Time was when Leinster embarked on a Heineken European Cup campaign with, at best, underdog optimism. Now, though, they and their supporters expect. Eviction from the Celtic League has only heightened the stakes when they entertain Bristol tonight, so the pressure is on straight away. But then again, isn't it always? Leinster are contenders now. Their eventual progress to the quarter-finals last year for the first time mirrored Munster's progress to the last eight four season ago, and the following year
Matt Willaims admits: "We're nowhere near where we were this time last year." How could they be? The flip side of that coin is that if they can somehow win their opening games tonight and away to Swansea next week, they'll go into the December rounds on more of an equal footing, and come January - in recent years their anti-climactic month - they might actually be hitting better form.
Premiership play-off finalists last season, Bristol's own form this season has been curious, their sole win out of six games being against Leicester. But with a welcome change in environment, Bristol may feel they can swing from the hip tonight. "Hopefully, the European Cup will be a diversion from the Zurich Premiership," says coach Peter Thorburn. "I know the players are looking forward to new opposition. It is a long season and European competition gives us the opportunity to try some different options."
Furthermore, the arrival of Daryl Gibson after the first three defeats clearly seems to have filled a midfield void. His first full game coincided with the win over Leicester and by all accounts they should have beaten Leeds last weekend.
In style and content, Williams likens Bristol to Newcastle. "They play with a lot of width, they can break you anywhere on the field, have a couple of world-class players, a fantastic goalkicker and a very competent, big pack. They'll be a very hard, tough outfit and to get a win you'll have to earn it."
Their Puma half-back pairing of Agustin Pichot and Felipe Contepomi have been thorns in Irish sides and Thomas Castaignede described them as "like Siamese twins: the Bristol poisoners." The cheeky Pichot must be a good poker player, for he doesn't overdo the individual stuff but just when he lulls sides into a false sense of security he makes the big play, and with a high percentage rate of success.
Contepomi missed three kickable penalties last week, which means he won't this week (though sometime place-kicker Shane Drahm returns), and is as dangerous at intercepting as anyone in world rugby. He scored eight tries last season in that manner, another one during the summer with the Pumas, and scored three tries in Bristol's first three league games this season, including another intercept.
Leinster effectively come into this European campaign with two weeks' unbroken preparation and one game, compared to three months' unbroken preparation and seven successive Celtic League wins last season. The ensuing 40-10 win over Toulouse constituted their "best performance of the season", according to Williams, and arguably, their best in seven campaigns as well.
In any event, bearing all the disruptions in mind, winning and scoring four tries against Newport last week was no mean achievement.
All the gamebreakers are there save for Eric Miller, the set pieces are going well, Malcolm O'Kelly has rarely been in a richer vein of form and though the outhalf curse has struck again, Christian Warner looks like the man to hold the ship together until Nathan Spooner returns.
According to Williams, this has been Leinster's best week's training so far in a truncated season. Leaving the Celtic League final behind them last season helped spur Munster to another European final and, similarly, failure to make the quarters as defending Celtic champions puts Leinster's season on the line now.
It will be surprising if they don't come out all guns blazing.
LEINSTER: G Dempsey; D Hickie, B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, G D'Arcy; C Warner, B O'Meara; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, P Wallace, L Cullen, M O'Kelly, A McCullen/D Dillon/B Gissing, V Costello, K Gleeson. Replacements: P Smyth, E Byrne, A Kearney, A McCullen/D Dillon/NB Gissing, B O'Riordan, And two more.
BRISTOL: S Drahm; D Rees, M Shaw, D Gibson, P Christophers; F Contepomi, A Pichot; D Crompton, S Nelson, E Bergamaschi, G Archer (capt), A Brown, C Short, B Sturnham, M Lipman. Replacements: P Richards, M Carrington, A Higgins, C Rowland, P Johnstone, A Sheridan/S Morgan, R Oakley.
Referee: R Dickson (Scotland)
Previous meetings: None.
EC record: Leinster - Pl 38, W20, D1, L 17. Bristol - debut.
Leading EC try scorers: Leinster - John McWeeney, Denis Hickie 8 each. Bristol - None.
Leading EC points scorers: Leinster - Alan McGowan 225. Bristol - None.
Betting (Paddy Power): (Handicap odds = Bristol +20pts) 10/11 Leinster, 16/1 Draw, 10/11 Bristol.
Forecast: Leinster to win.
Leinster v Bristol
Donnybrook, 7.35 (Network 2)
