Phil Dowson: 'A huge privilege to come and play and it’s an exciting opportunity'

Saints looked anything but overawed when they reached the 82-000 capacity stadium on Friday, using their eve of match time on the pitch to limber up with Gaelic footballs, hurleys and sliotars as well while the team’s playmakers practiced their goal-kicking.

A HAND AT HURLING: Alex Mitchell plays hurling during a Northampton Saints captain's run at Croke Park in Dublin. Pic:  Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Northampton Saints broke out the hurleys on their first visit to Croke Park ahead of Saturday’s Champions Cup semi-final showdown with Leinster but their boss Phil Dowson reminded the Englishmen it was still only “a patch of grass”.

The English Premiership leaders began their big-match preparations for a first European semi-final since 2011 last Monday with a short history lesson on the political, cultural and sporting significance of the home of the GAA to Irish people, a talk delivered by an Irish member of staff, S&C coach Eamonn Hyland that fly-half Fin Smith admitted produced goosebumps.