Rugby News round-upSo here it is then, as suspected all along, the acid test, the Bath Bruisers at the Rec. And now everyone, from the many who want them to deliver to those who expect them to fall, have identified this as the true barometer of where Leinster, the Great Entertainers, stand. And especially their tight five.
The return of Jamie Heaslip, and possibly Will Green - rated better than 50-50 by coach Michael Cheika yesterday after both were recalled to a 24-man squad - ought to make Leinster more physical, although Green's understudy, Emmet Byrne, cannot be deemed a slouch when it comes to scrummaging.
Ever since the opening-round defeat to Bath at the RDS it was always likely that Leinster's season, or at any rate their Heineken European Cup hopes, would hinge on this rematch. Ironically, had they won in Bourgoin, Leinster would possibly still have had to win next Sunday to progress to April's quarter-finals. The difference being that they could have won the pool and possibly a home quarter-final as well.
All that is history now. The jury is still very much out on this remodelled Leinster, a work in progress, and the verdict is due on Sunday. However Cheika, who maintains that this is "a great opportunity" for a team which has improved since October, is not keen to see it that way.
"I have bigger picture plans as well for the team. I know a lot of people are saying you're playing for your season and all that type of stuff but I don't look at it that way. We're playing for qualification into a cup quarter-final, and that's what we need to do. We understand the urgency of that situation but we also understand the bigger picture as well, and this is a big part of our development if we can put it away, and perform well as well; not just win. But perform well."
Leinster have scored more tries than anyone in the competition to date and even the Glasgow captain Jon Petrie expressed the hope that Leinster's galacticos decorate the knockout stages. Only Toulouse have scaled more dizzying heights this season but, unlike the holders, Leinster have yet to show the hard edge with their cutting edge.
They could be in danger of becoming akin to Arsenal: capable of elevating the game to thrilling levels, putting together moves of daring and vision, cutting opposition defences apart with magnificent scores and racking up big wins when on top, but coming up short when the going gets tough. For Bath, read Bolton. And rugby, first and foremost, is even more of a physical fight than football.
"You don't get anything unless you earn it, and I think we've earned it through hard work," maintained Cheika when asked if, in a purist sense, Leinster would deserve to get through.
"We've been working really hard and the attention to detail has been there from all the players. They've had their down periods and that's normal. I think we've tried not to set mediocrity in our preparation and I'm a big believer that if you work hard you reap what you sow. Deserve is not the right word, but if we work hard enough and we prepare well enough, we'll get what we want."
Cheika accepts the criticism of Leinster almost playing too much running rugby, especially deep in their own territory, rather than being a bit more selective. The concession of a soft intercept try to Rory Lamont was a reminder of the two self-inflicted tries conceded in Bath.
"But as the coach I can't go round hitting them on the hand if they don't do the right thing. There's a million other times when they do the right thing. You can't have that 'it's good if it works but it's bad if it doesn't'. You've got to trust your players, you've got to give them the skills and then you've got to trust them to play the game, make the right decisions, and empower them to play the game."
In the first meeting, Cheika admitted Leinster undid a bright start by stepping off their intensity and pressure in defence, and that Bath will look to explore the close-in channels again, which will be patrolled by Keith Gleeson, who has been Leinster's only ever-present this season.
"He hasn't performed like a genius all-year round definitely, but the one thing he has done is he's improved and improved. I suppose he suits our game a little bit more because he does the role we want him to perform," adds Cheika.
"He's not a specialist on the ground, he's more a linkman, he can run with the ball, he's a very good defender. He still misses a few (tackles) and he knows that, and we've got to knock that out of his game, but I think the level of his play is now to the point that he must be considered in the top group of sevens. And it does work to our advantage on Sunday, and talking to him this morning I'd say it would."
Leinster's trek to the Rec will tell a tale alright.
l Ulster coach Mark McCall has made four changes in personnel and two positional switches for their final pool match, away to Treviso on Saturday.
McCall has rested fullback Bryn Cunningham and captain Simon Best. Tommy Bowe switches from the wing to cover at fullback while Bryan Young switches to tighthead prop in place of Best and Justin Fitzpatrick comes in on the loose-head side. Justin Harrison will captain the side.
Injuries to David Humphreys (dead leg) and Rory Best (ankle) rule them out of contention so Adam Larkin and Nigel Brady are promoted to the starting line-up.
ULSTER (v Treviso): T Bowe; J Topping, A Trimble, P Steinmetz, A Maxwell; A Larkin, I Boss; J Fitzpatrick, N Brady, B Young, J Harrison (capt), M McCullough, N Best, S Ferris, R Wilson. Replacements: P Shields, R Moore, R Frost, N McMillan, K Campbell, P Walalce, J Bell.
