Recent tough slogs will stand to us

Jimmy Gopperth is confident Leinster’s slugathons of recent weeks will prove to be the ideal preparation for the province’s crucial Heineken Cup trip to France where they will face Top 14 champions Castres.

The French side slogged their way to a torturous win against Bordeaux at their Stade Pierre Antoine fortress on Sunday and Leinster have had to endure similar wars of attrition lately against Edinburgh, Ulster and Connacht.

“The pitch looked a little heavy from that [Bordeaux] game,” said Gopperth ahead of the round five meeting on Sunday. “It’s a formidable place to go and I don’t think they have lost in either competition down there.