CHAMPIONS CUP FINAL week brings a medley of emotions for diehard Leinster supporters.
There’s excitement, hope, and pride. But there’s also nervousness, restlessness, and a hint of fear.
This kind of week brings back memories of the great days.
Like in 2009, when Leinster got over the line for the first time in the province’s history. A Johnny Sexton penalty with 10 minutes remaining sent Michael Cheika’s side to a 19-16 victory over Leicester at Murrayfield.
Shay Mulhall, treasurer of the Official Leinster Supporters Club [OLSC], loved being there that day in Edinburgh.
“My first Leinster match was in 1988 or ’89,” says Mulhall, who hails from Bray in County Wicklow. “There were about 50 people there in Donnybrook.
“So my fondest memory is 2009, just actually winning one for the first time. It was special after the semi-final in Croke Park against Munster.
“For Leinster to go from Donnybrook, the move into the RDS, it was an amazing journey. After the whole country being behind Munster, their Holy Grail, everyone going on that journey with them, we got our act together.
“Mick Dawson [CEO at the time] got Leinster’s act together, and winning in 2009 was special.”
There was 2011 when Leinster appeared to be dead and buried as they trailed Northampton 22-6 at half time at the Millennium Stadium.
It seemed like it was going to be a miserable Heineken Cup final memory, but Leinster launched one of the great rugby comebacks to win 33-22.
Alan Mooney, who does public relations for the OLSC, holds that one particularly close to his heart. He has been an ever-present on Leinster trips abroad and rarely misses a game, but Cardiff 2011 stands out more than most.
Leinster fans waiting for the ferry in 2011. Colm O'Neill / INPHO
Colm O'Neill / INPHO / INPHO
“It was a whistle-stop trip,” says Mooney, a Coolmine RFC man. “We drove down to Rosslare, ferry over to Wales, train to Cardiff, did the match, and left Cardiff at 10 o’clock that night, and all the way home.
“I remember sitting in the stadium at 22-6 down and thinking, ‘This is it, it was nice to be here,’ and then it was that fight back.
“To actually watch the team just completely obliterate somebody like that… That trip also started to bring about how good Leinster fans are for travelling to a game, and they will literally travel by any means necessary to get there.”
Leinster won their third title a year later, beating Ulster in London, and their fourth star was earned in 2018 in Bilbao, the venue for this weekend’s Champions Cup final against Bordeaux.
Leinster overcame Racing 92 on a 15-12 scoreline that day, with Isa Nacewa’s late penalty sealing the province’s most recent Champions Cup trophy. It was a fraught game, but the aftermath was glorious.
That one is cherished by Mary Carroll, the president of the OLSC, who help fans to plan trips, organise buses to away games, distribute Leinster flags at every match, run Q&As with players, and raise funds for a different charity every season.
The OLSC have a six-person committee who work directly with Leinster Rugby on behalf of the province’s 15,000 season ticket holders.
“I actually wasn’t there in Bilbao, I can’t remember why,” says Carroll, a Leinster season ticket holder since 2012. “I was here in Dublin, we watched it in a big crowd at The Bridge, and there was cracking energy.
“There was a huge team homecoming in Energia Park the next day. They had the big stage up and it was a scorching hot day and everybody was there. The team came in and they were up on stage for ages.”
But since 2018, Leinster supporters have tasted dejection in Champions Cup finals.
The current OLSC committee of [left to right] Shay Mulhall, Audrey Hevey, Alan Mooney, Mary Carroll, John Hassett, and Antoinette O'Brien. OLSC
OLSC
Saracens beat them in Newcastle in 2019, La Rochelle pipped them in Marseille in 2022, it was La Rochelle who denied them again in Dublin in 2023, then Toulouse won in extra time in London in 2024.
“Being 17-0 up against La Rochelle and not winning, that’s the hardest one,” says Mulhall.
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“I just thought, ‘There’s no way we could lose this game after starting so well, scoring three tries.’
“But when they got that try just before half time, I just knew they were going to come back. Losing James Ryan as well, that was huge. They’ve all been tough in their own ways, but that was definitely the toughest.”
Mooney agrees, admitting that Leinster fans were left “shell-shocked” by losing to Ronan O’Gara’s side in 2023.
He adds that 2024 was especially agonising because the margins were so minuscule before the game went to extra time and Toulouse finished strongly.
“Ciarán Frawley had the absolute tenacity to stand up and take that drop goal [in the last minute of normal time] and if that had gone a fraction the other way…” says Mooney.
“He was still able to do it twice for Ireland a few months later in South Africa. Some players might watch a drop goal go wide and never do it again. He went, ‘Give me the ball, I’m going to try it again.’ That’s the heart of this team.”
So you can understand that Leinster fans have mixed feelings as they prepare to get to Bilbao by plane, train, and automobile.
This season has been different to some of Leinster’s recent campaigns. They haven’t repeatedly swept past opposition teams, meaning the heavy praise of Leo Cullen’s team in other seasons hasn’t been repeated.
In contrast, Bordeaux have earned major plaudits with their Champions Cup displays, and the French side are favourites for this final.
Leinster have experienced pain in their last four finals. James Crombie / INPHO
James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO
“I’m nervous already,” says Carroll, “I was before the semi-final even.
“But there’s something about this year. I don’t think the expectations or the hype are as loaded on Leinster.”
Mooney concurs.
“If anything, Leinster go into this game as underdogs,” he says.
“I think it actually suits us a little better to be that underdogs for once.”
These members of the OLSC have built a strong connection to the players who will represent the province this Saturday at San Mamés Stadium.
More than most, they have seen how hard it has hit this squad to lose such tight finals in recent years.
Carroll was on the team flight home after the most recent decider against Toulouse at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2024.
“That was just heartbreaking,” she says. “We were flying home straight after and the players were just… they were devastated.
“We know their parents, we know their families. They’re young men and nobody is feeling worse after a loss than themselves. You actually can see what it means to them.
“Nobody goes out to lose. They’re young people with feelings.”
Those experiences have only increased the pride that many Leinster fans feel about their team being almost completely homegrown.
Leinster’s immensely strong pipeline of players has been well publicised, but that doesn’t make it any less important to the province’s supporters.
It will remain a point of pride regardless of what happens this weekend in Bilbao. The Leinster diehards will keep on coming back for more.
“There’s no other team like it,” says Mulhall.
“This is a very, very good Bordeaux side, obviously, and they have some superstars, but I just feel there’s a lot of players in our team, like Dan Sheehan and Caelan Doris, who haven’t won one and want to win one.
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'The hype isn't as loaded on Leinster... It suits us to be underdogs for once'
CHAMPIONS CUP FINAL week brings a medley of emotions for diehard Leinster supporters.
There’s excitement, hope, and pride. But there’s also nervousness, restlessness, and a hint of fear.
This kind of week brings back memories of the great days.
Like in 2009, when Leinster got over the line for the first time in the province’s history. A Johnny Sexton penalty with 10 minutes remaining sent Michael Cheika’s side to a 19-16 victory over Leicester at Murrayfield.
Shay Mulhall, treasurer of the Official Leinster Supporters Club [OLSC], loved being there that day in Edinburgh.
“My first Leinster match was in 1988 or ’89,” says Mulhall, who hails from Bray in County Wicklow. “There were about 50 people there in Donnybrook.
“So my fondest memory is 2009, just actually winning one for the first time. It was special after the semi-final in Croke Park against Munster.
“For Leinster to go from Donnybrook, the move into the RDS, it was an amazing journey. After the whole country being behind Munster, their Holy Grail, everyone going on that journey with them, we got our act together.
“Mick Dawson [CEO at the time] got Leinster’s act together, and winning in 2009 was special.”
There was 2011 when Leinster appeared to be dead and buried as they trailed Northampton 22-6 at half time at the Millennium Stadium.
It seemed like it was going to be a miserable Heineken Cup final memory, but Leinster launched one of the great rugby comebacks to win 33-22.
Alan Mooney, who does public relations for the OLSC, holds that one particularly close to his heart. He has been an ever-present on Leinster trips abroad and rarely misses a game, but Cardiff 2011 stands out more than most.
“It was a whistle-stop trip,” says Mooney, a Coolmine RFC man. “We drove down to Rosslare, ferry over to Wales, train to Cardiff, did the match, and left Cardiff at 10 o’clock that night, and all the way home.
“I remember sitting in the stadium at 22-6 down and thinking, ‘This is it, it was nice to be here,’ and then it was that fight back.
“To actually watch the team just completely obliterate somebody like that… That trip also started to bring about how good Leinster fans are for travelling to a game, and they will literally travel by any means necessary to get there.”
Leinster won their third title a year later, beating Ulster in London, and their fourth star was earned in 2018 in Bilbao, the venue for this weekend’s Champions Cup final against Bordeaux.
Leinster overcame Racing 92 on a 15-12 scoreline that day, with Isa Nacewa’s late penalty sealing the province’s most recent Champions Cup trophy. It was a fraught game, but the aftermath was glorious.
That one is cherished by Mary Carroll, the president of the OLSC, who help fans to plan trips, organise buses to away games, distribute Leinster flags at every match, run Q&As with players, and raise funds for a different charity every season.
The OLSC have a six-person committee who work directly with Leinster Rugby on behalf of the province’s 15,000 season ticket holders.
“I actually wasn’t there in Bilbao, I can’t remember why,” says Carroll, a Leinster season ticket holder since 2012. “I was here in Dublin, we watched it in a big crowd at The Bridge, and there was cracking energy.
“There was a huge team homecoming in Energia Park the next day. They had the big stage up and it was a scorching hot day and everybody was there. The team came in and they were up on stage for ages.”
But since 2018, Leinster supporters have tasted dejection in Champions Cup finals.
Saracens beat them in Newcastle in 2019, La Rochelle pipped them in Marseille in 2022, it was La Rochelle who denied them again in Dublin in 2023, then Toulouse won in extra time in London in 2024.
“Being 17-0 up against La Rochelle and not winning, that’s the hardest one,” says Mulhall.
“I just thought, ‘There’s no way we could lose this game after starting so well, scoring three tries.’
“But when they got that try just before half time, I just knew they were going to come back. Losing James Ryan as well, that was huge. They’ve all been tough in their own ways, but that was definitely the toughest.”
Mooney agrees, admitting that Leinster fans were left “shell-shocked” by losing to Ronan O’Gara’s side in 2023.
He adds that 2024 was especially agonising because the margins were so minuscule before the game went to extra time and Toulouse finished strongly.
“Ciarán Frawley had the absolute tenacity to stand up and take that drop goal [in the last minute of normal time] and if that had gone a fraction the other way…” says Mooney.
“He was still able to do it twice for Ireland a few months later in South Africa. Some players might watch a drop goal go wide and never do it again. He went, ‘Give me the ball, I’m going to try it again.’ That’s the heart of this team.”
So you can understand that Leinster fans have mixed feelings as they prepare to get to Bilbao by plane, train, and automobile.
This season has been different to some of Leinster’s recent campaigns. They haven’t repeatedly swept past opposition teams, meaning the heavy praise of Leo Cullen’s team in other seasons hasn’t been repeated.
In contrast, Bordeaux have earned major plaudits with their Champions Cup displays, and the French side are favourites for this final.
“I’m nervous already,” says Carroll, “I was before the semi-final even.
“But there’s something about this year. I don’t think the expectations or the hype are as loaded on Leinster.”
Mooney concurs.
“If anything, Leinster go into this game as underdogs,” he says.
“I think it actually suits us a little better to be that underdogs for once.”
These members of the OLSC have built a strong connection to the players who will represent the province this Saturday at San Mamés Stadium.
More than most, they have seen how hard it has hit this squad to lose such tight finals in recent years.
Carroll was on the team flight home after the most recent decider against Toulouse at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2024.
“That was just heartbreaking,” she says. “We were flying home straight after and the players were just… they were devastated.
“We know their parents, we know their families. They’re young men and nobody is feeling worse after a loss than themselves. You actually can see what it means to them.
“Nobody goes out to lose. They’re young people with feelings.”
Those experiences have only increased the pride that many Leinster fans feel about their team being almost completely homegrown.
Leinster’s immensely strong pipeline of players has been well publicised, but that doesn’t make it any less important to the province’s supporters.
It will remain a point of pride regardless of what happens this weekend in Bilbao. The Leinster diehards will keep on coming back for more.
“There’s no other team like it,” says Mulhall.
“This is a very, very good Bordeaux side, obviously, and they have some superstars, but I just feel there’s a lot of players in our team, like Dan Sheehan and Caelan Doris, who haven’t won one and want to win one.
“I always think we’re going to win.”
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