It’s set in stone that Leinster will face Northampton Saints in the semi-finals of the Champions Cup on Saturday, May 4th, marking GAA headquarters’ inaugural rugby match in over a decade. The kickoff is scheduled for 5:30pm. As the Aviva Stadium is tied up with preparations for the upcoming Europa League final, this signifies the first rugby match to take place at the ground since Ireland’s Six Nations loss to Scotland in 2010. The year before had seen Leinster and Munster go head-to-head in a Heineken Cup semi-final on Jones’ Road, drawing in record numbers for a club match.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, May 5th, Toulouse will face off against Harlequins in the other semi-final at Stadium de Toulouse, holding a 3 pm slot. This follows Toulouse’s convincing 64-26 win over Exeter.
In a turnabout from previous outcomes, Leinster triumphed over La Rochelle in a recent Champions Cup final with a 40-13 scoreline. Looking towards the semi-finals, Leinster coach Leo Cullen eagerly awaits a substantial home crowd at Croke Park. Speaking of his hopes for a strong turnout in the run up to the semi-final, Cullen shared, “We value our supporters tremendously and they mean a lot to the team. We hope they remain steadfast, but that is for several weeks yet”. He acknowledges the competitive climate, however, and maintains that their support cannot be taken for granted.