Although those returning from international duty may yet prove minimal enough, Dominic Ryan will not be alone in gladly welcoming them back.
After the high of his Irish debut against Georgia the week before, Ryan was part of a below-par Leinster performance in Italy, the province only managing a draw with bottom-placed Treviso.
He admits it wasn’t near good enough.
“We didn’t show them the respect they deserved,” Ryan said. “I don’t think we had the right mindset for it. If you look at the teamsheet, we had no excuse whatsoever.
“From the Munster week, we’d made strides forward and last Sunday was the first backward step that we’ve taken in the last few games so that was quite disappointing from a squad point of view.”
Bad mood
He added: “I was really in a bad mood on Sunday night. When you think it’s a game you should win, the draw almost feels like a loss in a way.
“But credit to them, they played well.”
A week before, Ryan had made his Irish debut in front of “all the extended family and aunties” against Georgia.
“I probably sold about 20 tickets for the IRFU,” he quipped
"Although I didn't get to meet the President, the anthem was really, really special. Standing with the likes of Ian Madigan and Jack McGrath, players you had played with since you were 18 and things that can happen along the way up.
“I was even rooming with Ian Madigan that night and we were just [talking about] everything that had to fall into place, and we were so lucky that we got to play together.
“Lining up for the anthem and then I suppose the realisation that night. It didn’t come up until I went to bed that you’re an international.”
Needless to say, the taste has only made him hungrier for more.
“It’s funny, at the start of the season I tend to set goals. My goal was to play with Leinster, then to play in the Heinekens and then my longer-term goal was to play for Ireland and get capped in November. And then you get picked, it makes you so much hungrier.
More eager
“I was really annoyed then when I wasn’t involved against Australia, and even in the first week [against South Africa], despite the fact that I hadn’t played for Ireland, I was a bit disappointed not to be somewhat involved.
“It makes you realise you’re that bit closer and rugby players are greedy in a way. When you get a little bit you want a whole lot more. It’s definitely made me a lot more eager to just keep on playing.”
The upcoming games against the Ospreys and the back-to-back clashes with Harlequins offer him a chance to nail down the number seven jersey, having already played in nine of Leinster’s dozen games this season, starting all but one.
“Out of any team in the league, they [the Ospreys] are the ones who seem to beat us the most. We drew and lost to them in the league last year and beat them in the Heineken. The RDS is almost their fortress because they’ve won here so many times.
“I think they’re one of the teams that even though they’ve 10 internationals they have real good depth and they’re still going to be a really, really good side. So we certainly have to really up our game from last Sunday.”
