Madigan now pivotal to Leinster

So, that’s that then. It’s 10 months since Jonathan Sexton left the throne vacant with his departure for France, but it was only yesterday with his appearance on Leinster’s team-sheet for tonight did Ian Madigan bend his knee to take possession of the crown.

It is testament to Jimmy Gopperth it has taken so long but, though the Kiwi fought bravely against the assumption he had been signed from Newcastle Falcons as backup, the dye has now been cast.

Gopperth hasn’t started a game for Leinster since the visit to Cardiff five weeks ago so it is inconceivable he could be handed the reins tomorrow week when Leinster face Toulon at the Stade Felix Mayol in the Heineken Cup quarter-final.

Madigan was made bide his time by new head coach Matt O’Connor and has started only two of the province’s six European ties so far this season, but this week and next are going to tell us a lot about where Madigan and Leinster stand.

One cursory glance at the most recent out-halves to steer sides to Heineken success – Jonny Wilkinson, Jonathan Sexton, David Skrela and Ronan O’Gara – is ample demonstration of just how important the 10 is.

And Madigan’s ascension to the role of chef play-maker is symbolic of a Leinster team undergoing something of a metamorphosis while facing up to the resurgence of both Munster and Ulster on home turf.

The assertion is already being aired the Munster and Toulon games will define Matt O’Connor’s tenure. It won’t, of course. That point is still some way off but this week-and-a-bit will be revealing as to where the team stands as a collective.

Joe Schmidt had the good fortune to take over a side that had already broken the glass ceiling with the European Cup final defeat of Leicester Tigers at Murrayfield two seasons previously. That was a team of stars all shining at their brightest.

O’Connor has stepped into Schmidt’s shoes just as Jonathan Sexton and Isa Nacewa were walking past him out the door. Brian O’Driscoll and Leo Cullen will follow shortly while Shane Jennings’ innings is also nearly done.

That quintet has been the driving force for Leinster’s transformation from pretenders to perennial champions thanks to their performances on the pitch and the culture they embedded into the club off it.

Replacing all that will take time, luck and talent.

Next week’s continental endeavours remain the priority but tonight will tell us more about where the balance of power lies on this island and how prepared the two combatants are for their respective French tests.

Yet, too much can be divined from these 80 minutes. Munster have done a double over their old foes twice in the last five seasons – the latter of them delivering a Celtic League title as a result – yet it was Leinster’s name engraved on the Heineken Cup each of those summers.

The boys in blue have asserted their dominance in this most parochial of derbies since that last 19-9 defeat in Thomond Park in May of 2011. All of the past four meetings have been won. Limerick has been sacked twice in a row.

It’s over five years since the men from the south stormed the Dublin citadel with an 18-0 victory in the RDS that suggested if anyone was going to conquer Europe that season then it would be Munster – the reigning kingpins at the time.

Leinster’s golden era still seemed to be some way off in the distance that evening when Doug Howlett touched down to round off a humiliating loss but the next nine days will tell us whether or not they remain at their peak or are just past it.

Madigan will be key to that.

Munster, of course, are on similar ground with Ian Keatley having assumed the controls from Ronan O’Gara and he will direct a team which has made strides in terms of personnel and performance under the soon-to-depart Penney.

We may well look back on this as a defining moment in the evolution of both teams but it may be that it does little to light the way ahead no matter how bright the flames burn on both sides in Ballsbridge.