O’Kelly primed for Toulouse clash

AFTER falling away badly last year, Leinster have made the best possible start to the new Heineken Cup campaign.

Having put former champions Leicester Tigers to the sword at the RDS last week, Malcolm O’Kelly is ready for an even bigger challenge — an away clash with French giants Toulouse.

O’Kelly, making his 129th official appearance for Leinster on Sunday and his 58th in the Heineken Cup, is conscious of the huge task confronting them: “It’s a huge opportunity for us; obviously Toulouse are a top class side with a fantastic record in the Heineken Cup, particularly at home.

“However, we have one win behind us, and that one over Leicester was a massive confidence-booster. We will be looking to take some of that confidence over to Toulouse. We will have to use that game as a benchmark and take the next step up as well.”

He admitted that an away win in France was a big ask, but reasoned that Leinster had done it before so they shouldn’t be intimidated now.

However, he accepts this will be a very different to the Leicester game.

“We had a lot of insight into the Leicester way of doing things, in part down to Leo Cullen and Shane Jennings; we have less of an insight into the Toulouse psychology, but we have played against them a few times and we know exactly what they’re capable of.

“They will throw the book at you if they’re given the chance, so we need to go out there and quieten them down, ask questions of them and put them under pressure.

“That’s really the only way you’re going to win in France against such a good side,” he said.

“Even though it was a different challenge against Leicester, we were all happy with the way we stood up to the physical challenge.

“This week, we might have to get used to a bit more scrambling defence, because Toulouse will try to pull and drag us all over the pitch in an effort to break us down. They can play thedirect route game as well, but they’re not likely to be as direct as Leicester; it’s just not their style.”

Confidence would, he said, be a key issue for Leinster. “I think there is now an element of confidence in the Leinster squad, and we would be particularly happy with the performance of the pack last week,” he said.

“I reckon we’ve bulked up a good bit from last season and it’s great to have Leo and Shane back. Those guys have really matured and Jamie Heaslip has come on a level as well. With the addition of Stephen Knoop and Ollie Le Roux, our scrum has improved and our set pieces in general appear to be going well at the moment.

“The couple of years in Leicester has certainly stood to Leo and Shane and it’s showing itself within the Leinster squad.”

Ireland’s chastening World Cup experience is still unhappy memory.

“But,” he stressed, “we have to move on; it won’t be an issue that the national team lost to France and that we’re now taking on a top French club.”