Northampton head coach Sam Vesty on meeting Leinster at Croke Park

Gordon D'Arcy and John O'Sullivan preview Leinster's first return to Croke Park since 2009

Listen | 39:18
Northampton Saints head coach Sam Vesty. Northampton face Leinster in the Champions Cup semi-final at Croke Park on Saturday. Photograph: Ben Whitley/PA Wire.
Northampton Saints head coach Sam Vesty. Northampton face Leinster in the Champions Cup semi-final at Croke Park on Saturday. Photograph: Ben Whitley/PA Wire.

This week’s Counter Ruck podcast is a detailed preview of Saturday’s Champions Cup semi-final between Leinster and Northampton Saints at Croke Park.

Nathan Johns, Gordon D’Arcy and John O’Sullivan look back at the last time Leinster played in Croke Park, when one member of the panel scored a memorable try. They also discuss whether the venue has a bearing on the game and what sort of game we can expect on Saturday

Part two is an interview with Northampton’s head coach Sam Vesty, focusing on the Saints’ defensive improvements, recruitment strategy, attacking philosophies, and the key role of players like Fin Smith and Alex Mitchell in their game plan.