Leo Cullen: Memories of Marseille still fresh in Leinster minds 

Leinster face Ulster with an eye on returning to the grandest of European stages. 

DELIVERING A MESSAGE: Head coach Leo Cullen and Ross Byrne during a Leinster rugby squad training session at UCD in Dublin. Pic: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile

Ulster making these knockout stages on the back of just one pool win tells us everything we need to know about the wilful damage done to this once great tournament by the very people charged with nurturing it.

What was once the premier club tournament in the world game, a mini-marathon of pitfalls and thrills, has been replaced by a format beset by false starts but Saturday’s contest at the Aviva is one of eight starting points for the hectic sprint finish.