A quick stroll around Bilbao on Friday evening was a reminder of what Champions Cup final weekend still means to many.
Leinster, Ulster, Montpellier and Bordeaux-Begles colours obviously dominated, but in total it was a melting pot of rugby fans from across the continent.
There were Munster jerseys – there are always Munster jerseys – dotted around San Mames, but you could have made a quaint little game taking note of the clubs represented around the city.
In no particular order, Gloucester, Ospreys, Cardiff, Toulouse, La Rochelle, Leicester Tigers, Northampton Saints, Scarlets, Toulon, Clermont Auvergne all got ticked off the checklist in my head across a 20-minute period, as well as at least half a dozen local club teams from across Ireland, Britain and France.
There were national team jerseys in that mix took, while the local side, Universitario Bilbao Rugby, were also well represented with a pop-up shop selling their own gear. We may need to double back for another look before kick-off this afternoon.
For so many rugby supporters, the Champions and Challenge Cup finals weekend is an annual pilgrimage, regardless of who is playing.
You can bet a large chunk of the Leinster supporters around town were also here in 2018. There's a good chance they were also in Newcastle in 2019 and in Marseille in 2022 and the Aviva in 2023 and London in 2024 for final heartbreak after final heartbreak.
The prospect of seeing their province finally getting their hands on the trophy for a fifth time will always outweigh the fear of a fifth final defeat. Chances are, some will have already made their plans for Lyon in 2027.
Leo Cullen spoke of his side’s "obsession" with winning the Champions Cup after the semi-final win against Toulon.
That obsession is what has driven them to nine finals and four titles across the last 17 years.
It could also be said that same obsession has contributed to their pain and agony of four final defeats across the last eight seasons.
Cullen and his players have suggested as much when they have spoken about their near misses, in particular the 2023 defeat to La Rochelle at Aviva Stadium, the extra-time loss to Toulouse in London a year later, and the 2025 semi-final collapse against Northampton Saints.
The pressure the Leinster head coach has been under to deliver another Champions Cup title was evident after the semi-final win, where he lashed out at the coverage of his side, saying the media "love to throw the boot in", when the province have fallen short.
Those heat of the moment comments haven’t reappeared since, and while it was expected that would be the starting pistol for three weeks of siege mentality from the Leinster camp, the reality is that they have arrived in Bilbao in relaxed form.
On Friday morning, they had a short trip to San Mames for their captain’s run media duties; a bit of kicking and passing, and a game of walking-touch rugby, in which Jamison Gibson-Park struggled to grasp the 'walking' element.
The word doing the rounds on Thursday evening was that the Leinster and Bordeaux-Begles parties had already crossed paths on their travels to the Basque city.
Both sides, we have been told, arrived into Bilbao airport around the same time. A few awkward glances here and there at the baggage carousel, no doubt.
While Leinster played the old Bordeaux club back in the 1998/99 pool stage, these teams have never met competitively since the French club reformed in the mid-2000s as the current Union Bordeaux-Begles, although there is plenty of familiarity between the sides.
Both teams contribute heavily to their national sides, while Bordeaux’s attack coach Noel McNamara previously ran Leinster’s academy and worked with several of this team as head coach of Ireland Under-20s. He was also Dan Sheehan’s maths teacher once upon a time at Clongowes Wood.
McNamara (above), who recently extended his contract at Bordeaux until 2029, has made UBB arguably the most electric attacking force in the game, combining gainline-winning, offloading forwards with lightning quick backs that have dominated Europe for the last two years.
Bordeaux’s only change from their semi-final win against Bath comes at loosehead prop, where veteran French international Jefferson Poirot is reinstated after missing the win against Bath due to injury.
One notable absentee is Nicolas Depoortere, with the outside centre sidelined since undergoing shoulder surgery during the Six Nations, with Damian Penaud moving in off the wing to occupy his 13 shirt in the last two months.
It’s perhaps oversimplifying to say this game comes down to the McNamara attack versus the Jacques Nienaber defence, although where those two units meet will undoubtedly have a major bearing on this afternoon’s result.
Leinster had been red hot favourites to win the title when they held both Harlequins and Glasgow Warriors scoreless in consecutive weeks last season, before Northampton blew their doors off in that semi-final shock.
This season had been more inconsistent on the defensive front, but since April the province appear to be finding their defensive steel again. While their defence hasn’t been as dominant as it was at times last season, they haven’t been as exposed on off-days, settling on a more consistent system.
If discipline isn’t in check, then it may not matter what system they employ.
Yellow cards have been a constant issue for the province this season, with 22 yellows across 25 games in all competitions.
On three separate occasions this season they have spent time playing with 13 players, including their semi-final. And while their smart gameplan during that period was actually the winning of the game against Toulon, Bordeaux won’t be as naive if they are given a numerical advantage.
Even without a numerical advantage, Bordeaux have the potential to cut loose if Leinster don’t get a handle on the kicking game.
Kick it too long and the defending champions will only be delighted to play with the space. Kick it short, without winning the aerial contest, and their transition game can rip any side apart. Harry Byrne’s (below) control of that area will be crucial.
Irish sides had been slow to adapt to the way officials were refereeing the kick-chase, but it has been an area of strength for Leinster in the last couple of months, particularly with Tommy O’Brien, who has recovered from injury to start.
It's the same starting XV that began the semi-final win against Toulon three weeks ago, where Leinster played their best rugby of the season until a collapse in the final 10 minutes, where they were left clinging on to victory.
Crucially, their bench this afternoon looks far more impactful, with the addition of Paddy McCarthy, Tadhg Furlong, Diarmuid Mangan, Max Deegan and Ciarán Frawley.
With temperatures likely to be pushing towards 30C this afternoon, their impact will be badly needed.
And if that group can bring a 65-minute performance up to the full 80, it will give them a real chance of upsetting the defending champions.
Verdict: Leinster
Leinster: Hugo Keenan; Tommy O'Brien, Garry Ringrose, Robbie Henshaw, Rieko Ioane; Harry Byrne, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan, Tom Clarkson; Joe McCarthy, James Ryan; Jack Conan, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: Rónan Kelleher, Paddy McCarthy, Tadhg Furlong, Diarmuid Mangan, Max Deegan, Luke McGrath, Ciarán Frawley, Jamie Osborne.
Bordeaux-Begles: Salesi Rayasi; Pablo Uberti, Damian Penaud, Yoram Moefana, Louis Bielle-Biarrey; Matthieu Jalibert, Maxime Lucu (capt); Jefferson Poirot, Maxime Lamothe, Carlü Sadie; Boris Palu, Adam Coleman; Pierre Bochaton, Cameron Woki, Marko Gazzotti.
Replacements: Gaetan Barlot, Ugo Boniface, Ben Tameifuna, Lachie Swinton, Temo Matiu, Bastien Vergnes-Taillefer, Arthur Retiere, Hugo Reus.
Referee: Karl Dickson (Eng).
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Follow a live blog of Ulster v Montpellier in the Challenge Cup final (Friday, 8pm) and Leinster v Bordeaux-Begles in the Champions Cup final (Saturday, 2.45pm) on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app.
Listen to live commentary of the Champions Cup final on Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1.
