Leo Cullen insists Leinster now have the experience to "do business on the biggest day".
The Blues' head coach was speaking after today's Captain's Run at the Aviva Stadium ahead of tomorrow afternoon's Champions Cup final clash with Ronan O'Gara's La Rochelle, a repeat of last year's final in Marseille that was one by the French club.
After naming a very strong, experienced matchday 23, Cullen confirmed that Tadhg Furlong would be fit to start despite sitting out the run-out.
READ MORE: Jamison Gibson-Park in his own words: A tale of three Champions Cup finals
“He’s OK, yeah," said Cullen. "There were a few guys who didn’t train today, and that’s the way it would normally be with Captain’s Runs.
"Some guys step out. James (Ryan) is the captain, so he runs it. Just the normal course of events. He’s good to go.”
Leinster are looking for their first final win since 2018, which was their fourth in four appearances in the decider.
Since then they have lost the 2019 and 2022 finals, while last week's URC semi-final defeat was their second in successive seasons.
Add in the fact that this is a home final for the province, and the pressure is on to deliver.
"Pressure is a funny thing, isn't it? Everyone is nervous because they want to do their best," a relaxed Cullen said.
"It's such an amazing tournament - there's a real privilege to be here. I can't wait to see them play and deliver something close to their best. That's all we can do.
"Pressure is a good thing. That's what we want - we want to be here. If you offered us this opportunity after the final last year, knowing there was a final in Dublin...we're here now.
"It's pressure, but the most positive pressure we can ask for. We hope we'll have a big turnout of supporters - we hope everyone gets behind the team because that relationship is important.
"It was very hard to get to Marseille last year for Leinster supporters, we were very appreciative of the group that were there.
"We were walking through the airport after the game, and the disappointment on so many people's faces. But we're here again.
"There's been plenty of talk over the last 10 years. I think back to that final in 2013 when we didn't qualify from the pool stages, so we were playing in the Challenge Cup final down the road in the RDS on a Friday.
"It was a good night but there were two French teams in the (Champions Cup) final that week, Toulon against Clermont, at the Aviva.
"Everyone was asking the question at the time, would we ever be able to beat these French giants. Our point of difference has to be the supporter base that we have, which allows us to do certain things.
"That connection, hopefully, will be there tomorrow. Everyone's worked so hard to get to this point, so this is exactly the pressure we want.
"It's a privilege to be here and not something we take lightly. We've been knocking on the door in a few different finals which haven't gone our way.
"But it's about preparing the team as well as we possibly can - and now about delivering on the big day, committing to our plan, being nice and calm and composed in everything we do."
Cullen once more emphasised the difference between a Leinster set-up based largely around home grown talent and La Rochelle, the latest in a line of Top 14 superpowers who have been able to recruit heavily from abroad - including ex-Connacht and Ireland lock Ultan Dillane, who joined last summer and is on the bench tomorrow.
"Our group is growing all the time," said Cullen.
"It's definitely a different model. We, generally speaking, have young guys come through the club and to get them to 50, 100, 150 games, they have to get picked that many times for Leinster.
"It's not a quick process to build a really experienced group.
"But, I think we have a very experienced group now and a lot of that group have learnt a lot since last year.
"A lot of them went away with Ireland during the summer and won a series in New Zealand. A lot of players in our 23 tomorrow featured in that, they've done some great things with Ireland since as well.
"You're looking for all of that experience to come to the fore now of playing big games.
"It's accumulating experience all the time, because that's the way our model works.
“So we’re not going out to the marketplace like a Top 14 team would do. It’s a slower process for us, bringing guys through but as I said, I think there’s a group here now that are ready to do business on the biggest day.
"So we’ll see how we go tomorrow.”
Do Leinster feel that revenge is on the cards as they look to avoid a third straight loss in Europe to O'Gara's formidable outfit?
“Revenge is a sort of funny word, isn’t it," said Cullen.
"I just think it’s being at home, in your home city and it’s just delivering a performance in front of your own fans."
Leinster:H Keenan; J O’Brien, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, J Lowe; R Byrne, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, D Sheehan, T Furlong; R Molony, J Ryan (capt); C Doris, J van der Flier, J Conan.
Reps: R Kelleher, C Healy, M Ala’alatoa, J Jenkins, R Baird, L McGrath, C Frawley, C Ngatai.
La Rochelle:B Dulin; D Leyds, UJ Seuteni, J Danty, R Rhule; A Hastoy, T Kerr-Barlow; R Wardi, P Bourgarit, U Atonio; R Sazy, W Skelton; P Boudehent, L Botia, G Alldritt (capt).
Replacements: Q Lespiaucq Brettes, J Sclavi, G Henri Colombe, T Lavault, R Bourdeau, U Dillane, T Berjon, J Favre.
Read More
Katie Taylor blown away by 'amazing' support as she gears up for homecoming bout
Chantelle Cameron wouldn't have turned pro had it not been for 'trailblazer' Katie Taylor
Katie Taylor invites Dublin schoolgirl into ring at public work-out ahead of world title fight
Eddie Hearn addresses security and ticket issues ahead of Katie Taylor v Chantelle Cameron
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
