There’s nowhere to hide for Leo Cullen’s Leinster

Win or bust. It could almost serve as the official motto for rugby’s European Cup this past 20 years such are the fine margin from the first day to the last, but rarely have Leinster found themselves in such a precarious position so early in the competition.

Not in the last half-decade or more anyway.

Lose at The Rec today and it is all but curtains for the three-time champions who simply cannot expect to rekindle their ambitions next month with their back-to-back against Toulon. One win against the champions? Perhaps. Two wins? Not a chance. That leaves only one palatable conclusion this afternoon.

The eight personnel changes made by Leo Cullen don’t seem all that excessive given the systems malfunction against Wasps last Sunday, but then three of them are enforced with Sean O’Brien, Mike McCarthy and Richardt Strauss all absent due to concussion.

The absence of Jack Conan – a replacement last week – with a broken foot suffered in training further weakens the options in the pack where Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Hayden Triggs and Rhys Ruddock are the new faces, though the news in the back line is more encouraging.

Luke Fitzgerald and Ben Te’o come in to add some spark to the midfield, Isa Nacewa resumes at full-back – Rob Kearney is again missing through injury – while Isaac Boss has been promoted to nine in place of Eoin Reddan who falls out of the squad entirely. Luke McGrath deputises.

Bath possess less star power in their pack than Wasps, but Mike Ford’s side has more than enough about it up front to provide the sort of service that can unleash a saucy back line run by George Ford and featuring a dangerous back three anchored by Anthony Watson at full-back.

They have developed a reputation as an exciting attacking force despite playing on a heavy big of a pitch, but it remains to be seen what effect last week’s postponed fixture against Toulon has on a side that has enjoyed mixed fortunes so far this term.

Something tells us it won’t affect them enough, or at all.