Jack Conan insists that it matters to Ireland's Six Nations hopefuls if the Aviva Stadium will be full for their championship opener against Wales.
It is now expected that the 5,000 capacity limit on outdoor sporting events will be lifted before the February 5 showdown at Lansdowne Road.
With full houses already allowed in London, Paris, Cardiff and Edinburgh for the championship, Conan explains why it is crucial for the men in green to have the backing of a full crowd in just over a fortnight's time.
“Yeah, I think it absolutely matters," said the Leinster, Ireland and Lions no 8.
"It’s one of the best things about playing rugby, to have the support of friends and family there.
"It’s one of the big reasons why you play, to give the people that are closest to you, the people that you love, who support you when times are bad and when times are good, that big day out.
“They can come to the RDS and they can see you play, and you can win in front of them. It means the world and it’s one of the reasons why everyone plays rugby, really.
"Please God we’ll be able to get people back to the RDS and back to the Aviva in the coming weeks.
“Obviously other countries have made that decision already and it would be great to play away and have people in stadiums.
"Hopefully we can follow suit and have as many people there because that extra volume, that extra noise, the atmosphere, it just makes those days extra special.”
Conan made a timely return to action for his province in last Sunday's record breaking Champions Cup win at home to Montpellier.
He had been sidelined since the November victory against the All Blacks.
When he returned to fitness last month he, like his Leinster team-mates, had to remain patient as five weeks passed by with a match cancellation in Montpellier and a series of URC postponements due to Covid.
“Everyone was a bit anxious that it was such an abnormal stage of the year where there’s no games when normally it’s such a busy period," admitted the 29-year-old.
"Even last week you heard that Montpellier had cases and you’re thinking, ‘Ah God, is this going to be another game called off at the last minute'.
“There was definitely that anxiety about the place. Lads were nervous, everyone wanted to get back.
"Everyone loves training but you want to be out there playing and rugby careers are short. So when you’re missing two months of games it’s a lot.
“I wasn’t anxious on a personal level. I think there was anxiety in the building, everyone wanted to get back playing games, get back to winning in Europe and being in the blue of Leinster.
"It was completely out of our control so all we could do was make sure that we were fully prepped and ready to go.
"Even the other week when we were supposed to play Ulster, there was chat that if that was cancelled someone else might jump in instead of them.
“It was making sure that we were ready to go at a moment’s notice and lads showed at the weekend how eager they were to get back to it.”
Conan said that the hard work done in training stood to him and his team-mates last weekend and, while Leinster are expected to beat Bath at the Rec tomorrow to cement their place in the last 16, he is taking nothing for granted.
"It's about making sure that we are in the best possible position for whatever comes in Europe over the next few weeks because it's all still a bit up in the air," said the Bray man.
"Everyone knows what happened a few weeks ago when we were meant to go to Montpellier and how that decision was made and how the points were awarded post that decision.
"We need every point we can get and that was our mindset against Montpellier and it will be our mindset again against Bath.
“I'll hope for another big 80 minutes, make sure I am just getting better from what I put out there last weekend against Montpellier.
“Hopefully that will be a really good starting point for whatever comes with Ireland and Leinster in the next few weeks."
