Leinster take show on the road after victory against Wasps

Leinster 32 Wasps 17

The three-time champions face Clermont in Lyon in three weeks’ time and Cullen, who raised the trophy as captain on each of those occasions, knows much better than most how difficult it is for any of the provinces to clear the penultimate hurdle on French soil.

Between them, Munster and Leinster have featured in seven semi-finals on the continent and won three. Take away the two Munster won, against Toulouse and Castres at the turn of the millennium, and the strike rate shrinks to a discouraging one from five.