Ahead of their huge Champions Cup clash with Leinster this weekend, Ronan O'Gara opted to take his La Rochelle squad to some familiar surroundings.
The French side are currently in the midst of a training camp in Cork, having set up camp at Fota Island Resort in recent days. The players have since taken part in training sessions around the county.
Ranganna Fraincis do La Rochelle I gCorcaigh 😁
(via Jack Nowell / instagram) pic.twitter.com/cihilHjLF7— Liathroidi (@Liathroidi_ie) April 10, 2024
Coming off the back of a bruising encounter against Stormers in Cape Town last weekend, it will be hoped that this camp will have the squad in peak condition ahead of the game at the Aviva Stadium.
READ HERE: O'Gara's La Rochelle Have Logged Incredible Mileage En Route To Aviva Showdown
Donnacha Ryan welcomes Munster backing before La Rochelle vs Leinster
La Rochelle and Leinster have developed quite the rivalry in recent seasons, something that has not gone unnoticed in Munster.
Considering O'Gara's presence in the La Rochelle and the province's own rivalry with Leinster, it is not a surprise to see that quite a few of their fans have backed the French club ahead of this weekend.
Speaking to French media, La Rochelle forwards coach and former Munster star admitted he would welcome any support from the fans in Cork and elsewhere in the province ahead of this Saturday's game. He also said that the training camp in the county had been going well after the long trip from South Africa.
We're taking all the support we can this week!
The last time we played Leinster at the Aviva (last year in the Champions Cup final), the atmosphere was huge. We know that Munster fans are similar to those of La Rochelle, there is a connection with the team, they are passionate...
We made stopovers in Johannesburg and Paris and arrived in Cork on Monday lunchtime.
The players were tired, they were naturally sore. But yesterday (Tuesday) we had a very good training session at Temple Hill, Ronan O'Gara's old club. The weather wasn't good on Monday, the players were a bit shocked, there was a big difference with Cape Town. But yesterday wasn't bad.
For the first time since the start of the season, everyone is available and we have been able to become more cohesive, whereas before the World Cup, the internationals were obviously absent.
In the middle of the week, some players went out into town and ate out, which was very important to them. Then, we'll go into competition mode by reducing distractions.
As the two best sides in European rugby in recent seasons, the Champions Cup clash between Leinster and La Rochelle will draw plenty of interest this weekend. There will be a bumper crowd at the Aviva Stadium for the game, with a huge number of tickets already sold.
You might even see one or two Munster fans on site to back a couple of their old players that have linked up with the visiting side.
SEE ALSO: La Rochelle Stars Prepare For Leinster Showdown By Playing Munster Anthem
