On Rugby: When the dust had settled on an extraordinary, unpredictable third round of matches in the Heineken European Cup, Ulster may well have concluded that the best thing they did for their season so far was to get to the Celtic Cup final.

Leinster and Munster are assuredly wishing they had as well.

Of course, winning the Celtic Cup final in Edinburgh served Alan Solomons' team pretty well, too, not least in engendering the confidence that comes with winning a trophy. But it was also a valuable and timely lesson in the dangers of trying to sit on a sizeable half-time lead.

They certainly didn't repeat that mistake against Leicester on Sunday. Winning the second half 5-0 into that gale was almost as big an achievement as running up that incredible 28 unanswered points in the first.

But, compared to Munster and Leinster, they were a team on a roll, and with this month's four rounds of the European Cup in mind, reaching that Celtic Cup final on the last weekend before Christmas served to keep their momentum going over the festive period. In stark contrast, the momentum Leinster and Munster had built up with back-to-back victories in the European Cup in early December was derailed.

In tangible terms, it meant that not only did it give Ulster an additional week together, culminating in a high profile, high intensity game away to Edinburgh, it also excused their frontline players from the week-long fitness camp in Lanzarote.

Furthermore, the unscheduled two-day Irish training camp at the start of the week in which the provinces resumed action against each other in the Celtic League was a much bigger drain on Leinster and Munster. They have more Irish squad members in any case, and it denied them a full week together prior to the resumption of the European Cup last week.

With the camp taking place at Citywest, Leinster were at least able to squeeze in one more session than Munster that week, but the after effects of the Citywest camp - which featured an intensive defensive session on the Monday - may have contributed partially to the spate of withdrawals before meeting Ulster the subsequent Friday.

Hence, it was a much-changed side which played Sale last Friday, with the likes of Brian O'Driscoll, Shane Horgan, Girvan Dempsey, Keith Gleeson and Eric Miller all playing their first games for Leinster last Friday since the win over Cardiff on December 13th.

Eddie O'Sullivan may feel this is another, somewhat contrived, critique of him, but it isn't. It's merely an observation. The Irish coach and Dr Liam Hennessy clearly feel there's immense value in the non-contact, fitness camp in Lanzarote, and the players also appreciate its importance.

O'Sullivan would have felt compelled to have the camp over Christmas in response to Steve Hansen and Matt Williams organising weekly Monday sessions during January for the Welsh and Scottish squads. Nevertheless, it seems a tall order on the provinces.

This being a World Cup year, it was always going to be an exceptional one, understandably, so the provinces had no more than 12 weeks with their entire squads, whereas Team Ireland were together twice that amount of time. As the main flagship of the game here, Ireland should have pre-eminence in the greater scheme of things.

However, prior to last week, the provinces calculate that they had only been together in entirety for three weeks since last April. Bearing in mind that the next most important flagship for the game here by some distance is the performances of the provinces, especially in the European Cup, it surely wasn't too much to ask that the provinces would have a rare, uninterrupted run of five games and five weeks together?

Of course, there were other factors at work last weekend as well, not least that once-mighty Leicester turned out to be the softest touch of the three English sides which the provinces faced.

Even so, I'd rate Munster as fractionally the best placed of the three provinces in the Cup to progress, just ahead of Ulster, with Leinster worst placed. At least if Munster maintain their unbeaten record at Thomond Park and win away to Treviso, they'll progress as one of the best runners-up.

Ulster are only fractionally ahead in an ultra-competitive pool, in which only one team is likely to advance, and still face trips to Leicester and Stade Francais. And while the Tigers will probably be without Ollie Smith and Darryl Gibson for the rematch, nonetheless you fear that the celebratory chants of the Ravenhill crowd - the sweet chariot coming to take "you" home and "cheerio" - will fester in Leicester all week.

Leinster look worst placed, which is what made their result the most disappointing of the weekend.

There may be mixed feelings in Leinster about Matt Williams' departure, but it's hard to recall them being so easily outflanked defensively in his time. Defensive organisation was his forte.

But the outhalf curse long predates him as well as Gary Ella, while for some time too it's been a near statement of fact that on the rare occasions their lineout falters it has a ripple effect on the overall performance.

With not much of a kicking game, and O'Driscoll joining Denis Hickie in the stands, their pack will need to front up in a big way next Sunday in Sale.

Big asks though they all are, undoubtedly all three provinces have it in them to win next weekend. In the heel of the hunt, they may all have to.