Leinster to provide free tickets to Champions Cup homecoming

Leinster will provide free tickets to the squad's Champions Cup winning homecoming at Energia Park, Donnybrook, tomorrow afternoon.

Leo Cullen’s squad will return to Dublin on Sunday following their fourth European Cup win. A late Isa Nacewa penalty and a miss from replacement inside back Remi Tales helped Leinster secure their first European win since 2012 with a 15-12 win over Racing. The squad will parade the Champions Cup trophy from 4pm tomorrow afternoon with Leinster also set to show a replay of the final from 2:30pm. Gates will open from 2pm and tickets can be acquired on the Leinster website via a first come, first served basis. Leinster senior coach Stuart Lancaster said that the pain of losing last year's semi-final to Clermont ultimately drove the playing squad to a fourth European title, which put the club level with Toulouse as the most successful club in European history.

"I think the pain of losing drives the mentality in the group," Lancaster told BT Sport. "I thought we were close last season, we scored 30 tries in the pool games, and the Clermont game was lost on small margins.

"We lost the Pro14 semi-final as well and both games burn deep. I think that's been the big difference." Lancaster also thanked his family for supporting him through the last three years after he was dismissed from his role as England head coach following the 2015 Rugby World Cup.

"It's not about vindication," added Lancaster. "It means a huge amount to me obviously, but it means a huge amount to my family and friends.

"They're the ones who all stood by me in the tough times after the World Cup, they never once wavered in their belief in my ability.

"That's been the nice thing, it's nice to have my wife here. It's for them really."

Top Story

Ref mic picks up risky backchat from annoyed Munster captain Beirne

He was not at all pleased…. As expected, a strong Munster outfit put a big score against a seriously depleted Ulster team, beating them 41-14 at Thomond Park on Saturday. The result puts Munster up to fifth in the URC, after a hugely tumultuous few weeks, while Ulster are down to eighth, and just three […]

Rugby

11h

Leinster to provide free tickets to Champions Cup homecoming

Home›rugby

Leinster will provide free tickets to the squad's Champions Cup winning homecoming at Energia Park, Donnybrook, tomorrow afternoon.

Leinster will provide free tickets to the squad's Champions Cup winning homecoming at Energia Park, Donnybrook, tomorrow afternoon.

Home rugby