GARRY Ringrose wants this extra-special pinch yourself moment to deliver the dream final result at his field of dreams.
The classy centre was a big Leinster fan as a kid - that's him with the big smile on the right side of the photo above that shows Brian O'Driscoll scoring a try against Agen in the pool stages of the old Heineken Cup in December 2006.
The club was in a very different place back then. It took them another three years to lift the trophy for the first time.
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Sixteen and a half years later, Ringrose is one of the mainstays of this Blues side that is attempting to put a fifth star on the jersey. Another French side, La Rochelle, are the big obstacle in their way once again.
"I grew up in Blackrock and live in Blackrock, which is only 20 minutes down the road - 25, 30 with a bit of traffic," he smiled.
"I grew up going to games in Lansdowne Road, going to games in the RDS, coming to the Aviva, watching my heroes of the time play.
"And then to get a chance to actually do that...when you’re coming up through academies, you’re always chasing something but to get to stand back and say, 'now I’m actually here'? It’s unbelievably special.
"And to have mates of mine getting onto me looking for tickets – unfortunately I can’t get a lot of them but my family is all going to be there, mates all in the crowd and then hopefully a few more Leinster supporters, which is again another pinch yourself moment when you truly think about it.
"I don’t know if that sums it up but that’s what it means, anyway."
Ringrose would give anything to add a Champions Cup final victory to crown his own golden Lansdowne Road memories as a fan.
He added: "I remember, I think it was a semi-final or a quarter-final, against Toulouse here.
"I can't remember the year but I was on this side of the stadium and Brian O’Driscoll scored a try. I remember being right in front of that.
“I always remember one of my first games was in the old Lansdowne Road, Leinster against...I was so young, I remember the winger, Caucaunibuca I think was his name, for Agen.
"I was 7 or 8, I could have been older (he was actually 11). But the picture my uncle printed off for me was someone (O'Driscoll) scoring a try in the corner and I was in the background celebrating.
"The stadium was empty - well it wasn’t quite packed out as it will be tomorrow (there was a 20,000 crowd in attendance). They're two Leinster memories.
“And I remember being here watching Ireland against Italy in 2018 when I wasn’t in the squad at that time, I was coming back from injury.
"I was there with my dad and Robbie (Henshaw) popped his shoulder right in front of me and I remember talking to my dad, saying, 'I wonder will I get called in now?’.
"And then that was the year we went on to win the Grand Slam. Obviously that was at the expense of Robbie - but he came full circle and got his Grand Slam against England this year.
"Loads of special memories and, hopefully, whatever happens on Saturday there will be another one."
Ringrose was on the Aviva Stadium pitch on March 18 when Ireland clinched the Grand Slam - but he only crossed the white line after the final whistle, after injury prevented him from playing.
So it is a big deal for him to start in his fourth Champions Cup final and it will mean so much to Ringrose and his team-mates if they get one over La Rochelle for the first time in three attempts in as many seasons.
"They're exceptional opposition," said the 28-year-old. "They seem to go from strength to strength every time we play.
"I think they have a stronger squad again this year with some of the new additions.
"Obviously we've been unsuccessful twice. So, hopefully third time lucky but they're a great team - and we know we have to be at our best if we want to beat them.
"But it's great being at home here and hopefully having a few more Leinster supporters that could get behind us in those tough moments - which I've no doubt there will be.
"If it's a tough day they can help us along as well."
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