Leinster on Clermont alert

Four Rabo PRO12 fixtures, three Irish internationals and seven weeks stand between Leinster and the first of their back-to-back European heavyweight contests against Clermont Auvergne but it is a fixture already dominating thoughts and headlines.

And when Damien Browne, who spent two years with Clermont’s nearest local rivals in Brive, was wheeled out for yesterday’s media briefing, talk turned instantly to the French club’s 46-12 demolition job on the road in Sandy Park two days earlier.

“To be honest with you, I haven’t actually seen the game against Exeter but I was pretty impressed with the scoreline,” Browne admitted.