English Premiership clubs have voted to hold next month’s final at one of their own grounds instead of at Twickenham.
The title-deciding match has been played at Twickenham since 2001, but will now be moved away from the iconic stadium due to financial constraints.
The decision comes after the Premiership was quoted a £500,000 staging fee by the RFU for the use of Twickenham.
According to a report by Sportsmail, the RFU were unwilling to grant Premiership Rugby Limited (PRL) a Covid-19 discount to account for the absence of fans at the final on 24 October.
The Premiership then approached the the English Football Association (FA) about hosting the match at Wembley, but that option has been dismissed by the clubs as too expensive.
As a result PRL are conducting a consultation process to find an alternative neutral venue on the grounds that a club could host the final for negligible cost, given there would be no staging fee and little need for stewarding or security without a crowd.
Saracens and Worcester have been ruled out as their grounds have 4G pitches which the clubs have deemed unsuitable for the final, while it will not be taken to a club that could be involved.
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