‘Everyone understands the story of what Croke Park represents to the Irish people’

JAMES LOWE REMEMBERS Leinster’s victory in the 2018 Champions Cup final fondly, even if he would have liked to have played a more central role.

The winger missed selection for the Bilbao final against Racing 92, with restrictions on the selection of non-European players resulting in Lowe not making it to matchday 23 while Scott Fardy and Jamison Gibson-Park laced up their boots.

Instead, he was able to enjoy the sights and sounds of the city before taking his seat to watch Leinster beat the Parisians by three points to claim their fourth Champions Cup title.

“We were in a bakery at nine in the morning and we weren’t eating croissants,” Lowe says. “It was an incredible day in Bilbao. The boys performed very well.

“There are photos of the day, who it was, Fards, Jack (Conan) and James Ryan, one famous of them looking for the drop goal attempt right at the end. That stays in my memory as if there were no tomorrow. Hopefully one day there will be memories of our efforts in a final that lead us to win it.”

Lowe (left) did not take the field when Leinster won the 2018 final. Dan Sheridan / INPHO

Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO

Lowe’s later recollections of the rugby finals taste more bitter. He was a mainstay of the team when Leinster lost the 2019 decider to Saracens, and also lined out in the 2022 and 2023 defeats to La Rochelle, not to mention the two knockout game defeats that came in between.

Six years on from that big day in Bilbao, the 31-year-old admits it’s hard to imagine Leinster haven’t climbed the mountain since.

“I probably took it for granted, I’m not going to lie. I didn’t play in that Bilbao match, but I did play in the training week, the previous preparation, I remember it very well, and the boys performed very well that day and were able to surpass the goal.

“Look, we’ve been trying ever since and now we’ve put ourselves in a very good position to give ourselves another chance and that’s what we’re going to do. We will keep knocking on the door and one day it will open.”

Lowe spoke shortly after arriving from Captain’s Run yesterday ahead of tonight’s Champions Cup semi-final match against Northampton Saints (KO 17:30, RTÉ/TNT Sports), with the team taking advantage of some of their time on the pitch from Croke Park to have a bit of fun with a couple of footballs.

“I think everyone understands the story of what Croke Park represents to the Irish people and I am sure there are children across the country who dream of one day being able to represent their provinces and their counties here. Look, I’m very aware of what happened here.

Coming here is magnificent, when you stand in the middle of that field and look around you, the scale and size can be quite overwhelming.

“We’ve been here before, we’ve been to some pretty big stadiums away from here, it’s just that this one is in our backyard and we have the opportunity to put on a performance and hopefully they’ll invite us back if we do. a good job.

“It is a huge occasion. It’s the first time I’ve done this route, the first time I’ve gone out on the course and it’s for the Captain’s Run. It’s an incredible stadium, something that boys and girls dream about, to be able to play here, the fact that we can play a rugby match, a club rugby match and there and the opportunity to fill it up is incredible. Hopefully we can do it justice.”

Northampton are without the services of captain Lewis Ludlam and winger Ollie Sleightholme but still have the quality to stress their hosts.

Lowe spoke to the media in Croke Park yesterday. Ben Brady / INPHO

Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO

“If you look at their set pieces, there are a lot of balls from the top, there are a lot of trick plays, where the hookers come to play the ball to try to get into space, they attack from edge to edge. They are doing half pauses, line breaks all the time.

“So we need to be in absolutely everything, they are also in physical contact, so we know not to miss tackles. I mean, fingers crossed I don’t have to make too many tackles because it will be a good day at the office. .

“But chances are that’s not going to happen and we’re going to have to put our heads in a dark place, but it’s a credit to them and the way they attack and play the game and I think they said before that they do want to do it.” “When they come here they play rugby, it is prepared for a good show.”

The truth is that Leinster won’t care one bit about the show as long as they get the job done.