Next up Leicester then, whose team of internationals and Lions take on Leinster this evening. It's all part of the learning curve for comparatively inexperienced Irish provincial sides but ultimately, the only currency that matters is the two points on offer for a win. And the bottom line at Donnybrook (5.30 p.m.) is that Leinster need them both.
While exposure to this standard of opposition is immensely beneficial in the longterm, with the shorter-term goal of qualifying for the knock-out stages in mind, Leinster can ill-afford to lose their opening two pool games at home.
"Let's be honest," said Leinster coach Mike Ruddock yesterday, "we've got to win this game if we're to stand any chance of progressing further in Europe."
On the face of it, it's no less daunting a task for Leinster than crack French outfit Toulouse were last week. Leicester, after all, put Toulouse to the sword in last season's semi-finals and, whereas Leinster's haemorrhage leaves them with just three of the starting XV beaten 27-10 by the same opposition last season in Lansdowne Road, Leicester retain eight of that winning team.
Nor do the changes make Leicester noticeably weaker. Au contraire. Hugely-touted South African full-back Michael Horak, the roving genius of Waisele Serevi from rightwing, most certainly the tactical nous of Joel Stransky and, say, the open field support play of Neil Back make them even stronger. And then there's the ever-improving Eric Miller, who, along with Back, Martin Johnson, Graham Rowntree and Will Greenwood must surely be all the better for their successful summer with the Lions in South Africa.
But you could argue as to whether Leinster are actually any worse off than 12 months ago. Sure, it would be nice to have the likes of Malcolm O'Kelly and Paul Wallace still available. But professionalism is moving the goalposts. Newcomers such as Trevor Brennan and Reggie Corrigan have come on a ton, and with evidence of muchimproved fitness levels last week, Leinster should not collapse like they did a year ago when conceding two converted tries in the last quarter.
With just four internationals as against Leicester's 10 from five countries, Leinster could easily get hung up about this one. Take them on up front and Miller, Johnson, the all-English international front-row and co will be there to meet you. Take them on out wide and there's Neil Back.
But they're are only human, 15 men with two legs and two arms, just like Leinster, and the message is clear now. No respect. It had been plastered in A4 sheets over the Leinster dressing-room last Saturday for the visit of Toulouse. Munster battered into Harlequins a day later and Connacht hammered home the message on Tuesday when sending some big names back to Northampton with their tails very firmly between their legs.
That victory has given the provinces a real lift.
Ruddock has given his team a similar message to Connacht coach Warren Gatland's this week - take the game to the opposition. "That's what I've been trying to get through to the players. When Brive met Leicester in the final last year they went at Leicester from the start, really unsettled them and scored a great try through (Sebastian) Viars. We can't afford to stand off Leicester. We've got to go at them. Basically that's our challenge."
Ruddock maintains that his team were not too respectful last week against Toulouse when they utilised the first-half wind to kick for the corners and peg their visitors back. What Ruddock laments, was the failure to intensify the pressure at 6-0, and again at 6-7, when they opted for difficult, missed, kicks for goal rather than attacking close-in off line-outs. Ruddock expects improvement. At least the promising David O'Sullivan is a genuine open-side as Leinster seek to solve this recurring problem, even if Back provides one hell of a baptism.
Nor will taking the game to Leicester in the opening quarter and beyond be enough. Leinster were 10-0 to the good after the opening quarter last year, but despite battering away at the Leicester line for much of the next 40 minutes couldn't add to their tally. This time, some guile and improved individual decision-making in the Leicester 22 is a must. Leicester coach Bob Dwyer's condemnatory reaction to the laboured win over Milan, and the memory of last year's tough contest suggests the visitors oughtn't to be caught cold.
Logic decrees a Leicester win. But once again there's a few straws in the wind for Leinster to clutch at.
Leinster: K Nowlan (St Mary's); D Hickie (St Mary's), M Ridge (Old Belvedere), K McQuilkin (Lansdowne, capt), J McWeeney (St Mary's); A McGowan (Blackrock), D O'Mahony (Lansdowne); R Corrigan (Greytones), S Byrne (Blackrock College), P Bruce (Terenure), S Jameson (St Mary's), A Freeman (Lansdowne), T Brennan (St Mary's), V Costello (St Mary's), D O'Sullivan (Skerries). Replacements: A Rolland (Wanderers), C Clarke (Terenure), R Governey (Lansdowne), P Flavin (BLackrock), J Blaney (Terenure), E Byrne (St Mary's), D O'Brien (DLSP).
Leicester: M Horak; W Serevi, W Greenwood, S Potter, C Joiner; J Stransky, J Hamilton; G Rowntree, R Cockerill, D Garforth, M Johnson, M Poole, M Corry, E Miller, N Back. Replacements - L Lloyd, N Malone, A Healy, P Freshwater, D West, J Wells, D Richards.
Keith Wood and Thierry Lacroix have recovered from injuries and will be in the Harlequins side to take on Bourgoin in tomorrow's European Cup tie. Gabriel Fulcher returns to the London Irish team for tonight's European Conference clash at French club Dax. Peter Richards takes over from scrum-half Niall Hogan.
