Praiseworthy though the performance against Toulouse was, and brilliant though the victory against Leicester was, that opening home defeat against the French team has left Leinster with little margin for error in the European Cup. If they are to progress to the play-offs at least, as one of the five pool runners-up or the best third-placed side, then realistically this is another `must' for Mike Ruddock's team. As they might all be from here on in.
Ruddock hasn't yet worked out a points target from the six pool games, but certainly defeat here would leave Leinster needing maximum points from their three return fixtures; an exceedingly tall order as they include trips to Welford Road and the Toulouse fortress of Les Sept-Deniers.
"It's a must-win," concedes Leinster manager Jim Glennon, "in terms of going further in the competition. It's our first away game and our most likely possibility of an away win if we are to make up ground for our loss to Toulouse."
The auguries are encouraging enough. Leinster have just come off their finest hour, and one senses that their coach, Ruddock has instilled the mental hardness to go with improved fitness levels which will counter against the all too typical Irish failing of following a good performance with an anti-climactic one.
The team is settled and knows what it's about. Admittedly there hasn't been compelling evidence of the players' ability to move the ball to the wings and the underserved Dennis Hickie, but the defence was awesome against Leicester and in Alan McGowan the team has the most prolific points scorer in the competition's three-year history - his 111-point haul outstripping Neil Jenkins' by two points.
Leinster have happy memories of Milan, having won their opening European Cup tie here two years ago. True, only four of that side survive - Kurt McQuilkin, McGowan, Shane Byrne and Victor Costello. That's a glaring example of the turnover all the Irish provinces have suffered, though Ruddock counters: "It also shows the reserves of talent in the province."
Players like Byrne, Reggie Corrigan, the now fully-contracted Trevor Brennan, David O'Mahony and Kevin Nowlan have burst on to the scene. The Italians have lost their outstanding out-half Diego Dominguez to the lure of the French franc, but have recalled another Argentinian-born player at full-back, Federico Williams (causing a reshuffle along their back-line), and retain eight of that side from two years ago.
Interestingly, they also have five of the Italian side which beat Ireland 37-29 at Lansdowne Road in January, including double try scorer Paolo Vaccari. Ruddock travelled to Welford Road and saw Milan lose to Leicester. "(Milan) are a strong side, with a good scrum, they play a lot through their New Zealand number eight Richard Turner. All their backs have quick hands but they mostly concentrate on attacking off short passes around the fringes."
Clearly the back-row of Brennan, Costello and David O'Sullivan, not to mention the supporting tight five and half backs, will have to reproduce the high-octane tackling of the Leicester game. Ruddock is quietly confident they can. "The boys are confident; I just hope they're not over-confident. The mood seems right."
