Croke Park to stage Champions Cup semi if Leinsterbeat La Rochelle

Croke Park will be the venue if Leinster progress past La Rochelle into the semi-final of this year’s Champions Cup.

Tournament organisers have confirmed the list of potential venues for the last four and, with the Aviva Stadium out of commission due to preparations for the Europa League final, Croke Park will come into play on the weekend of May 3/4/5.

The home of the GAA has not hosted a rugby match since the 2010 Six Nations, while the only time it held a European game was the Leinster v Munster clash in 2009.

As the tournament’s second seeds, Leinster would face Northampton or the Bulls at home if they beat La Rochelle for the first time in a knock-out game.

The English side, who beat Munster last weekend, are hot favourites to progress with the South Africans expected to send a reserve team to Franklin’s Gardens as they focus on the URC.

Ronan O’Gara’s side travelled to Dublin yesterday after preparing all week in Cork.

If they progress, they’ll be in England for the semi-final with the Saints and the Bulls higher seeds. Northampton have nominated the Stadium MK in Milton Keynes as their venue, while the Bulls have yet to confirm where they’d play in the unlikely event that they get through.

If the South Africans somehow progress, they’d have to host the game in Europe under tournament rules.

Meanwhile, Toulouse would host Bordeaux or Harlequins in the city’s football arena ‘Le Stadium’ if both French sides progress,

Bordeaux have nominated the Matmut Atlantique, which hosted Ireland’s World Cup game against Romania, as their venue if they and Exeter get through, while Harlequins would play Exeter Chiefs at Ashton Gate if they make it through to an all-English semi-final.

Leinster will also play their home URC knock-out games at Croke Park, while it’s expected Leo Cullen’s side will play some home games in Kilkenny’s Nowlan Park next season when the RDS is being redeveloped.