The general consensus was that Leinster would fail to achieve significant attendance figures at the Aviva Stadium – even with a reduced capacity of 22,300 – particularly for early-season URC matches against teams like the Dragons and the Lions. However, besides their initial home match at the Aviva against the Dragons not selling out, they still managed to draw a crowd of 18,200 – effectively equivalent to a full house at the RDS. For context, this is 6,000 more than the attendance for when the Dragons last visited the RDS.
Moreover, the crowd from the Lions’ previous visit to the RDS in February 2022 – a game Leinster won 21-13 with an attendance of 10,469 – will essentially be doubled for their upcoming return. This is a remarkable feat, which, when coupled with the 81,000 crowd at the Munster meeting at Croke Park, leads to Leinster’s average attendance so far exceeding 40,500.
The rise in attendance for Leinster matches played at Aviva Stadium suggests that potential ticket buyers appreciate the comfort the venue offers. There’s more shelter and more cosiness even on a rainy day, and ticket pricing is competitive. In contrast, the tickets left over at the RDS following season tickets are typically uncovered seating at each end of the stadium.
The rise in spectators might also indicate Leinster’s heightened appeal this season, with high-profile Irish internationals like Garry Ringrose, Jamison Gibson-Park, James Ryan, and Jack Conan playing from the first match in Edinburgh. The prospect of watching RG Snyman’s debut may have also prompted a significant number of ticket purchases for the Dragons game.
The third-round fixture against Treviso showcased seasonal debuts of seven key players, including Hugo Keenan, James Lowe, Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, Snyman and Caelan Doris. This occurrence apparently sparked a surge in ticket sales for the Leinster game held at Croke Park, reinforcing the avid interest of fans at the sight of their favourite Test players taking to the field earlier in the season.
The significant pull factor of Snyman, with his solid track record with Munster and the Springboks, athletic prowess and impressive form, cannot be discounted. Excitement levels are only set to soar with the much-anticipated arrival of Jordie Barrett.
The recent clips of Barrett demonstrating his readiness during the All Blacks’ training sessions this week will likely have a positive effect on the ticket sales for Leinster’s second Champions Cup pool game. This fixture against Clermont Auvergne is scheduled for Saturday, December 14th at 5.30pm at the Aviva Stadium. The stadium is prepared to accommodate a full house for this game, with ticket sales crossing the 25,000 mark even now.
Leinster’s extensive base of diehard fans are believed to be keen supporters of squad rotation. They deeply value the stellar talent that their favourite team boasts, notably the high calibre of home-grown players.
Leinster’s squad management tactics, led adeptly by Leo Cullen, deserve mention. He has made multiple changes throughout the season, seven for the game versus the Dragons, 12 for Benetton, a minimal three against Munster (indicative of the gravity of the game), seven for the journey to Connacht, and nine for the recent Lions’ game.
After the game on Saturday night, which sees Robbie Henshaw and Cormac Foley making their seasonal debuts, Leinster can claim to have taken 47 players on board so far, inclusive of eight academy players and five players involved in the upcoming round six game, in what has been the first six games of the season.
Fans of Leinster are well aware that when trainee players are introduced to the team, they are often viewing the international-grade players of the years ahead. It’s not uncommon for these rookies to make their mark on the international scene relatively quickly, as theorised recently by James Culhane. The leap to a higher level of competition shortly after cracking the Leinster team isn’t usually a long wait.
Consider the example of Sam Prendergast. He announced his arrival by scoring the decisive penalty in his debut game against the Lions back in April 2023, a performance that earned him the title of “man of the match”. After shining for Emerging Ireland, he is now back in the starting ranks to take on the Lions once again.
Similarly, Jamie Osborne was only part of the Leinster sub-academy when he graced the outside centre in the team’s victory over the Lions in February 2022. Fast forward two and a half years and there he was, making a name for himself as a fullback for Ireland, guiding the team to a memorable victory over the Springboks.
In addition to fostering talent, Leinster is also focused on maintaining its supremacy in the league. They currently have a seven-point lead and aim to wrap up this first round of six games with a flawless record. Being top-notch certainly gives them an edge.