Murrayfield will host the Celtic Cup final

The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and Dublin's Lansdowne Road have both previously staged the finals of the Celtic League.

Now the home of Scottish rugby union will play host to its first ever major international union final.

Celtic Rugby tournament director Keith Grainger said: "After highly successful finals in Dublin and Cardiff, it is only natural that the Scottish capital should be next on our list to stage our showpiece event.

"The success of Edinburgh in becoming the first professional Scottish side to reach the final of an international competition is bound to add to the excitement.

"We aim to turn the occasion into a pre-Christmas jamboree for all sports fans in Scotland.

''We will be seeking to offer some imaginative ticket packages in order to entice a big family audience to Murrayfield.

''It really will be a great way to kick-off the Christmas holiday period by watching one of the northern hemisphere's top rugby union finals." Organisers had considered using Partick Thistle's Firhill stadium in Glasgow or Hearts' Tynecastle home in Edinburgh, but decided a traditional rugby venue was best.

There were 30,000 fans at Lansdowne Road to see Leinster Lions beat Munster 24-20 to win the Celtic League in 2001.

This year, more than 30,000 people turned up at the Millennium Stadium to see Munster take the title by beating Neath 37-17.

Murrayfield can hold 67,000 spectators and provided a magnificent stage for rugby league's Challenge Cup final in 2002.

The final is due to be televised live by BBC Northern Ireland.