The showpiece match between the former champions, the Saints won European club rugby’s most coveted title in 2000 and Leinster in 2009, will end with one of them joining a select band of just five famous clubs – Toulouse, Leicester Tigers, Munster and London Wasps are already multiple champions – to lift the Heineken Cup more than once.
Leinster still have a European and domestic double in their sights with major finals on successive Saturdays, but the Saints can concentrate all their focus on trying to be the first to go through a Heineken Cup campaign unbeaten and make it nine from nine while proving themselves the kings of Europe.
They went down 11-3 at Leicester Tigers in the Aviva Premiership semi-finals a day after Leinster booked their place in the Magners League Grand Final with an 18-3 home win against Ulster Rugby.
Leinster coach Joe Schmidt described that as “a demolition derby, but it was a really good, competitive match and superb preparation for the Heineken Cup final clash with Northampton Saints at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday.
“Next weekend is a massive game for us and it is going to be a very, very tough end to the season.
“If we can get to the Heineken Cup final in pretty good shape, and get through that game, it will be glue, sticky tape and band aid to put a team together for the last game.”
Northampton have waited 11 years to have another shot at the northern hemisphere’s main club rugby prize with Director of Rugby Jim Mallinder adamant that despite the Premiership last four defeat the Saints are set on Heineken Cup final glory – “even more so after this,' he said.
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