IT’S A JOURNEY of just over 100 miles and can take as little as two hours if traffic is kind.
Yet in rugby terms, Ulster know they face the toughest trip in Europe this weekend.
Through Down, Monaghan and Cavan, Ulster and Leinster share plenty of border. But they could hardly have been further apart last season as the eastern province became European and Pro14 champions, while their neighbours to the north had to scrape their way into the Heineken Champions Cup after posting the seventh-best points tally in the Pro14.
With Iain Henderson a lingering doubt and Will Addison among those definitely out, there are not many willing to to stake much on Ulster causing an upset at the Aviva Stadium (kick-off 17.45) on Saturday.
“They are runaway leaders of the league at the minute and they are current European champions so there is no greater task for us in all honesty,” backs coach Dwayne Peel said this week.
That is the reality of it. There is no bigger task than to go where we are going on Saturday. For us that is not a daunting thing, it is an excitement for us.”
Peel also lauds the depth of Leinster’s squad and many this week will note that the production line has caused a spillover of talent to their three rival provinces.
From Marty Moore to John Cooney, Alan O’Connor to Jordi Murphy; Ulster will hope to make this more than a traditional inter-pro derby, but also harness a little of the extra spice sprinkled on the occasion by the presence of players taking on their native province.
“It will be a massive occasion for them and they will want to win desperately, given they are going back to Dublin,” says Peel, “but it is about not letting that take over the focus, I suppose. It is about getting the job done and performing well.”
Murphy is one who Leinster were certainly at pains to say goodbye to after his terrific string of performances during Ireland’s Grand Slam run on through Leinster’s double success. The calls and moves will have been tweaked since the back row wore blue, but he will be more than acquainted with the nuance in traits of his former team-mates.
“He has obviously got a few things to say, but we have not put massive importance on that, he has a job to do himself.
“He is obviously looking forward to the game. I am sure all the coaches have had a word with him about what he thinks about here and there, but we have not had a massive focus on that if I am perfectly honest. I think we have looked at them as we would any other team and tried to plan with that.”
“We have players in the Irish squad, we have Leinster (born) players so we know guys, so I suppose we can have a bit of an insight into certain traits when you play with a player you always find out their strengths, what they like and their weaknesses.
I am sure the boys are discussing that within themselves, within the changing room, maybe even go after this guy here, but they will be having the same discussions around us.
“So I think there is a bit of familiarity with the Aviva as well and if we were playing in France we would not have a 15,000 crowd going down so that is obviously going to be good for us.”
