Leinster braced for another French bruiser

Montpellier are a big, bloody team, even by professional rugby and French standards.

Professional sports may dance to the beat of TV’s drum nowadays, but there are still occasions when only a ringside seat can adequately convey the reality of events on the ground, writes Brendan O’Brien.

Leinster’s trip to Montpellier last October was one such occasion. Look back over the match stats from that day and it is hard to see where Leinster went wrong. They enjoyed more territory and possession, made fewer tackles, and enjoyed solidity in their scrums and lineouts in a game that was lost by six points.