European Professional Club Rugby

Leinster Rugby Locks In Key Aviva Stadium Dates For Investec Champions Cup

Leinster Rugby Locks In Key Aviva Stadium Dates For Investec Champions Cup

Leinster Rugby will play its Champions Cup pool games at the Aviva Stadium due to RDS redevelopment, facing Clermont, Bath, La Rochelle and Bristol Bears.

Aug 21, 2024 by Philip Bendon
Leinster Rugby Locks In Key Aviva Stadium Dates For Investec Champions Cup

Leinster Rugby has confirmed that its 2024-2025 Champions Cup pool matches will be played at the Aviva Stadium due to redevelopment work at their usual home ground, the RDS Arena. 

The decision to shift venues comes as Leinster prepares for another tough campaign in Europe's elite rugby competition.

Leinster, last season’s Champions Cup runner-up, will compete in a challenging pool against familiar rivals. 

Leinster has been drawn alongside French powerhouses La Rochelle and Clermont Auvergne, as well as English Premiership teams Bath and the Bristol Bears. These matchups promise to be intense, especially given Leinster’s recent history with some of these sides.

Leinster’s home fixtures in the pool stages will take place in December and January. They are scheduled to face Clermont and Bath on home soil, with the Aviva Stadium selected as the venue for these crucial ties. 

Though Croke Park had been considered, particularly after successfully hosting Leinster's semifinal win over Northampton last season and the team's upcoming United Rugby Championship clash against Munster in October, Leinster's rugby chiefs ultimately decided on the Aviva. 

The Aviva, located at Lansdowne Road, is a more familiar and comfortable setting for the team.

Meanwhile, Pool 2 also features Italian side Benetton, though they won’t be facing Leinster. Similar to last year, clubs from the same domestic league do not compete against each other during the pool phase of the Champions Cup.

With Leinster aiming for European success once again, the Aviva Stadium will play a pivotal role in hosting these high-stakes matches as they pursue a return to the top of European rugby.

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