A lacklustre and lethargic Leinster

For the second year in-a-row, Leinster opened the defence of their crown against a side making their Heineken Cup debut.

Last season it required a late Jonny Sexton penalty to secure a draw away to Montpellier in a game that the French hosts could have won. Playing against the reigning champions elicits a manic response from any team eager to prove their worth when cast against the giants of the club game. Leinster got out of jail in this one and had first choice kicker Gareth Steenson been on the field to take a last ditch final penalty kick in injury time, history could well have repeated with Leinster held to another opening day draw.

Eoin Reddan put it succinctly during the week when he said: “we all remember our first game in the Heineken Cup”. So it was no surprise that Exeter Chiefs, a side playing in English rugby’s second tier a few seasons ago, would relish their chance to mix it with the big boys.