Ireland’s so-called ‘green sweep’ on the opening weekend of the Heineken Champions Cup was always unlikely to be replicated in Round 2 given the quality of the French opposition for the Irish quartet.

The fact that Leinster were made fight much harder than had been anticipated to prevail in a pulsating Champions Cup final that went right down to the last kick off the game will, you feel, stand to their exciting young squad in the years to come.