RUGBY MAGNERS LEAGUE:LEINSTER'S CONTINGENT of Ireland players didn't look too discomfited as they trained in the teeming rain at Belfield yesterday. It's probably a little more appetising than the physical pain and incremental grind of the pre-season regimen; at least there's a ball involved.

On Saturday, the Irish province face Cardiff at the RDS, keen to banish the memories of their opening foray in this season’s Magners League when Glasgow picked their pockets at Firhill.

Leinster coach Joe Schmidt wasn’t revealing how many of the national squad would be available but over the next three weeks on a staggered basis he’ll be able to call upon, injuries notwithstanding, his full playing resources. That process begins with Saturday’s game.

Last Friday night was hugely disappointing for the players and management, not simply because Leinster lost but the manner of the defeat. Schmidt conceded: “We have to be a lot more accurate. We were disappointingly loose with the ball (and) we were disappointingly lacking in hunger as well. Glasgow were really more hungry; they chased harder, were more proactive on the ball and that’s a disappointing thing when we led by 10 points at half-time.

“I thought we were naive in that we didn’t look after the ball as well as we needed to, weren’t disciplined enough. We gave away penalties that were naive, that’s what I mean by naive. I think we gave it (the game) up too easily. That was the frustration.”

Forwards coach Jonno Gibbes was equally forthright in articulating his unhappiness, although smiling when casting his eyes skywards and suggesting the lashing rain at Belfield was a fitting punishment for the way in which the team played in Scotland.

There were technical aspects of Leinster’s performance that needed to be addressed but he also accepted there were mental issues too.

“Rugby is a confrontational game, a physical battle and any time some team shows a little bit more desire in that area (than us) it is a disappointment. Especially in our first game up, an away match against one of the top teams in the league. We let it slip in the second half. It’s not so much about working harder, we know we need to improve. We’ve had a good look at it this morning and this is our first session of the week so hopefully we can work it out.

“Our scrum was pretty sound and we gave them a pretty unstable platform to work off. I don’t think our defensive lineout was as strong as it was for the last two games so we need to sort that out because (Paul) Tito and those guys can get a pretty good platform off their lineout and we want to make sure (Casey) Laulala doesn’t have anything on a plate for him.”

The calf injury that forced Mike Ross off against Wasps and into missing the game against the Leicester Tigers is healing but there is no clear indication he will be available when Cardiff arrive in town and so Simon Shawe may again be forced into a front-line role with new signing Ben Prescott as back up.

Former Ballymena prop Shawe has demonstrated the right attitude and as far as the Leinster coaching ticket is concerned aptitude might not be all that far behind. Gibbes explained: “Shawesy came from Ballymena and went straight into Welford Road. From the coaching staff we are really happy he acquitted himself well there.

“It’s about him (Shawe) and Ben Prescott progressing: both of them are relishing the opportunity and both have great attitudes. With (Mike) Ross out we’re sort of in an emergency there but both those guys have acquitted themselves well in the last couple of weeks.”

Their workload won’t diminish in the short term.

The composition of the Leinster team for the Cardiff match will be predicated upon the number and identities of the returning national squad members available to Schmidt.

Prior to the Glasgow match he had toyed with the idea of handing the number 10 jersey to either Ian Madigan or Ian McKinley but felt Isa Nacewa’s greater experience and organisational skills would help the team retain a better shape, something that had been lacking in the pre-season defeats by Wasps and the Tigers.

The coach will confirm his team as lunch-time on Thursday.

Elsewhere, the neck injury that forced Rory Best to retire against the Ospreys is not a recurrence of the same problem that necessitated surgery.

Ulster issued a statement that read: “Following investigation and opinion from his surgeon, Ulster Rugby can confirm that Rory Best has sustained no new injury or any further damage to his neck.

“Rory, who underwent surgery early last season for a chronic disc condition, was forced to leave the pitch during Friday’s match against the Ospreys at Ravenhill, but the injury has been confirmed as soft tissue irritation.

“Rory will have ongoing treatment and assessment this week with a view to his availability for selection.”

Ulster, Munster and Connacht will all announce extended squads for their weekend Magners League fixtures today.