Leinster Season Tickets

TouchingVirus

Saw and ad for this before the Kildare/Donegal match today on RTE - just want to know if the Anglesea Stand Gold is worth the money, or what any of the more seasoned RDS rugby matchgoers would suggest?

Also, do you have to be a member of Leinster Rugby to avail of the tickets?

Mods: I searched for season tickets for Leinster, found two threads older than a year and didn't want to vamp. I also searched for Anglesea Gold with no luck, so please don't crucify me if I missed a thread where this belongs :pac:

durkadurka

Personally I think the anglesea is overpriced compared to the grandstand opposite. It's an ancient stand with pillars blocking your view and I find the seats very tight.

Also a lot of the seats are behind the try line. Even behind the dead ball line and you get a crick in the neck from turning sideways.

However the stand is steep compared to the grandstand so you are that bit closer to the field.

Buying a season ticket makes you a member of the supporters club. I defo recommend a season ticket but the anglesea is overpriced IMHO .

I think there's very few tickets left so your options are limited at this stage.

TouchingVirus

durkadurka wrote: »

Personally I think the anglesea is overpriced compared to the grandstand opposite. It's an ancient stand with pillars blocking your view and I find the seats very tight.

Also a lot of the seats are behind the try line. Even behind the dead ball line and you get a crick in the neck from turning sideways.

However the stand is steep compared to the grandstand so you are that bit closer to the field.

Buying a season ticket makes you a member of the supporters club. I defo recommend a season ticket but the anglesea is overpriced IMHO .

I think there's very few tickets left so your options are limited at this stage.

Thanks for the honesty, just what I was looking for - €400 is no joke. They've got a list of what's available up on the Leinster Rugby site, so if you have to pick one of those that are left which would you suggest? Or would I be better off going to a few matches to get a feel for the RDS myself before going for the season ticket next year?

durkadurka

Blocks a and e are either end of the anglesea. On the north and south terrace you can sit where you like but if it rains you're kippered...

That said the view isn't much worse than anglesea a or e. Maybe go to a few games and see for yourself.

If you go to games on a pay as you go basis you pay more but with aviva now available it's rare the game you couldn't get a ticket for.

And with the season ticket you are paying for some undesirable games like aironi during the six nations when we have the b team out. Great to see the up and coming players but it doesn't compare to a High end game like munster or ulster.

TouchingVirus

I'll go with the few individual matches this time around, probably save me a few bob and give me a feel for the RDS before going in for the whole hog next season. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated

durkadurka

Yeah I get the impression you haven't gone to too many games so maybe dip your toe in. Didn't take me long to get hooked!

molloyjh

I'm a few years in the Terrace now and the Season Ticket is excellent value there. €239 if you get your name in before their June deadline. As long as you're down the front the view is fine and there's a bit of craic. Not sure about the other spots. I don't like the North or South personally as I find it very hard to really see what's what from that vantage point. As durkadurka said re the Stands there are some awkward areas, but if you're anywhere between the trylines I'd say it's fine.

I'd agree that your best bet is to go along to a few games this season without the Season Ticket and see what you think, and if money is an issue (like it is for most of us now!) you could always go with the Terrace ticket next year. The RDS itself is a great venue I reckon and there's a lot to be said for the hour or so before the game hanging about and having a few pints before heading into the match, and then having a few after as well. The whole atmosphere is great because you're not just in and out. I only missed 1 game last season as I was out of the country, and even that was 1 too many.

durkadurka

Yep i really enjoy being a STH. You feel a certain sense of ownership and belonging, and I'm always there a good half hour before for a pint or just to watch the warm ups. The RDS is a cracking venue too, just the right size, good atmosphere and easy access to a pint or a burger.

molloyjh

Ah yes. An Eddies burger, couple of pints and a live rugby game. Sure what more could you want!?

copacetic

molloyjh wrote: »

Ah yes. An Eddies burger, couple of pints and a live rugby game. Sure what more could you want!?

The gbk burger instead?! Otherwise, agreed!

molloyjh

copacetic wrote: »

The gbk burger instead?! Otherwise, agreed!

There's a gbk? Where's that? Admittedly I don't stray from that area around the Leinster store on the Angelsea side at all....

copacetic

molloyjh wrote: »

There's a gbk? Where's that? Admittedly I don't stray from that area around the Leinster store on the Angelsea side at all....

Over behind the new stand, along with another eddies, chicken place etc etc. It's like a whole other world!

smurphy29

gbk is the way to go alright, though Eddie's is not without its charms.

The RDS is a great venue. On nights like the Munster 30-0 and the Clermont 29-28 the atmosphere is white hot, but even on the less glamorous nights it's a great place to watch a game. We've been bringing our little girl to games since she was 19 days old, they've done great work in making it very family friendly and sociable.

We're in the North Stand, which is certainly not the best on a wet night, but it does have the advantage of being non-designated seating, so if non STHers come along, you can sit beside them wherever you like. As long as you get a bit of angle and elevation, the view is fine.

durkadurka

I'm in the grandstand, only disadvantage is it takes ages to empty out after a game.

Edit: Although I'd love to bunk into the terrace some time to chant along eith the ultras. Do they take a firm line on people bunking into the terrace?

wixfjord

smurphy29 wrote: »

gbk is the way to go alright, though Eddie's is not without its charms.

The RDS is a great venue. On nights like the Munster 30-0 and the Clermont 29-28 the atmosphere is white hot, but even on the less glamorous nights it's a great place to watch a game. We've been bringing our little girl to games since she was 19 days old, they've done great work in making it very family friendly and sociable.

We're in the North Stand, which is certainly not the best on a wet night, but it does have the advantage of being non-designated seating, so if non STHers come along, you can sit beside them wherever you like. As long as you get a bit of angle and elevation, the view is fine.

You can have your Aviva and Croker, the Clermont game was the best atmosphere I've ever been to, it was electric.

And closely followed by that Munster game, totally different type of atmosphere, more bitter and angry, but amazing.

Really like the RDS to watch a game, you feel so close to the action.
Can be a horrible place to be too, When it's pissing, the Nth Stand is not nice!

durkadurka

there was a game I think against Edinburgh in Jan 09 in the HEC where the weather was awful and we scraped into the QF.

Everyone in the North and South were beyond miserable...

THe Munster 30-0 game and Clermont were absolutely savage for different reasons. There was certainly a meanness and edge to the munster match, but the clermont game was so different - the weather was nice the Clermont fans were brilliant, everyone was a bit p1ssed, and the match itself was as nerve wracking. Unforgettable both of them.

mikedragon32

durkadurka wrote: »

I'm in the grandstand, only disadvantage is it takes ages to empty out after a game.

Edit: Although I'd love to bunk into the terrace some time to chant along eith the ultras. Do they take a firm line on people bunking into the terrace?

Bunking into the terrace is handy enough if you know someone already in there (sshhhhhh).

Terrace is definitely a great place to watch a game. Best fun I've had at a rugby match, non-stop chants and cheering.

OP, I don't have a season ticket as it's not an economic option for me, I'm a bit constrained as to the matches I can attend, but it's grand. I always get a ticket if I want one, you'll pick them up handy enough.

totallegend

durkadurka wrote: »

there was a game I think against Edinburgh in Jan 09 in the HEC where the weather was awful and we scraped into the QF.

My last ever game as a terrace die-hard, been in the middle-class, family-friendly comfort of the new stand ever since. Terrible match, horrendous weather but when I got a text telling me that Wasps were losing in Castres which would put us through, it was a great moment to be a Leinster fan.

durkadurka wrote: »

the clermont game was so different - the weather was nice the Clermont fans were brilliant, everyone was a bit p1ssed, and the match itself was as nerve wracking.

Favourite ever match in the RDS; what an atmosphere, Clermont fans shoe-horned into every nook and cranny of the ground and making so much noise, the game starting out looking like we'd get steamrolled, then came back with 20 unanswered points, all building up to the last gasp drop goal effort. The final whistle went and the French bloke in front of me just burst into tears, turned around and hugged me. I've been cheering for Clermont ever since.

durkadurka

I'll never forget that last minute or so around 30m out, where Brock James was standing with his hands out, nervously waiting for the pass for the DG and the ruck was inexplicably being moved wider.
and at the final whistle where the players were too tired even to raise their arms to celebrate.

smurphy29

That Clermont night was incredible alright, a special night to be a rugby, and leinster, fan. In all honesty Clermont should have won comfortably, but Leinster hung in there and somehow emerged on the right side of the result. Jonny Sexton overcame his yips at the kicking tee that game and has never looked back.

Big Nelly

I bought first season ticket last year, in the terrace, signed up again this year. Great crack for all match's and a few cans are always handy!!! going to enjoy the next year or so in terrace cause after that it is kids and up into the stand:eek:

Always thought the atmosphere in terrace is great, good laugh and lots of banter!!!

molloyjh

totallegend wrote: »

Favourite ever match in the RDS; what an atmosphere, Clermont fans shoe-horned into every nook and cranny of the ground and making so much noise, the game starting out looking like we'd get steamrolled, then came back with 20 unanswered points, all building up to the last gasp drop goal effort. The final whistle went and the French bloke in front of me just burst into tears, turned around and hugged me. I've been cheering for Clermont ever since.

The Clermont crew are just fantastic. That was a really special night in the RDS, but I went over to Clermont just before Christmas and I can honestly say that was even better. Truly great ambassadors of the game in every way. Montferrand Allez, Allez, Allez! :pac:

So in summary TV, the RDS is a great spot to watch the games and a season ticket really does give you more than just access to the match. The whole buzz about the RDS on those big match days, and to a lesser extent at the smaller games, is great fun. You've also got the Laighann Out bar there for STHs where the Supporters Club arrange bits and peices from time to time. A highlight from last season for me was the Ref Session with Alan Lewis and Alain Rolland, where the 2 guys came in and did a Q&A on ref-ing the game. Oh and let's not forget the scarf and Wagamamas voucher!