Pictures: Celtic Park to make rugby history in Pro14 final

By Hamish Carton

May 24, 2019

While Celtic are at Hampden bidding for a ninth successive domestic trophy on Saturday, our stadium will be having its own big day.

Celtic Park will make history as it hosts its first ever rugby match. Glasgow Warriors take on Irish side Leinster in the final of the Pro14 league and it promises to be a fantastic evening at the stadium.

(Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

In midweek, the Scotsman reported that over 40,000 tickets had been sold for the clash – which could help to set a new record for the competition.

One record which is sure to go is the largest crowd for a Scottish club match on Scottish soil. That currently stands at 37,881 for a clash between Edinburgh and Toulouse in 2012.

(Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

A certain irony

It does seem slightly ironic that Celtic Park should have the final say on a year when football and rugby seemed to cross paths on numerous occasions.

Murrayfield – the home of Scottish rugby – was nearly the new home of Scottish football. In September, the SFA finally decided that they would remain at Hampden Park despite a strong case to move to Scotland’s capital.

(Photo By Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

In the same month, who can forget Celtic and Saturday’s final opponents Hearts doing battle at Murrayfield? The match attracted more than 60,000 supporters and answered the question on whether football games could be held in a rugby stadium.

Celtic Park will aim to answer the opposite question this weekend. Our great home is sure to do us justice as some of rugby’s finest players grace its turf.