Leinster are set to play Edinburgh in the Champions Cup round of 16 this Sunday evening in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.
The Irish province are among the favourites to reach the final of the competition this season, and they will feel that if they do so, it will be their year to make it five titles in the Champions Cup.
Leo Cullen’s side will know how important it is to prepare properly for the clash this weekend, as they have struggled at times this season, but after a confidence-building win in the URC last weekend against the Scarlets, they will think they’re ready on the pitch.
However, there is always a need to get it ready off the pitch too, and so Leinster have approached this in a different way to give them an edge by digging back into the rich history of Ireland, Leinster and Dublin.
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Josh van der Flier has explained to the Irish Independent that the squad toured Kilmainham Gaol, a name that will be well known by the majority of the Irish population.
In 1916 the leaders of the Easter Rising were imprisoned here while they awaited their fate, one in which they would be met by firing squad on the grounds of the gaol.
Doctor James Ryan, the great-grandfather and namesake of the current Leinster and Ireland star, tended to the ankle of James Connolly.
Patrick Pearse, Tom Clarke and Connolly were among the leaders killed by the British army, but Ryan would go on to be a crucial part of the Irish Free State government after the nation gained independence from Britain.
Van der Flier, a lover of history, enjoyed the tour of Kilmainham Gaol to learn more about this period of history.
He said: “I really enjoy history, so I was just delighted to be there in terms of getting to see all the sites and hear some pretty amazing stories.
“An emotional place, to be honest. I’m not a very emotional person, but it was very emotional. The Easter Rising was obviously a big emphasis of the tour, which would have been this week 110 years ago.
“I love my history and stuff, so it was very cool. I actually felt bad that I had never done the tour there. I’d seen it from the outside loads of times but never actually been in.
“It’s great to learn a bit of Irish history, and they were very impressive in there, so it was a brilliant thing to do as a group.”
However, the Ireland international will know that it is upon him and his Leinster teammates to make history now with a fifth Champions Cup title and not just to admire that made in the past by other significant Irish figures.
The British and Irish Lions said: “It’s a brilliant competition, a lot of great memories from it. I also find sometimes we obviously get so obsessed with things.
“And though it can be a huge motivation, you also have to get to a stage where you can just give it your all. It feels like we’re finally starting to click a bit.
“We’re improving week to week. It’s a bit like after November when we had seven weeks of a good run.
“We haven’t earned anything; you have to go and get it. Whatever happens will happen. We’ll give it our best.”
Topics: Rugby, Rugby Union
Brendan McGilligan