2020 Pro14 Grand Final
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox football match
| title = 2020 Pro14 Grand Final
| image =
| event = 2019–20 Pro14
| team1 = Leinster
| team1association = {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union|size=30px}}
| team1score = 27
| team2 = Ulster
| team2association = {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union|size=30px}}
| team2score = 5
| details =
| date = 12 September 2020
| stadium = Aviva Stadium
| city = Dublin
| man_of_the_match1a = {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Josh van der Flier
| referee = Andrew Brace (IRFU)
| Result =
| attendance = 0{{efn|group=Covid|name=Behind closed doors|This game was played behind closed doors due to COVID-19 restrictions.}}
| weather =
| previous = 2019
| next = 2021
}}
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,{{cite news|url=https://www.pro14rugby.org/2019/08/22/pro14-cardiff-2020/|title=Warburton: Cardiff Will Be 'Electric' For 2020 Guinness PRO14 Final|date=22 August 2019|work=GuinnessPro14|access-date=22 August 2019}} however, on 19 March 2020, Celtic Rugby DAC cancelled the event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/51858815|title=Coronavirus: Pro14 final cancelled due to coronavirus|date=19 March 2020|work=BBC Sport|access-date=19 March 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/52979084|title=Pro14 to return in August with derbies|date=18 June 2020|work=BBC Sport|access-date=19 June 2020}} The re-arranged match took place on 12 September 2020 at the Aviva Stadium between defending champions Leinster and Ulster.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/54010757|title=Pro14 semi-final: Leinster 13-3 Munster - reigning champions book final place|date=4 September 2020|work=BBC Sport|access-date=10 September 2020}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/54044900|title=Edinburgh 19-22 Ulster: Richard Cockerill says hosts 'got what we deserved'|date= 5 September 2020|work=BBC Sport|access-date=10 September 2020}} Leinster won the match 27–5 to defend their title and complete a hat-trick of title wins.{{cite news|url=https://www.the42.ie/ulster-leinster-2-5203284-Sep2020/|title=Leinster recover from slow start to land their third PRO14 title in a row|date=12 September 2020|work=The42|access-date=13 September 2020}}
Route to the final
{{main|2019–20 Pro14}}
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. The play-offs took place immediately following the final round of derby fixtures.
{{Round4
|4 September 2020|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Leinster (A1)|13|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Munster (B2)|3
|5 September 2020|{{flagicon|SCO}} Edinburgh (B1)|19|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Ulster (A2)|22
|12 September 2020|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Leinster|27|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Ulster|5
}}
=Semi-finals=
{{Rugbybox
|date = 4 September 2020
|time = 19:35
|home = Leinster {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}}
|score = 13–3
|report = [https://www.the42.ie/leinster-munster-5195954-Sep2020/ Report]
|away = {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Munster
|try1 = R. Kelleher 27' c
|con1 = Sexton (1/1) 28'
|pen1 = Sexton (2/3) 40', 67'
|pen2 = Hanrahan (1/3) 5'
|stadium = Aviva Stadium
|attendance = 0{{efn|group="Covid"|name="Behind closed doors"}}
|referee = Andrew Brace (IRFU)
}}
{{Rugbybox
|date = 5 September 2020
|time = 19:35
|home = Edinburgh {{flagicon|SCO}}
|score = 19–22
|report = [https://www.the42.ie/edinburgh-ulster-5196724-Sep2020/ Report]
|away = {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Ulster
|try1 = McInally 14' m
Graham 46' c
Dean 57' c
|con1 = Van der Walt (2/3) 47', 59'
|try2 = Lyttle 54' c
Herring 62' m
Andrew 75' c
|con2 = Burns (1/2) 55'
Madigan (1/1) 76'
|pen2 = Madigan (1/1) 80'
|stadium = Murrayfield Stadium
|attendance = 0{{efn|group="Covid"|name="Behind closed doors"}}
|referee = Frank Murphy (IRFU)
}}
Pre-match
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.{{cite news|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/pro14/leinster-v-ulster-kick-off-time-tv-details-team-news-and-more-1.4351434|title=Leinster v Ulster: Kick-off time, TV details, team news and more|date=10 September 2020|newspaper=The Irish Times|access-date=10 September 2020}}
Final
=Summary=
=Details=
{{Rugbybox
|date = 12 September 2020
|time = 19:35
|home = Leinster {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}}
|score = 27–5
|report = [https://www.pro14.rugby/match-centre/2020/guinness-pro14/leinster-vs-ulster-2020-09-12/420241 Report]
|away = {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Ulster
|try1 = Lowe 12' c
Henshaw 45' c
Doris 71' c
|con1 = R. Byrne (2/2) 14', 47'
Sexton (1/1) 72'
|pen1 = R. Byrne (2/2) 26', 44'
|try2 = Hume 3' m
|stadium = Aviva Stadium
|attendance = 0{{efn|group="Covid"|name="Behind closed doors"}}
|referee = Andrew Brace (IRFU)
}}
width=92% |
{{Football kit
| pattern_la = _leinster_home_18-19 | pattern_b = _leinster_home_18-19 | pattern_ra = _leinster_home_18-19 | pattern_sh = _leinster_home_18-19 | pattern_so = | leftarm = 013c73 | body = 013c73 | rightarm = 013c73 | shorts = 013c73 | socks = 013c73 | title = Leinster }} |{{Football kit | pattern_la = _ulster_home_19-20 | pattern_b = _ulster_home_19-20 | pattern_ra = _ulster_home_19-20 | pattern_sh = _ulster_home_19-20 | pattern_so = _ulster_home_19-20 | leftarm = fcfcfc | body = fcfcfc | rightarm = fcfcfc | shorts = fcfcfc | socks = fcfcfc | title = Ulster }} |
style="width:100%;" | |||
style="vertical-align:top; width:50%"|
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" | |||
width="25"| | width="25"| | ||
---|---|---|---|
FB | 15 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Jordan Larmour | |
RW | 14 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Hugo Keenan | |
OC | 13 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Garry Ringrose (c) | {{suboff|67}} |
IC | 12 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Robbie Henshaw | |
LW | 11 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} James Lowe | |
FH | 10 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Ross Byrne | {{suboff|59}} |
SH | 9 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Jamison Gibson-Park | {{suboff|59}} |
N8 | 8 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Jack Conan | |
OF | 7 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Josh van der Flier | {{suboff|72}} |
BF | 6 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Caelan Doris | |
RL | 5 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} James Ryan | {{suboff|62}} |
LL | 4 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Devin Toner | |
TP | 3 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Andrew Porter | {{suboff|62}} |
HK | 2 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Rónan Kelleher | {{suboff|59}} |
LP | 1 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Cian Healy | {{suboff|52}} |
colspan=3|Substitutions: | |||
HK | 16 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} James Tracy | {{subon|59}} |
PR | 17 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Ed Byrne | {{subon|52}} |
PR | 18 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Michael Bent | {{subon|62}} |
LK | 19 | {{flagicon|AUS}} Scott Fardy | {{subon|62}} |
FL | 20 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Will Connors | {{subon|72}} |
SH | 21 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Luke McGrath | {{subon|59}} |
FH | 22 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Johnny Sexton | {{subon|59}} |
CE | 23 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Rory O'Loughlin | {{subon|67}} |
colspan=3|Coach: | |||
colspan="4"|{{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Leo Cullen |
|valign="top"|
|style="vertical-align:top; width:50%"|
cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin:auto" | |||||
width="25"| | width="25"| | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
FB | 15 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Michael Lowry | |||
RW | 14 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Rob Lyttle | |||
OC | 13 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} James Hume | |||
IC | 12 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Stuart McCloskey | |||
LW | 11 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Jacob Stockdale | |||
FH | 10 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Billy Burns | {{suboff|54}} | ||
SH | 9 | {{flagicon|NZL}} Alby Mathewson | {{suboff|47}} | ||
N8 | 8 | {{flagicon|RSA}} Marcell Coetzee | {{suboff|47}} | ||
OF | 7 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Sean Reidy | |||
BF | 6 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Matty Rea | {{suboff|55}} | ||
RL | 5 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Iain Henderson (c) | {{suboff|47}} | ||
LL | 4 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Alan O'Connor | |||
TP | 3 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Tom O'Toole | {{suboff|55}} | ||
HK | 2 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Rob Herring | {{suboff|20}} | {{subon|34}} | {{suboff|72}} |
LP | 1 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Eric O'Sullivan | {{suboff|47}} | ||
colspan=3|Substitutions: | |||||
HK | 16 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} John Andrew | {{subon|20}} | {{suboff|34}} | {{subon|72}} |
PR | 17 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Jack McGrath | {{subon|47}} | ||
PR | 18 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Marty Moore | {{subon|55}} | ||
LK | 19 | {{flagicon|AUS}} Sam Carter | {{subon|47}} | ||
BR | 20 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Jordi Murphy | {{subon|55}} | ||
SH | 21 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} John Cooney | {{subon|47}} | ||
FH | 22 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Ian Madigan | {{subon|54}} | ||
BR | 23 | {{flagicon|IRE|rugby union}} Nick Timoney | {{subon|47}} | ||
colspan=3|Coach: | |||||
colspan="4"|{{flagicon|ENG}} Dan McFarland |
|}
width=100% style="font-size: 90%"
| Man of the Match:
Assistant referees:
|
Notes
{{notelist|group=Covid}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{United Rugby Championship}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grand Final}}