Preview: Leinster expected to deliver on Croke Park return

Much to the ire of some of the Rugby Family in the UK, Leinster are preparing for yet another Investec Champions Cup semi-final on home soil this evening.

A last-four game in the capital is starting to feel like an annual tradition; for the fifth time out of seven seasons the province have had the chance to book their trip to the final in front of their own crowd. On each of those occasions they've won, and done so comfortably.

Home advantage, particularly in this competition, has always been a strong currency, but that wasn’t always the case for Leinster.

Their first three appearances in the semis of this competition all came at Lansdowne Road and each one was as disappointing as the last: a 23-14 defeat to Cardiff in the inaugural tournament in 1996; a shock 21-14 loss against Perpignan in 2003 which denied them a home final, and a 30-6 thumping against eventual winners Munster in 2006.

Cherished Croke Park memories - Rugby returns to Jones' Road on Saturday as Leinster take on Northampton in a Champions Cup semi-final.