A week for Leinster ended the way it always seemed to have been heading. As Leo Cullen counted the frontline players that were not available – Rob Kearney, Luke Fitzgerald, Rhys Ruddock and Ben Te'o, then added captain Ica Nacewa on the day when he injured his knee – Wasps could not have asked for more.
What may concern many of the 16,791 who came to watch in the RDS is that Leinster didn’t succeed in threatening Wasps at any stage of a game that ran and ran, always away from them.
"We simply weren't good enough," said captain Jamie Heaslip. "We made it difficult."
A hole
And what a hole Cullen’s side now find themselves in.
Falling to tries from Wasps Christian Wade, Joe Simpson and Charles Piutau – with Ruaridh Jackson's boot doing most of the rest of the damage – for 6-33 and emphatic defeat, their biggest at home in European competition.
Bath up next week in the Rec and with Seán O'Brien officially undergoing head injury assessment tests, along with Mike McCarthy and Richardt Strauss, and Cullen's task has gone from tough to mountainous. That at least is how he saw it.
“We have a mountain to climb. It leaves us scrambling,” said the disheartened Leinster coach. “There is a lot of dejection in the changing room. Across the board that level of performance is unacceptable.
“Pretty awful,” added Cullen. “I think we allowed Wasps build some easy scores, 16 really cheap points, very frustrating, very disappointed.”
“We have a mountain to climb. It leaves us scrambling,” said the disheartened Leinster coach. “There is a lot of dejection in the changing room. Across the board that level of performance is unacceptable.
“Pretty awful,” added Cullen. “I think we allowed Wasps build some easy scores, 16 really cheap points, very frustrating, very disappointed. One of the worst I have been involved in with Leinster for a very long time.”
Munster's first dip into Europe in Thomond Park was better but much less a performance as a result for Anthony Foley with a 32-7 win over Italian side Treviso.
Ulster, however, must wait until the European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) can find a date for their postponed match against French side Oyonnax.
In that light the weekend was evidently more emotionally difficult for the French players and with Munster heading to Paris next week to face Stade Francais in round two at Stade Jean Bouin, the continued fallout from events in Paris over the weekend will continue to have an impact on the competition.
“During the week we will have one media day and there will be a lot discussed during that,” said Munster coach Anthony Foley on their visit to Paris nest weekend. “But other than that it will probably be the only day it is mentioned within the group.”
The EPCR released a statement on Saturday regarding the attacks and the minute’s silence at the games, one that was respectfully observed at the RDS. But a growing feeling on Sunday, given the congested fixture list, is that the match will have to take place mid week.
Reports that Ulster were hoping to have All Blacks backrow Victor Vito and fullback Charles Piutau with them next season also appeared to strengthen with a reputed £1 million (€1.4m) set aside for both players.
In all, four matches involving French teams were postponed in the Champions Cup including Toulon's game against Bath, Belges-Bordeaux game against Clermont and Racing 92's meeting with Glasgow. One match involving Pau and Castres was postponed in the Challenge Cup.
‘Tragic circumstances’
“It simply would not have been appropriate in the tragic circumstances to have staged the five French-based European games this weekend. We trust that the clubs and their fans who travelled to France will understand why we took this decision in conjunction with the LNR,” said the EPCR.
“Finally, we are working to reschedule the five postponed matches in what is already a crowded rugby calendar, and we hope to be in a position to announce the new dates next week.”
Leinster were a try down at half time after the otherwise excellent Dave Kearney slipped fetching a bouncing ball with Christain Wade on his shoulder. Wade needed no second invitation for the only try of the first half.
It took Wasps lead at halftime to 6-16, a botched final pass from Puitau to Wade on the whistle denying the Premiership side an even bigger leading score.
Two more tries in the second half and fans began to disconsolately leave the ground. Leinster uncharacteristically playing the role of onlookers brought the match to a doleful close.
“Is it insurmountable,” Cullen asked rhetorically after the match. “No. It’s not,” he answered. “I think we are a team that are progressing.”
Even the most ardent Leinster fans may have to think hard about that.
