The hat-trick heroes are dwindling in ever greater numbers.

In the Racing 92 training complex at Plessis-Robinson in Paris, there they were, writes Ronan O’Gara

Much like the championships and trophies accrued by teams on the field of play, the sustained commercial success of a sporting organisation does not happen by chance.

There’s no doubt the absence of Maxime Machenaud has taken a major weapon out of Racing 92’s armoury ahead of Saturday’s Champions Cup final showdown with Leinster but assuming the Parisians will have no creative fulcrum without the France scrum-half is reckoning without Pat Lambie.

Every sports person has experienced those god-awful days when you wish the ground would swallow you up, when you’d prefer to stick you head in the sand or become invisible to all and sundry.

Anyone questioning Leinster’s credentials as firm favorites for Champions Cup honours this season must have been won over, even before half time on Saturday such was their complete dominance in all facets of play over the opening 40 minutes.

Of the four provinces, Leinster should be the one least in need of imported talent.

Leinster’s journey back to the summit of European club rugby is not yet complete but it is worth pointing out just how far they have already covered in such a short space of time as they contemplate the final step in Bilbao.

Racing 92 co-head coach Laurent Labit believes his side’s 40-minute powerplay that destroyed Munster’s European dream will not be good enough to defeat Champions Cup final opponents Leinster in Bilbao in three weeks.