O’Meara in positive mood for Sale clash
No matter that Leinster as a team didn't perform on the day, it was Brian O'Meara who copped most of the criticism for his lack of success kicking scores from penalties.
His disappointment on the day was acute, but his costly goal-kicking lapses have long since been forgotten. "It was one of those days, a difficult day for kicking but something I don't dwell on."
O'Meara has had very good days as well, none more so than last weekend when he knocked over eight from eight as Leinster secured an important Celtic League win over Ulster at Donnybrook.
Again, he is at pains to point out that the Perpignan game is now done and dusted. What is most important is that he does the business in another Heineken Cup fixture against Sale at Lansdowne Road this evening (7.45).
"I take each game as it comes. There is no point in looking back to bad or good days because nothing matters except the current moment."
O'Meara admits there was a time last season when he might just have been trying too hard, by pushing things. "What might work for one goal kicker doesn't necessarily work for another. I decided at some point to go back to basics and my scoring average has increased as a result.
"These days I don't see the goal kicking duties as pressure, but more as just one part of my job on the pitch."
One thing that O'Meara has learned in common with his colleagues is that home advantage is no guarantee of victory.
"Of course it's a bonus and supporters do make a difference, but not to the point where they actually win games for you.
"It's really up to the team, to the ability to make pressure count and you play badly at your own peril."
O'Meara insisted that Leinster would treat Sale with respect.
"We have seen a fair bit of them over the last few weeks on video and they certainly play an exciting brand of rugby.
"One thing we don't want to do is give their backs the space to counter-attack. We don't want it to turn into a game of Sevens rugby."
Getting back to the level of support expected at Lansdowne Road, O'Meara expressed no fear about the venue. "Last year for the semi-final we had about 40,000 people in the ground while there were only about 8,000 for our first match this season against Biarritz.
"What I would say is that those 8,000 seemed to have made as much noise as the 40,000 last year.
"We have to be patient in terms of support and I agree with the decision to move to Lansdowne Road for the Heineken Cup.
"This was all discussed at length between Leinster Branch officials and the players. The hope is that we can eventually generate a lot more interest and that more and more supporters will be given the opportunity to see European rugby. Donnybrook is great but it is a bit on the small side."
From a collective point of view, O'Meara would like to think that Leinster have another extended Heineken Cup run. "We were all disappointed the way things ended last season, but it's a different season now. We've started well and we have to keep our focus to make sure we don't slip up in our bid to make the knock out stages. Maybe the Perpignan match was our wake-up message. We know we have to perform in every game and can't take anything for granted."
Meanwhile, Leinster will be without Christian Warner, but are boosted by the return of Eric Miller, Brian O'Driscoll and Shane Horgan. Warner's place at out-half will be taken by Matt Leek who did a good job in last week's victory over Ulster, while international partners O'Driscoll and Horgan give Leinster a huge fillip.
The availability of Eric Miller is another significant plus for Leinster, while Des Dillon and Brendan Burke earn places on the reserves bench.
Sale will parade their English World Cup star Jason Robinson and, as expected, he will start at full-back. He is one of six international players in the back division that also includes the highly rated Charlie Hodgson and Bryan Redpath.
Leinster, according to O'Meara and others, have identified the need not to enter into a loose style of match even though they have their own share of top-notch talent behind the scrum.
"I think, first and foremost, we've got to do a job up front," said coach Gary Ella.
"We have got to control this game and use our resources to the full. It's vital that we pick up the results at home in this particular competition."
LEINSTER: G. Dempsey, J McWeeney, B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, G D'Arcy, M Leek, B O'Meara, R Corrigan, S Byrne, P Coyle, M O'Kelly, B Gissing, E Miller, V Costello, K Gleeson. Replacements: J Moran, G Hickie, D Dillon, S Jennings, B O'Riordan, B Burke, D Quinlan.
SALE SHARKS: J. Robinson, M. Cueto, C. Mayor, G. Bond, S. Hanley, C. Hodgson, B. Redpath, A. Sheridan, A. Titterrall, S. Turner, C. Jones, D. Schofield, J. White, A. Sanderson (captain), S. Pinkerton. Replacements. M. Cairns, K. Yates, B. Stewart, I. Fullarton, M. Lund, V. Going, R. Wigglesworth.
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