The theory goes that the Bulls, Leinster’s opponents in next Friday’s URC semi-final at the RDS Arena (kick-off 7.35pm) perhaps most closely resemble La Rochelle, their conquerors in last Saturday week’s Champions Cup final in Marseille.
Accordingly, this heightens the importance of the game for Leinster in demonstrating they can overcome the Bulls’ power-based game, with potent set-pieces and maul, a big carrying back-row and pace out wide. But Felipe Contepomi, for one, isn’t buying into that.
“If you ask me Toulouse are more similar to La Rochelle than the Bulls would be and we beat Toulouse. If you ask me, Leicester are a very power-based team and we beat Leicester. So I wouldn’t say we have to prove ourselves against anybody,” argues Leinster’s departing assistant coach.
“We need to make sure that we keep improving ourselves and if you see Leinster this year compared to last year I think we’ve made improvements. We are a better team than we were last year and for me that’s what you’re looking for in a team; always keep evolving and getting better.
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“I think having teams like the Bulls, Sharks or maybe the South African team that are very power-based teams, it gives us a different alternative on how to play different sort of games, and that’s growing and learning for our team as well, so it’s great to have them.
“But I wouldn’t make comparison, ‘is Bulls like La Rochelle’. We lost against La Rochelle in the last minute and we did things that we could have done differently and probably win that game. We weren’t far off. We weren’t thrashed by La Rochelle. We weren’t beaten in every single corner of the pitch.
“So, I wouldn’t go that route in saying that we need to prove ourselves. Yes, we need to make sure that we keep improving ourselves and making ourselves a better team. That’s my view.”
Hugo Keenan is back in full training this week but Rónan Kelleher (shoulder) remains unavailable. The fitness of Tadhg Furlong, who was replaced in Leinster’s facile quarter-final win over Glasgow last Saturday as a precaution with a back injury, as well as Johnny Sexton (ankle) and James Lowe (shin), who both missed that game, will be assessed over the coming days.
“Hopefully the three will be available, but we can’t say today for certain. We’ll give them as much time as we can,” said Contepomi.
Unlike others, Leinster overcame the biggest Champions Cup hangover of all with last Saturday’s rout of Glasgow and Contepomi paid compliment to the playing squad.
“They were unbelievably diligent and very good. Not only the guys who played the game, but more so the guys that didn’t even have the chance to play the game.”
In maintaining that Irish rugby is not overly invested in Europe, he also gave an inkling into the mentality which revived Leinster last week and foresaw the URC becoming a more prized competition in years to come.
“It’s not unhealthy because Europe is Europe. You compete against the best teams in Europe but don’t get me wrong, we put a lot of emphasis [on both competitions]. Every single competition we are in we want to win. That’s the nature of Leinster rugby. We want to win. We are winners and we want to win, and we want to win this competition, as we wanted to win the Rainbow Cup and we didn’t.
“So we don’t diminish any competition. Every game for us it’s important. Every game is an opportunity for whoever is lucky in being selected to show what we are made of. For us any game will prove we are Leinster and that’s all.
“I personally think the URC is a great competition and for coaches it’s unbelievable because you play against different styles week-in, week-out; different sorts of rugby and within your style and your philosophy, how you adapted to different styles is great.
“But also for spectators I think it’s a great tournament to be involved in. I can say that I watch a lot of rugby, I watch Top 14, and URC is much more attractive rugby. There’s much better rugby than in many games in the Top 14. I think it’s a great competition.”
