Leinster vs Edinburgh

carla
delaney
DIRECTOR, BANK OF IRELAND AREA EAST
Welcome back
to the RDS
Arena for
this evening’s
clash against
Edinburgh Rugby,
where for the
first time in a
long time we can
finally welcome
fans to a full
stadium! What a
sight it will be
for the Leinster
Rugby players
to run out at a
packed RDS and
to hear that
famous roar
once again.
It is hard to believe we have to go
back two years to the last time we
had a packed RDS with little or
no Covid-19 restrictions. The past
few weeks have given everyone
in society a massive boost as
restrictions were eased and a
sense of normality returned to our
lives.
It is also great to be starting a three-week
block of home games with a visit from
one of the form teams in the United Rugby
Championship, Edinburgh Rugby, who lie
in second place. Leo Cullen and his men
will be keenly aware of the danger that
the Scottish side pose, and there have
been some exciting battles between these
teams over the last few years.
No doubt the players’ minds will be
focussed on bouncing back from the
disappointment of the loss away to
Cardiff Rugby in the last URC round.
Despite that defeat we had yet another
example of the Leinster Rugby player
pathway delivering with the debut of Joe
McCarthy. Congratulations, Joe!
Away from the Leinster Senior squad, it
has been great to see action returning in
the Shane Horgan Cup and the Sarah
Robinson Cup. These are two competitions
that Bank of Ireland is proud to support,
championing the boys and girls in our
clubs and giving them their first taste of
competitive and representative action.
We were also delighted that the draw
for the Bank of Ireland Metropolitan
Cup and Provincial Towns Cup took
place recently and to see all the clubs
excited to get back out there competing
for two prestigious trophies – especially
the Provincial Towns Cup which has
been missing off the rugby calendar
since 2019. It is great to have it back
in 2022 and will be interesting to see if
Enniscorthy can retain their title after the
two-year hiatus.
At half-time in this evening’s match you’ll
also get to enjoy and cheer on the
budding rugby stars of the future as minis
rugby takes centre stage. This is another
area that Bank of Ireland is delighted to
be back supporting and I want to wish
all four teams taking part the very best
of luck.
One by one, all the elements that make
up the full match-day experience are
returning and it is great to be a part of it
all again.
Enjoy the game,
Carla Delaney.
www.leinsterrugby.ie | 9