This weekend's Champions Cup semi-final between Leinster and Northampton is going to be a monumental occasion.
It is expected that a capacity crowd of over 82,000 people will attend the game at a venue that has not held a fixture in this competition in 15 years. In that fixture, Leinster would produce a shock victory over Munster before going on to lift the Heineken Cup in the final.
Of course, the Irish province will very much enter as favourites this time around. Northampton have had an excellent season up to this point, but there is an expectation that they will not have enough to get over line on Saturday evening.
In saying that, some believe that the venue for the game gives them a puncher's chance.
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Stuart Barnes feels Croke Park switch could be bad news for Leinster
Leinster are no strangers to playing big Champions Cup games on home soil, with a number of semi-finals and finals taking place in Dublin throughout out the years. However, unlike on those past occasions, the Aviva Stadium will not be the venue this time around.
The Lansdowne Road stadium is essentially a second home ground for Leinster, who play a number of games there throughout the course of the season. In fact, they will play almost all of their fixtures there in the 2024/25 campaign.
Writing in The Times, former England outhalf Stuart Barnes suggested that this weekend's game being in Croke Park, and not the Aviva, improved Northampton's chances of securing the victory.
The Aviva Stadium (Lansdowne Road to those of a certain age and determination not to bow to the corporate takeover of sport) is a home from home for the Leinster team. This is where the European giants are used to playing their knockout games.
This is where the vast core of the Irish team represent their nation. They probably have their own pegs in the dressing room...
Leinster playing at the Aviva would be a home semi-final. Croke Park is not the same. One epic win 15 years ago is a happy memory, not a psychological edge...
Leinster could be inspired if things start well. They could equally be intimidated if the Saints run up a few early scores — a majority of 80,000 fans favouring you can be both a blessing and a curse. Likewise, if the occasion does not intimidate Northampton, it might well inspire them.
It will certainly be interesting to see if this game being in Croke Park has any impact on the action out on the pitch.
While it may be an unfamiliar venue for this Leinster team, considering the support they will have in the stands, you would still back them to get the job done.
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