How do you solve a problem like the Champions Cup final?
It’s a question that has hung over Leinster for far too long.
In addition to agonising narrow defeats in the last three deciders, they also have the pain of 2019, the defeat to Saracens, somewhere in the system.
Had Ciarán Frawley’s dropgoal been a yard to the right then the question would be moot. But it wasn’t.
The answer, they hope, is that the arrival of RG Snyman and Jordie Barrett, are the final pieces of the jigsaw.
Leo Cullen’s panel is already full of top-class players but they still felt they needed to add more quality.
They don’t come much better than the double World Cup-winning lock, who switched from Munster, and the All Blacks centre, who arrives from the Hurricanes on a six-month deal after the Autumn internationals.
It’s easy to say, as Leinster do, that not much went wrong last season. And it’s true.
They got complacent at the end of the URC season and ended up with an away semi-final against the Bulls and that spelled the end of the road when they came unstuck in Pretoria.
Whether or not how those games played out has anything to do with taking the captaincy off James Ryan and Garry Ringrose we don’t know, but Caelan Doris, who has skippered Ireland, is now Leinster’s new captain.
In Europe they didn’t put a foot wrong all the way to Tottenham, beating La Rochelle home and away.
But when they ran into the battle-hardened and clinical Toulouse, with Antoine Dupont unplayable, they came up short.
Their eggs are likely to go into that basket again this year.
Cullen still has what is described as a luxury problem but the sooner Leinster settle on an out-half and back him then the better for all concerned. Keeping four players happy should be the last item on the agenda.
Senior coach Jacques Nienaber, who arrived last December, has had a full summer and pre-season to work on defence, while Tyler Bleyendaal takes over from Andrew Goodman running the back division.
It will be interesting to see how the players manage the accumulation of heartbreak from the last three seasons but there will be no excuse if a squad of their depth and resources off the field comes up short for a fourth season running.
Leinster, who will be without the injured Dan Sheehan until February at least, are the first of the provinces to kick off their campaign with a trip to Edinburgh on Friday night.
With the RDS being redeveloped they will play most of their home games at the Aviva Stadium.
Last season: Finished third in the regular season with 65 points, three points off table-toppers Munster. Lost 25-20 away to the Bulls in the semi-finals. Again reached the final of the Champions Cup where they lost to Toulouse after extra time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Total titles: 8 (most recent 2021)
Head coach: Leo Cullen (ninth season as head coach)
Leo Cullen’s side have gone three seasons without silverware
Leo Cullen: “I think we will probably chop and change our team quite a bit over the first six rounds of the season, and part of that is that there is a necessity to that, which is positive for strong competition but it can be a challenge from a cohesion point of view.
“Again, we will just have to navigate our way through that as best we can.”
RG Snyman brings his considerable bulk to the Leinster effort this season
Key player: There’s no shortage of star power but RG Snyman and his two World Cup winning medals takes this one. He spent most of his time at Munster looking on from the sidelines but, when fit, gave them a different dimension and was a big part in their URC win two years ago. He’s a huge man but it’s his guile that sets him apart and if he can stay on the pitch, he’ll be crucial.
Jordie Barrett has an incredible all-round game and even his presence will bring more out of the other centres vying for starting places.
One to watch: With Leinster always a bulk supplier to the national team, there are plenty of opportunities for young guns to impress. James Culhane (above) is the latest in a long line of stellar back rows at the province. He was the player of the championship when the Ireland U20s won the Grand Slam in 2022, and is in line for his second stint with Emerging Ireland.
With Sheehan out for the opening months, hooker Gus McCarthy is likely to see a lot of game time.
Players in: There have been fewer high profile moves in rugby than Munster’s RG Snyman and Hurricane Jordie Barrett’s. Alongside Rabah Slimani from Clermont, Leinster have brought in some serious firepower.
Players out: Leinster have lost the combined experience of Michael Ala’alatoa (Clermont), Jason Jenkins (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ross Moloney (Bath), Ed Byrne (Cardiff), Martin Moloney (Exeter), while Charles Ngatai and Rhys Ruddock have retired.
Champions Cup opponents: Bristol (a), Clermont (h), La Rochelle (a), Bath (h)
