RUGBY: Leinster's decision to play today's Celtic League match against Cardiff (5.30pm) and their three home games in the Heineken European Cup - beginning with next Saturday's match against Bath - at the RDS marks the first time rugby union will be played at the venue (it has seen a little rugby league).

The decision is based on the fact Donnybrook, with a capacity of 7,000, is too small, while the experiment of playing European Cup pool games at Lansdowne Road did not really work - they failed to even half-fill the 48,000-capacity stadium.

The RDS was deemed suitable provided floodlights could be introduced and the Leinster Branch imported temporary lighting that is put in place by a crane truck. The quality of that lighting wasn't ideal initially - and so the branch installed extra lights yesterday to meet the demands of television cameras.

The main arena has a covered seating and standing capacity of 25,000 - a limit of 7,500 will be imposed for today's game before being increased to 13,500 for the European Cup games.