Leinster have a mountain to climb

MATT WILLIAMS was in surprisingly upbeat mood at Dublin Airport yesterday given Leinster’s onerous task .

The odds seemed stacked against Williams’ team as the Leinster Lions boarded a plane for the South of France and a meeting with Montferrand today in the Heineken Cup.

Malcolm O’Kelly’s back is still causing concern, then there’s the fact that a win would represent the province’s first on French soil. A loss would not end Leinster’s progression in the tournament but would seriously dent such ambitions.