Tony Ward: Leinster badly need silverware – and magical Croke Park aura puts them in Champions Cup driving seat
Ross Byrne has stepped up excellently for Leinster, filling the void left by Johnny Sexton. Photo: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
I had a chat during the week with Ollie Campbell, and one of our regular pow wows is on the state of the rugby-playing nation. Central to our conversation was the nomination of Croke Park as the Champions Cup semi-final venue of choice.
For Campbell, his first trek to Croker was in 1974 when Heffo’s army brought the game of football into the hearts and minds of all in the metropolis. I was just starting out in UL, or NCPE as it was then known, alongside fellow students Brian Mullins, Fran Ryder and Johnny Tobin, who were all involved in that breakthrough final of ’74.
