Leinster out to end ‘cycle of getting so close yet so far’ in the Champions Cup
Ireland prop Andrew Porter says that Leinster must use the hurt of the last few seasons to fuel their performance against Northampton Saints.
The Irish province are out to break the cycle of falling agonisingly short in the Investec Champions Cup in recent seasons.
Leo Cullen’s side lost back-to-back competition finals to Ronan O’Gara’s La Rochelle and have also failed to win the United Rugby Championship.
Leinster did gain a modicum?of revenge over La Rochelle when they recorded a massive 40-13 quarter-final success, which set up Saturday’s showdown with Saints at Croke Park in Dublin.
Leveraging the losses
Prop Porter hopes to channel a string of?“disheartening” defeats to end their wait for continental glory.
“It’s all part of sport: you win some, you lose some,” said the 28-year-old.
“But it seems like we’re kind of in a cycle of getting so close yet so far the last couple of years.
“We’re definitely using those experiences, those losses to add to our armoury.
“You have to use those and leverage that hurt over the last few seasons.
“It’s great to say we’re a great team that’s been able to make it to a final but it’s quite disheartening at the same time that you get so far and have all the elements to win and you come up short on the day.”
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Cullen’s charges were 23-7 up against La Rochelle on home soil 12 months ago but would ultimately lose the final 27-26, conceding a last-gasp try to the same opponents in a 24-21 defeat in the 2022 final in Marseille.
La Rochelle also beat Leinster in the 2021 semi-finals while the Irish province were runners-up to Saracens in the 2019 final as defending champions.
Returning to Croke Park
The semi-final this season will be hosted at Croke Park, the famous ground staging its first Champions Cup fixture since Leinster registered a memorable 25-6 semi-final victory over provincial rivals Munster in May 2009.
Porter, who aged 13 was among a crowd of 82,208 that day, is relishing an “incredibly poignant” appearance at the headquarters of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA).
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“It’s a stadium steeped in culture and a lot of history,” he said.
“Obviously the majority of Ireland play GAA and hurling, it’s huge here, it’s our national sport.
“You’re playing in a national stadium that means so much to a lot of this country and definitely to us as a team.
“I know from hearing stories from a lot of GAA players how important it is to be able to play there and seize the opportunity when you are playing there because it’s something special.
“It’s incredibly poignant just being able to say you played in Croke Park. It will definitely be a day I will always remember.
“It is a big occasion but we’re going to play the game, not the occasion.”
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