Occasion demands an intense Leinster effort

Montferrand. Agen. Paris. Bordeaux. And the rest.

If it reads like a roll call of famous battles inscribed on one of those old military monuments, it is an analogy isn’t all that wide of the mark given what it takes to mount a successful raid on a French rugby ground.

Leinster have done that more than most.

In 22 trips to the continent they have emerged with a win eight times. It is a ratio that, like a fine wine, gets better every year. Those eight successes have come in their last 17 visits. Three of the last five.

That first victory in Montferrand a dozen years ago will always be special. So too that never-to-be-forgotten defeat of Toulouse in 2006 while a battle royale with Clermont in Bordeaux two seasons back bordered on the epic. And now to Toulon.

Stade Felix Mayol. Cocooned in the heart of the city, Mount Faron to one side, the military harbour of ‘La Rade’ on the other and 15,000 people transformed into a frenzy by the legendary war cries of ‘pilou pilou’ before the game begins.

Eoin Reddan has played rugby in eight different French cities for two clubs – Wasps and Leinster – and his country, some of them more than once, and the scrum-half has no doubt but that none provides a tougher teat than that awaiting them this week.

“Clermont and Toulon are probably the two toughest,” said Reddan when asked if one French ground is as fearsome as the next. “Even the Bordeaux game away (in 2012), we weren’t in Clermont’s home ground which we will be this week (against Toulon). They’re definitely favourites for the Heineken Cup.

“They’re current champions, they’ve got a home quarter and home semi if they manage to beat us. So, obviously we know what we’re up against this week. It’s going to be tough. We need to get our homework done early so the intensity which we spoke about just comes out at the weekend and all of the detail is done.”

Currently joint-second in the Top 14 and just a point behind Montpellier, they are well-positioned domestically but a straightforward pool in Europe has led to an enviable path through to another continental climax should Leinster be defeated.

Surviving the initial siege and –cliché alert – quietening the home support will be first among the boxes that need to be ticked by Matt O’Connor’s players who will be all too aware of the need for discipline.

Jonny Wilkinson’s propensity to punish misdeeds with the boot needs little explanation. Nor does referee Wayne Barnes’ eagle eye for transgressions at the breakdown where Leinster will face a beefy Toulon pack.

“I think he’s very good at the breakdown actually,” said Reddan of Barnes. “We do make a huge effort at being very positive. A few years ago — and it’s the same with Ireland now — as a team we made a decision to play the game positively because you think that’s the way the referee is going to start refereeing the game.”

But how prepared are they for it? Last Saturday’s defeat of Munster marked the first time O’Connor had the bulk of his A-gamers available since round six of the Heineken Cup in January but Reddan is confident that derby served its purpose.

“The first-half was a good intensity. The second-half was up and down. It’s a different picture this week. Because it’s a knock-out the intensity will be sustained until the end. It will only get higher and higher as the whistle approaches. Saturday was great but everyone watching and playing knows there is a bit more in store this week. It’s not something you need to concentrate on. Your intensity for those games is always there. It will be there, it’s not something you need to worry about.”

The occasion demands it.