'Pressure is a funny thing, isn't it?' - Leo Cullen embracing the nerves as Leinster go for fifth title

Leinster head coach Leo Cullen admits the pressure is on his side to deliver in tomorrow's Heineken Champions Cup final against La Rochelle (live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player), but says it's a challenge they're more that willing to accept.

The sides meet in a repeat of last year's decider in Marseille, which Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle won 24-21, scoring a late try to become European champions for the first time.

Leinster ended last season trophyless, and their hopes of a URC and European double were ended by Munster last week, but the pain of that defeat will soon be forgotten if they can win a fifth Champions Cup trophy in front of their home crowd in Dublin.

"Pressure is a funny thing, isn't it?," said Cullen after this afternoon's captain's run at the Aviva Stadium.

"Everyone is nervous because they want to do their best. It's such an amazing tournament, isn't it? There's a real privilege to be here.

"As I said, it's about the preparations during the course of the week, and that adds to it. I can't wait to see them play and deliver something close to their best. That's all we can do.

"Pressure is a good thing, that's what we want, we want to be here. If you offered us this opportunity after the final last year, knowing there was a final in Dublin, and we're here now."

The Leinster coach has made 12 changes from last week's agonising defeat to Munster in the URC semi-final, with just Robbie Henshaw, Jimmy O'Brien and Jack Conan retaining their places in the starting team, 13 of whom also started the 2022 final in Marseille.

And with such a heavily-rotated squad, Cullen believes the frustrations of their URC exit have been flushed from the system.

"There were a number of players in the stand last weekend and I suppose most of their