Reggie Corrigan probably spoke for the entire Leinster team on Thursday after training on the sodden pitch at Old Belvedere.

"The tight five will have to do better," he said, in reference to last week's defeat to Sale at Lansdowne Road.

"We have to have a totally different attitude. Last time we went through the motions. I'm annoyed about the performance last week. As a team and as a captain I feel we let them (supporters) down in Lansdowne Road.

"While you play the game systematically these days, you also have to have passion."

In that light, the Leinster side and Corrigan won't be disappointed to hear that Sale have had to make two changes to their front row.

Their Eric Miller-stamping hooker, Andy Titterrell, won't be around for six weeks, while the behemoth prop Andy Sheridan, reputedly the physically strongest rugby player in England, has been sidelined with a shoulder injury.

Subsequently the experienced Kevin Yates will come in at prop with Matt Cairns stepping up to face hooker Shane Byrne.

Additional reshuffling in the second row and back row makes for a much different unit to that which lined out at Lansdowne Road.

With Ella sticking to the same front eight and Corrigan's tongue-lashing still ringing in their ears, Leinster's strategy is more to tighten up in a number of areas than to take out the broom and make broad sweeping changes to the team.

With Gordon D'Arcy in at outside centre for the injured Brian O'Driscoll and Brendan Burke brought on to the left wing, Ella's philosophy of pace in attack is evidently kept alive.

The addition of Christian Warner at outhalf should also steady the ship in areas that in the first game appeared rushed and occasionally frantic.

"A couple of things could be better," says Ella. "Set plays and the lineout were not as good as they have been and attacking plays weren't there. Their defence definitely was very good while our kicking game was not as strong as it could have been and protection of the kicker could have been better."

Against Sale Leinster only took three lineouts from them. Against Ulster it was nine and generally the count has been between six and eight. The throwing wasn't spot on and even the catching was less effective.

As a result Leinster were unable to secure clean ball and trigger sound attacking platforms.

"We've got to stick to the game plan and trust what we're doing," said Ella.

"There is no need to panic. Unfortunately last week when we lost Brian O'Driscoll, we also lost the leader of the back line, so there has been a call this week from some of the senior players to have more responsibility on the field."

There is no complacency at Sale and while Leinster under performed - by a point - their reputation remains intact.

"Leinster are a very powerful side, even without Brian O'Driscoll, so we will have to raise our game once more. It was clearly unsettling for Leinster to lose O'Driscoll early in the game but they will have prepared for his absence this week," said Sharks coach Jim Mallinder.

The Sharks back line remains the same with Jason Robinson again at full back, while the pairing of match-winning drop kicker Charlie Hodgson and Bryan Redpath again orchestrate from midfield.

SALE SHARKS: J Robinson; M Cueto, C Mayor, G Bond, S Hanley; C Hodgson, B Redpath; K Yates, M Cairns, S Turner, D Schofield, I Fullarton, J White, A Sanderson (capt), C Jones. Replacements: J Roddam, B Stewart, C Day, M Lund, B van Straaten, V Going, R Wigglesworth

LEINSTER: G Dempsey; J McWeeney, G D'Arcy, S Horgan, B Burke; C Warner, B O'Meara; R Corrigan, S Byrne, P Coyle, M O'Kelly, B Gissing, E Miller, K Gleeson, V Costello. Replacements: E Bohan, G Hickie, D Dillon, A McCullen, B O'Riordan.

Referee: N Whitehouse (Eng)

Previous meetings (2003-04): Leinster 22, Sale 23

Formguide: Leinster 32 Biarritz Olympique 6; Cardiff Blues 19 Leinster 24; Leinster 22, Sale 23

Leading scorers: Leinster - B O'Meara 40; Sale Sharks - I Harris 14, C Hodgson 13

Leading try scorers: Leinster - S Horgan 2; Sale Sharks - T Shanklin, N Thomas, J White all 1

Forecast: Leinster to win.

WEEKEND FIXTURES

Today: Cardiff v Biarritz, Cardiff Arms Park, 2.30. Tomorrow: Sale v Leinster, Edgeley Park, 3.0.