Ulster and EPCR to carry out ‘full review’ of circumstances around late ground switch

Ulster have said they and European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) will carry out a “full review” into the circumstances surrounding the late shift of venue for their round two Champions Cup match against La Rochelle last Saturday.

It was announced on Friday night that due to a frozen pitch the match would not take place in Belfast’s Kingspan Stadium but in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium behind closed doors.

Because of the lateness of the decision taken, there was no contingency plan in place to install the required infrastructure to make it safe for the public to attend the game.

[ Ulster coach Dan McFarland: ‘I’m angry about it, I’ve got to speak up about it’ ]

Approximately 100 La Rochelle fans, who had travelled with the team, were subsequently allowed into the Aviva to watch the match. The cost to Ulster Rugby of switching venue with no home fan involvement was put in the region of £700,000 (€800,000).

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“Ulster will carry out a full review, alongside tournament organisers EPCR, of the circumstances that led to Saturday’s Champions Cup fixture against Stade Rochelais being moved from Kingspan Stadium to behind closed doors at Aviva Stadium,” said the statement from the Irish province.

“The team’s focus is now firmly on preparing for this weekend’s URC fixture against Connacht, so we will not be making any further comment at this time.”

It was decided approximately 26 hours before kick-off that the risk of the match not taking place in Kingspan because of the pitch was high and that an alternative venue was required. Coach Dan McFarland said the pitch was playable at 10.0am on Saturday morning, however arrangements had then been made to move the game to Dublin.

Questions are likely to arise as to why Leinster’s grounds at the RDS, Ulster’s nominated alternative pitch, was not available to them and why the decision was not taken earlier in the week.

Glasgow Warriors were in a similar situation with a frozen pitch that forced them to move their Challenge Cup match against Perpignan from Scotstoun to Murrayfield. That decision was made last Wednesday, leaving enough time for Murrayfield to put in the structures to ensure crowd safety.

It is expected a broad range of issues will be discussed in any investigation including whether there was possible reputational damage to the European Cup tournament.

The match was between last year’s winners La Rochelle against former winners Ulster in a full house and with live television coverage. It was a high visibility event for the competition sponsors.

A typical investigation by EPCR would generate an internal report that would go to the board, which would then make a decision on the next steps to take.