Leinster and Leicester renew their old rivalry under the lights on Friday night when they contest their Champions Cup quarter-final. The two met in this exact fixture 12 years ago when Leinster won a closely contested game before going on to win the Heineken Cup under then-captain Leo Cullen. Now managing the side, Cullen will be hoping for similar success on Friday. We have all the information on how to watch Leinster v Leicester in the Champions Cup right here.
When is Leinster v Leicester?
Leinster take on Leicester under the lights of the Aviva Stadium at 20:00 on Friday the 7th of April
How to watch Leinster v Leicester
Leinster v Leicester will be broadcast live on RTE 2 with coverage beginning at 7:35pm before ahead of kick-off at 8pm.
7 May 2022; Freddie Steward of Leicester Tigers is tackled by Tadhg Furlong of Leinster during the Heineken Champions Cup Quarter-Final match between Leicester Tigers and Leinster at Mattoli Woods Welford Road Stadium in Leicester, England. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
Form Guide
Top seed Leinster are heavy favourites for Friday night's game. Leinster are top-ranked and unbeaten all season, barring some shaky moments they came through their last sixteen tie against Ulster with relative ease, much like the rest of their European games that they sailed through without any resistance.
Leicester have won all but one game losing out to the Ospreys in their final pool stage game, however their wins, frankly came against a poorer calibre of opposition and that opposition has often made Leicester work hard for tight wins. At domestic level they're impressing, they're third in the Premiership picking up seven losses in their 18 games a stark contrast to Leinster's untarnished record.
The two sides famously met 12 years ago in a game Leinster won thanks to Johnny Sexton's kicking and they met again in another quarter-final last year, winning out relatively comfortably at 23-14, the fixture is only short of becoming a calendar fixture for the sides.
Despite an aura of the result already being a foregone conclusion, this is by no account a bad Leicester side capable of causing an upset. On any other day they might fancy their chances but this Leinster team have proved their class and character time and time again and nobody of sound mind could bet against their success.
Team News
Leinster
Leo Cullen has not held back in his team selection for Friday night, with the starting team resembling more of an international squad than a mere club side. Ross Byrne and Jamison Gibson-Park start at nine and ten, while Caelan Dorris moves to outside flanker and Ryan Baird starts on the inside. Gary Ringrose also returns to the team from his injury pairing up with Robbie Henshaw at centre and James Ryan is the man to lead the squad out. The team in full is,
📥 | 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧...
Here is the #LeinsterRugby team to face @LeicesterTigers in the @ChampionsCup Quarter-Final tomorrow night#LEIvLEI #FromTheGroundUp pic.twitter.com/CarE0MZPtW— Leinster Rugby (@leinsterrugby) April 6, 2023
Leicester
Munster's James Cronin lines out at loosehead prop for Leicester, England's Freddie Steward starts on the wing to make space for British and Irish Lion Mike Brown at fullback, while their replacement former Leinster star Jimmy Gopperth makes his return to the Aviva as the opposition this time. Hooker Julian Montoya leads out the side and the team in full is,
📋 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐍𝐄𝐖𝐒
The matchday squad for our Heineken Champions Cup quarter-final against @LeinsterRugby in Dublin.#LEIvLEI 🏉 #COYT 🐯— Leicester Tigers (@LeicesterTigers) April 6, 2023
That's all the info you need on how to watch Leinster v Leicester in the Champions Cup Quarter Final.
SEE ALSO: We Got ChatGPT To Pick The Best Provincial XVs Of The 21st Century
