Irish pair’s Champions’ Cup progress will keep turnstiles clicking

The Irish have done European rugby many mighty favours over the years and now they are about to do the mightiest one of all.

Leinster and Munster in the last four will give the semi-finals of the Champions’ Cup later this month something they sorely lacked last year — a crowd worthy of each occasion. Ireland’s formidable contenders will guarantee that on a sell-out scale simply by turning up in vast numbers of red and blue.

Munster’s crack at Saracens in Dublin will pack the Aviva Stadium to the rafters. The 50,000 gate will be 30% up on the combined attendance for both semi-finals last season at English football grounds: Saracens-Wasps at Reading (16,820), Leicester-Racing at Nottingham (22,148).