Swansea's ramshackle opening to the season has greatly increased the expectation among Leinster supporters that another two points in the Heineken European Cup campaign is a fait accompli.
Welsh club sides are not, however, renowned for rolling over and having their tummies tickled, particularly at home, and on previous evidence this season, Swansea are more Rottweiller than Labrador. Discipline has been a problem, with several sin-bin incidents and two sendings-off in a recent game against Llanelli.
Gavin Henson and Dean Thomas, who were sent off that day, faced a WRU disciplinary committee last night and will learn today whether they are free to face Leinster, having been named in the team.
Tonight's game will be exceptionally physical and if the Irish province even hint at shirking that challenge it could be a long and painful evening. Leinster's preoccupation will be with the accuracy of execution of their own game plan and a more ruthless attitude to burying opponents.
Swansea captain Scott Gibbs is expected to play despite a knee injury, while Welsh international prop Darren Morris returns to the front row after a long injury lay-off, a little heavier than when he departed the scene.
The presence of Mark Taylor and Colin Charvis underlines the quality available to a Swansea side that are not as brittle as results suggest.
Leinster will need to achieve a clarity of purpose that remains unswerving through the niggling and off-the-ball distractions that will inevitably arise. They have yet to produce the exemplary back play of last season, that potency long overdue.
Leinster's pack has been the more cohesive and penetrative unit this season - Victor Costello, Malcolm O'Kelly and Keith Gleeson have been excellent - and will need to retain the excellence of their set-piece play and also look to dominate their opponents physically.
The visitors would definitely profit from a high-tempo game, buoyed by a fast start. They need to discourage Swansea early on and hope that French referee Joel Jutge guarantees both sides concentrate on rugby and nothing else.
An unchanged side and for 60 minutes of last week's victory over Bristol the first signs that Leinster have shrugged off the rustiness that fractured preparation engenders.
Winning is the only option if they are to continue their quest and gird themselves for tougher battles ahead.
SWANSEA: S Payne; R Rees, M Taylor, S Gibbs (capt), M Robinson; G Henson, S Cordingley; D Morris, C Balshen, B Evans; J Griffiths, A Farley; D Thomas, T Tamarua, C Charvis. Replacements: A Thomas, R Jones or D Pittard, D Colclough, D Dorsey, J Slade, R Jenkins, J Thomas.
LEINSTER: G Dempsey; D Hickie, B O'Driscoll, S Horgan, G D'Arcy; C Warner, B O'Meara; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, P Wallace; L Cullen, M O'Kelly; A McCullen, V Costello, K Gleeson. Replacements: E Byrne, P Smyth, A Kearney, D Dillon, B O'Riordan, D Quinlan, A Magro.
Referee: J Jutge (France).
Previous EC meetings: none.
EC Formguide: Swansea - lost to Montferrand (a) 47-12. Leinster - beat Bristol (h) 29-23.
Leading EC try scorers: Swansea - none. Leinster - Denis Hickie, Victor Costello one each.
Leading EC points scorer: Swansea - Gavin Henson 12. Leinster - Brian O'Meara 16.
Odds (courtesy Paddy Powers): Handicap, Swansea +9 points. Swansea 10/11, Leinster 10/11, draw 16/1.
Forecast: Leinster to win.
Also playing today: Pool 1 - Leicester Tigers v Calvisano (3.00), referee Nigel Owens (Wales); Beziers v Neath (7.00), referee Marco Salera (Italy).
Pool 4 - Bristol Shoguns v Montferrand (3.00), Live on BBC, referee Nigel Whitehouse (Wales).
Pool 6 - Biarritz Olympique v Northampton Saints (3.00), referee Alain Rolland (Ireland).
Tomorrow: Pool 5 - London Irish v Edinburgh Rugby, (3.00), referee Antonio Lombardi (Italy).
