The all-Irish last four clash – which set a world record attendance for a club rugby match of 82,208 – went the way of Leinster with tries from Gordon D’Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald and Brian O’Driscoll helping them to a 25-6 win in Dublin.

Nigel Owens was the man in charge that afternoon and described the stunning atmosphere throughout the day, exclusively on the Champions Rugby Show.

“This match is up there with the top three or four occasions in any competition and that would be Leinster v Munster at Croke Park in 2009 in that semi-final,” said Owens.

“Munster were the big European guns and Leinster had fallen short on so many occasions, particularly against Munster and they just turned up this day.

“The stadium was packed out and it was a world record crowd for a club game, a wonderful atmosphere and a nice sunny day.

“We had two teams packed with international class players all over it and I remember going to Croke Park and it was like an international matchday, full of blue and red and what a game it was.

“That was the coming of Leinster and the turning point in them then becoming dominant over Munster and in Europe for that next decade.

“So that was one of the best European occasions in the history of the competition I think and there’s been so many wonderful ones.”

To listen to the full Champions Rugby Show with Nigel Owens, click HERE or listen via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.

Leading referee Nigel Owens has described the 2009 Heineken Cup semi-final between Leinster Rugby and Munster Rugby as “one of the best European occasions in the history of the competition.”