London Irish: Brentford ready to welcome Exiles' return to London

Leicester Tigers will be London Irish's first visitors to the Brentford Community Stadium

Like any house move, London Irish have had to be patient and wait longer than expected to get their foot through the door of their new home.

On Sunday, the Exiles will officially be "back in town" as the marketing slogans have been projecting ever since their return to the capital was agreed in 2018 when they start life at Brentford's Community Stadium.

"When you move into any new home, you want to put your stamp on it as soon as you can to make it feel like yours and we need to make sure we do that quickly," director of rugby Declan Kidney told BBC Sport.

Leicester Tigers will be the house warming guests with the potential to be party poopers.

"We'll only be slightly more familiar to the stadium than Leicester will," Kidney added. "So, it's up to us to get things right on the pitch from the off.

"But, I have to say, it has all the makings of being a top day out at a top-class stadium."

After 20 years away from their south-west London roots playing home matches at Reading's Madejski Stadium, Irish will finally complete on their move down the M4 to the capital's newest sporting venue.

Brentford have already played nine competitive fixtures there since handing over the keys of nearby Griffin Park in September, but unfortunately no crowds have been unable to take in the new facilities.

"One of the things that really strikes you when you got there is how Kew Bridge railway station is right outside," Irish's Reading-born and bred winger Ben Loader said.

"It's a real shame there won't be the crowds piling off the trains and straight into the stadium on Sunday, but when that is allowed, it's going to create some sporting venue."

Loader, 22, perfectly illustrates the closing of one chapter in Irish's club history and the start of a new one.

Reading-born Ben Loader made his senior London Irish debut in 2017

Having come through the same amateur club which has produced recent international debutants Jack Willis and Johnny Williams at Reading Abbey RFC, Loader went on to score his first senior tries for Irish at the same stadium his football-playing brother Danny, 20, made appearances for Reading.

But as Irish have moved back towards London, Loader has followed, living just a few miles away from their training ground and their new stadium.

"I've seen the stadium grow and go up in size over the past couple of years, which makes it even more exciting," he told BBC Radio London.

"We had our first look around as a squad a few weeks back and then a first training session there recently and the newness and freshness of it all is also really special.

"I can't wait to run out on the pitch in the first game. As a back three player, we're always fans of playing at football grounds too as that means the pitch is normally really fast."

As the coronavirus pandemic and first lockdown in March prevented Irish from having their planned farewell party at the Madejski Stadium in June, it also delayed their anticipated arrival at Brentford.

The last remaining "home" fixtures of last season were played at The Stoop and while the visit of Leicester has come a few days too soon for some fans to be allowed through the turnstiles, there is no less excitement to finally get started in west London.

"One of the great stadiums in world rugby I've always enjoyed visiting is Newlands in Cape Town as everyone in the crowd is right on top of you and there's a similar feel to this place," said head coach Les Kiss, whose previous jobs have taken him around the world with Ireland and New South Wales Waratahs.

"Once crowds are allowed back in, people are going to be really close to the action and every seat is going to have a tremendous view.

"I think there's going to be a real opportunity for crowds to create a very unique and special atmosphere inside there."

Brentford FC played their first competitive match at the 17,250-capacity Community Stadium in September

Following the government's confirmation all London boroughs will be placed in tier two when the England-wide lockdown ends on Wednesday, the visit of Sale next Sunday could see a crowd of up to 2,000 allowed in.

"Is it the right time?" Kiss asked. "I'll leave those sorts of decisions to the experts, but I know it's absolutely essential to the energy and life of the game to get crowds back into matches.

"Once they are back, I think we'll really be able to grow our brand of rugby around it and hopefully build our fanbase in the community and across London as well.

"Hopefully those who were with us in Reading too and a few who maybe have drifted away in recent years, will join us as well.

"That's the other thing I really like about this stadium is its location.

"The potential access to the immediate community is going to be immense for all our stakeholders. Hopefully we can continue to get things right on the pitch to help drive forward the growth in all areas of the club."