Magners League: While the attention switches back to Magners League action this weekend, for what is a crucial top-of-the-table clash between Leinster and Cardiff at the RDS on Saturday, really it is a mere lull before the Six Nations dominates the landscape once more.
Come Sunday evening the Scottish build-up begins. And yet, several players returned to the Leinster fold yesterday knowing a big performance will put them in the frame for Ireland selection.
None more so than Shane Horgan, with Luke Fitzgerald an outside bet but more likely the first replacement should any of the incumbent Ireland three-quarters sustain injury.
Interestingly, coach Eddie O'Sullivan selected this pair in the Ireland A midfield for the recent defeat to the England Saxons. Having just returned from injury, Horgan struggled but Fitzgerald was one of the few to escape Welford Road with credit. Leinster coach Michael Cheika received no communication from the international control tower about where to pick his players. Not that it overly matters as Ulster's Andrew Trimble has nailed down the centre berth in the absence of the injured Gordon D'Arcy.
"Shane will play on the wing for us," said Cheika. "It's a chance to grab a spot there. Be a finisher. Get the ball to him and let him use his strength and experience. There will also be an opportunity for Fitzgerald, be it on the wing or fullback.
"We played Luke at 13 earlier in the year and gave him a bit of a look. We have to also look at our resources at the moment. I'll be using academy players this week because we are light on backs but if they are interested in seeing players in certain positions I would have no problem with that."
What about a D'Arcy update? It looks grim. He will be out for another six weeks at best, having sustained a broken arm making an innocuous tackle against Italy.
Jonathan Sexton (fractured thumb) is also missing a great opportunity.
But Cheika can at least reconnect the Chris Whitaker-Felipe Contepomi halfback combination, after the former Wallaby scrumhalf returns from an ankle injury sustained in Toulouse last November.
That brings us nicely around to some house cleaning.
Cheika remained largely silent on the topic of the veteran foreigners Whitaker and Ollie Le Roux receiving contract extensions but he did comment on Leinster's failed attempt to entice the Wasps scrumhalf Eoin Reddan to Dublin.
"We approached Eoin. He is a real good player and that is nothing to do with the guy alongside me (Whitaker). We are looking to keep them both. We want strength in the squad if we want to compete at the top level.
"We would have liked an international like Eoin to come and play with us but in fairness to the guy he feels (Wasps) have helped him to get to where he is and he wants to be loyal to them. I think that is a very admirable quality."
Then there is the ongoing topic of Cheika's future. All he would tell us is Leinster will reduce their squad numbers again next year as new structures see internationals missing only two or three Magners League games.
Jamie Heaslip earned praise from the coach, also a former number eight, after his Paris exploits but we left it up to Bernard Jackman's main rival for the hooker's job to explain what went wrong at the lineout.
"It wasn't all his (Jackman's) fault," said Brian Blaney. "I think he was good around the park.
"Ireland seemed to be very slow in their movement, which allowed the French to get up. If this had been a little quicker there would have been no problem.
"People always say, 'Oh God, I'd hate to be the kicker'. I'd hate to be the thrower. The kicker is in his own little bubble and he's just facing two posts as opposed to 16 men, half of whom are shouting, 'Get it in! Get it in!'
"Sometimes you have the linesman behind you telling you to throw it down the middle. You're going, 'I've enough problems without you getting in my ear!' It's as if they are out to annoy you sometimes."
Cardiff will arrive without Tom Shanklin, Martyn Williams and Gethin Jenkins, who remain in the starting Welsh line-up, but winger Jamie Roberts may drop down.
The former Wales head coach Gareth Jenkins has taken his first steps back into the game by helping London Welsh prepare for their National League One clash with the Cornish All Blacks this weekend.
