Tom from Montferrand wrote:Well at least you'll have Hines on your side of the ruck 3 or 4 times during the game
Tom from Montferrand wrote:I won't be there at Michelin but I'm coming to Dublin for the 3rd time (although my favorite experience there was at the RDS - great old shool stadium, while the Aviva is a bit cold...)
A bit cold? It was bloody freezing! Hopefully we won't have to put up with anything like that this time around.
I think it was 5C in Montferrand for the first game in 2010. Coming from Dublin, we thought it was incredibly mild
The sport that unites Catholic, Protestant and dissenter has had its day of days. Pity anybody who can't enjoy it. Some day.
All I remember was there were giant icicles forming on the Aviva struts, and they fell onto the pitch during the game and players had to run around them to avoid injury/death.
Yes... and my flight home was postponed for 24H which led to another night in the streets of Dublin and a lot of additional damage to my liver...
But when I wrote cold, I was referring to the general athmosphere, which seemed a little colder since I couldn't hear the crowd cheer as much as in the RDS, and also because the players were further away for me. Though the outside temperature must have helped set the mood
The atmosphere is better in the RDS for sure.. But that's down the ground, the fact it's a smaller stadium... I think the atmosphere in Aviva (2010) was also down to how well we were already doing in the group. We always looked comfortable.
I think this time around the game will be much more important - we have no comfort, we're likely to get smashed in SMM, and this game could be pivotal for us. The atmosphere will be far more tense.
AdamK wrote:
I think this time around the game will be much more important - we have no comfort, we're likely to get smashed in SMM, and this game could be pivotal for us. The atmosphere will be far more tense.
I've a lot of time for Owens to be honest. I think he's consistent, if not always correct, but more so, I think we know him inside out at this stage, as he's officiated over many of the biggest games in our history. Reasonably happy with that, although I'm sure many will disagree.
Pro12 Champions, Amlin Challenge Cup Champions, British & Irish Cup Champions
Tom from Montferrand wrote:Yes... and my flight home was postponed for 24H which led to another night in the streets of Dublin and a lot of additional damage to my liver...
But when I wrote cold, I was referring to the general athmosphere, which seemed a little colder since I couldn't hear the crowd cheer as much as in the RDS, and also because the players were further away for me. Though the outside temperature must have helped set the mood
The atmosphere in the Aviva is rarely as good as the RDS. For starters, there are no standing areas in the Aviva unlike the RDS. You also get a number of "theatre-goers" at the Aviva, people who aren't big Leinster fans who only go for the event. They tend not to be very vocal so the atmosphere is dissipated in a large stadium. The only game at the Aviva where I can remember a really good atmosphere was the Toulouse semi-final.
