It's a scrum as boys in blue mobbed by fans at Krystle victory night out

By Melanie Finn

Monday April 11 2011

Leinster painted the town blue after their super Heineken Cup quarter-final victory over Leicester.

Team captain Leo Cullen led the line-out of troops straight into Krystle once the team dinner was over as the players celebrated making it to the semi-finals of the tournament.

And all the stops were pulled out to ensure they had a night to remember.

Playboy co-owner Rangan Arulchelvan was on the door of the VIP bar himself, as he welcomed in the delighted players and their partners.

He had cordoned off a large area of the club especially for the post-match celebrations, with blue wristbands given out to attendees.

Leinster skipper Leo was one of the first to arrive with his fiancee Doireann Ni Bhroin, who looked stunning in a one-shouldered pink mini-dress.

Despite being exhausted after the big game, he was joined by all the members of the team including Brian O'Driscoll, Jamie Heaslip, Luke Fitzgerald, Shane Horgan and Johnny Sexton. Also there were all the members of the Leicester Tigers team, who were the first to arrive, coming into the club shortly after midnight.

Obviously keen to drown their sorrows, they wasted little time in downing multiple shots at the bar as they made the most of their night in Dublin.

Among those spotted were players Martin Castrogiovanni, Ben Youngs and Tom Croft, as well as the Tuilagi brothers, with the gang staying there until well after 3am.

Hobbled

"The place was absolutely heaving," said a source.

"Word had got out that both teams were in there and the place was mobbed.

"They cordoned off part of the section especially for them but even that area was jam packed. As well as the usual regulars, there were obviously lots of girls in trying to score themselves a rugby player."

The players were joined by Irish Leicester player Geordan Murphy, who hobbled in on crutches but told the Diary he was "doing okay"

Midway through the celebrations, there was a minor commotion in the club with the arrival of two members of Westlife.

Straight from their gig in the O2, they were brought in through the back way of the club to their reserved area.

Boyband star Kian Egan was there with his wife, Wonderland singer Jodi Albert, while Mark Feehily was there with his long-term partner Kevin McDaid.

They were both joined by quite a sizeable entourage of friends, who were brought directly to the largest table in the VIP suite.

Making quite the impression on the rugby players were gorgeous socialites Avila Lipsett and Emily O'Donnell, who was turning heads in a little red dress.

Avila, whose older sister Roz is still modelling in America, explained how she's back for good now from London and is working her way up the ladder in RTE sales.

mfinn@herald.ie

- Melanie Finn

herald.ie