Imported star power to guide Leinster in the short and long-terms

“I would call it short-term thinking in terms of [criticising] why they’re here instead of an Irish-qualified player, but we’ve seen the benefit that the youngsters get from being alongside them," said assistant coach Robin McBryde.

STAR POWER: Leinster assistant coach Robin McBryde during a training session. Pic: ©INPHO/Andrew Conan.

This is it. Four weeks, barring defeat to Northampton this Saturday, that will define Leinster’s season and, let’s face it, the dice seems to be rolling in their favour ahead of the Champions Cup semi-finals.

The Saints are not the team that gave them so much discomfort in Croke Park at this same stage last year. Antoine Dupont is sidelined for Toulouse while Bordeaux, though impressive and exciting, are unproven at the business end of the year.

Even Cardiff, the verdict for the final, is all but home territory.

None of which would matter if Leinster weren’t in such a good place. Harlequins and Glasgow have been nilled in the knockouts already. Their mix of homegrown core and imported choice cuts looks primed to go all the way.

The introductions of RG Snyman, Jordie Barrett and Rabah Slimani this term have been made with an eye to getting over the line after such agonizing losses in the last three European deciders, and a succession of curtailed bids in the URC.

Leinster have somehow found themselves criticized in quarters for making those signings. And the IRFU for allowing them. It’s as if people have excised the memories of Isa Nacewa, Rocky Elsom and Brad Thorn from their minds.

And those of Doug Howlett and Ruan Pienaar and more again besides.

This is the sort of added firepower that the province lacked in recent times and, if the aim is to bring about success in the short-term, then assistant coach Robin McBryde is among the chorus declaring how it will stand to everyone down the line.

“I would call it short-term thinking in terms of [criticising] why they’re here instead of an Irish-qualified player, but we’ve seen the benefit that the youngsters get from being alongside them, playing and training with them, just bouncing ideas off each other.

“I’m not saying that untruthfully or anything, I’m being 100 percent genuine. A lot of these players will be better for having the experience of playing alongside them, the IP that they’ve got, all of these players. There’s no better feedback than instant feedback.

“If you’re a young prop scrummaging against Rabah, you get things wrong, and Rabah is able to tell you what you got wrong. He shares that information. Or if you play alongside him as a hooker. All of those little things just benefit you as a player.

“For your development as a young man, you need to be involved with as many different good players and good coaches that you can, because you get a taste or a feel for the broader way that the game should be played. It enhances your view of the world and of the game and how it should be played.” Snyman has returned to full training this week after recent injury while Ryan Baird came through a second-string’s surprise defeat to Scarlets in Wales at the weekend. James Ryan is “not far away” but won’t be involved, again, this time.

Other than that, Leinster’s injury list is remarkably short given the time of season. Jordan Larmour remains a long-term absence, Will Connors has an arm problem, a knee injury has done for Brian Deeny’s season, while Rob Russell is on his way back.

None of that quartet would likely have faced the Saints anyway.

It’s not that there aren’t some dark clouds with potential to spill. EPCR are ‘hosting’ this game on their own and the projection for ticket sales is ‘only’ 30,000 when last year’s meeting at GAA HQ drew a full house of 82,000 with hands-on input from the province.

Even the last four defeat of Toulouse at the Aviva Stadium two years ago, which the tournament organisers also hosted alone, attracted over 46,000 despite ticket prices that Ryan publicly criticised the day before the game.

There were tickets available for under €40 on Monday evening but there will no doubt be a large cohort who are eyeing the cost of travelling to Wales for a final that Leinster are expected to grace on May 24th.

Best laid plans and all that. Northampton geared up for their Dublin visit with a seven-try haul and win against Bristol Bears at the weekend with director of rugby Phil Dowson having named a noticeably strong team for that home tie.