR chairman Dominic McKay insists that they are “very keen” to take the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals to South Africa.

The Bulls, Sharks and Stormers, who qualified via the United Rugby Championship, are in their first season of ‘Europe’s’ top-tier tournament, with the Lions and Cheetahs playing in the Challenge Cup.

All five sides have managed to make the knockout stages, with the Sharks, Stormers and Lions securing home matches in the last-16.

However, should they eventually reach the semi-finals, the teams won’t be allowed home country advantage, with the clash taking place outside of South Africa on neutral territory.

Size and scale

But asked whether whether the EPCR would like to bring the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals to South Africa, he told Rugby365: “We are very keen to do that at some point. It would be a fantastic occasion.

“I am not sure when that would be, but we are very excited about expanding [the venues for] our finals.

“This year [the Final] will be in Dublin and more than 70,000 tickets have already been sold.

“It shows the power, the size and the scale of the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup Final.

“Already 70,000 fans have brought tickets to the finals weekend, before they even have any idea of who is in the quarter-finals or semi-finals of either competition – Champions Cup or Challenge Cup.

“It is an enormous weekend and we are privileged to look after it.

“Wherever we go in the future it will continue to be an enormous event.”

Cape Town is the likeliest destination with the city already expressing a significant interest in hosting the finals at some point.

It would mark the next step in what has been a positive first year for the South African teams in the competition.

“We are also really pleased with the quality of matches and the viewing figures have been incredible, particularly in France and South Africa,” McKay said.

“We are excited about what the future holds.

“We know it will build even more, particularly as South Africans get increasingly knowledgeable about the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup [competitions].

“There is a real intrigue and excitement as the South African teams face off against northern hemisphere opposition.”

Coaching challenges

That excitement has extended to the coaches, who have enjoyed the challenge of trying to combat a different style of rugby.

“I have had conversations with coaches and they were talking about their excitement about coaching against SA teams,” McKay added. “It was their first time some coached against southern hemisphere opposition and all the challenges that bring, whether that’s travel or the heat, or the style of rugby SA teams play.

“Looking at this weekend – with Irish teams, French teams and English teams heading down to SA – makes for incredible fixtures in what is a special year.

“Some of those rivalries and fixtures will be akin to Test match rugby.

“This year makes it extra special and some of those rivalries being created between the English and the French and South African teams will create some new talking points in the coming weeks.”

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