Interview Gordon D'ArcyJohnny Watterson talks to the Leinster centre ahead of the province's must-win match against Bath

The starting side has to be finalised but if Leinster coach Michael Cheika does not line out Sunday's final Heineken European Cup pool match against Bath with Gordon D'Arcy, Brian O'Driscoll and Denis Hickie, the straitjackets and restraints will surely come out.

All designer, of course for the fashion-conscious Australian.

Flanked yesterday at the weekly press briefing by D'Arcy and number eight Jamie Heaslip, whose recent bench time because of flu is now over, Cheika has just recently been able to field a Leinster back line with familiar contours. D'Arcy, O'Driscoll, Hickie and Shane Horgan with Felipe Contepomi drawing players with his angled runs is not such a bad cutting edge to travel with to Bath's Recreation Ground.

"It's very similar to the RDS but it's a little smaller, a little bit more intimate," says D'Arcy of the famous old paddock which, like the Dublin venue, has a low profile and buildings overlooking it.

"They've good support at the Rec. They get very much behind the team. With the way our matches have gone it's an important week. If anyone wants to relax in Bath they can do it on their week off or the following week in the first week of the Six Nations if they're not playing."

D'Arcy's mood, given the win-or-bust nature of the game, is serious but there is also an air of relief despite the warning to players who are not up to his levels of commitment.

With O'Driscoll back, the pressure on him as the talismanic centre has been passed on to the captain. Leinster know they have dug a hole for themselves with an injury-hit slow start but players coming back and the fact tht Leinster's redesigned game is now causing serious problems for other teams leave D'Arcy more encouraged than ever.

"With Michael Cheika and Knoxy (assistant coach David Knox) we've tried to develop a brand of rugby we are all getting behind. I don't think we all did that at certain times in the match last week (against Glasgow)," he says.

"We scored eight tries but there were times where we were not in control of the game.We were defending and sometimes scrambling, which isn't what we want to be doing. Even before scoring tries, we want to be building scores and at certain times Glasgow were putting us on the back foot. We were a little annoyed with ourselves for letting that creep into our game.

"Even when you are defending you can still attack. I think our defence has been very, very good and has been developing every game we've played. And it hit a good level in the Munster game. When the opposition has the ball that's when you can hit them hard, knock them back and get the ball back. If a team has been attacking eight, nine phases and you hit them back and eventually get the ball, that's almost as demoralising as getting a score."

The feeling within the Leinster side is that they are enjoying their rugby and the recent successes against Ulster, Munster and Glasgow have brought additional confidence. The sense is that with players back and the team growing into the style, anything is possible, even against the team that beat them in the first pool match in Dublin.

D'Arcy's view of himself is positive too but he knows he needs to improve in some areas. Those areas he keeps to himself.

"There are a couple of aspects to my game that I think I can really improve on and bring to the Leinster team," he says.

"I think Brian O'Driscoll speaks for himself. He's our talisman and captain. What he brings to training is standards and insists that how we train is how we play. His contribution in the tackle and his ability to organise attack is what Brian O'Driscoll does. The greatest players in the world do the right things at the right time. He's had a couple of blips on the screen but you won't hold that against him too much.

"As for Denis (Hickie) it's the wealth of experience he brings and a calm head. The first thing he did when he came on against Llanelli was put a relieving kick in down the field. He's a good head and he can read the game and his finishing skills are second to none."

Sounds like a couple of guys in the centre.