RUGBY/Celtic League:The contrast in excitement levels from a year ago is a little depressing for the Irish rugby supporter. Remember, this was the week the Red Army were prepping vocal chords ahead of the storming of Lansdowne.
With no Irish province in the European semi-finals the attention must switch to the Magners Celtic League. Well, for Leinster and Ulster at least as Munster are miles off the pace.
The league's stuttered timetable and irregular home and away format hardly makes it a user-friendly competition for the average fan but if the current impasse in European rugby continues it will become the primary competition next season.
"As a foreigner, I'm amazed sometimes by the disregard some people pay to the quality of the teams we go to play," said Leinster coach Michael Cheika. "I think it is a quality competition. You can see our attitude to it. We pick our best team every game we can. The league is where you build your character and winning culture.
"In days gone by club footie, the AIL, was where players got their grounding, which was the same in Australia, but now it has just been pushed up another level. It is imperative the players learn to understand that every time you pull on the jumper it's important. This culture doesn't come overnight. It is something we work on. That's why I would like to win the league as it would be a reward for working so hard."
It is Leinster's title to lose. Ulster are five points adrift in second with the Ospreys a further four points back but the Welsh franchise can leapfrog both Irish provinces by attaining bonus points from their two games in hand.
Significantly, Leinster ended a two- year run of defeats in Wales with a one-point victory over the Dragons at a vitriolic Newport last Friday night.
Their brief is simple. They must win the last three games, starting with a trip to Liberty Stadium on Friday week.
"If we win against the Ospreys it's totally in our own hands," Cheika explains. "If we lose to the Ospreys we have to rely on other results. You have to think close to 70 points is going to win it. At least we have a straight paddle. We know what we have to do."
Ulster won last year's title with 75 points, incidentally, Leinster finished second on 74 and are presently on 55. Three bonus point wins, two on the road, are required to reach 70 points.
Their final home game is against the potentially defunct Border Reivers on The May Bank Holiday weekend before a trip to Cardiff the following week. Brian O'Driscoll's chances of returning from a torn hamstring are less than 50 per cent.
If Leinster stumble at any stage the path opens for Ulster, the Ospreys or even Cardiff. The Blues also have two games in hand on the Irish teams and are currently 11 points adrift of Leinster. Ulster can dent those slim aspirations with victory at the Arms Park on Friday evening.
Mark McCall's side complete their campaign with home ties against Edinburgh and Glasgow, who arrive in Belfast short on motivation.
Cheika also confirmed yesterday that he will be reducing his squad numbers next season. The departure of Guy Easterby, Will Green, Reggie Corrigan and Owen Finegan along with a couple of younger players will be confirmed the week of the Borders game.
The 34-year-old former Springbok prop/hooker Ollie Le Roux and 24-year-old Argentine prop Juan Gomez will come in this summer, while Leo Cullen and Shane Jennings return from Leicester.
Cheika is also pursuing one more forward and a three-quarter to replace Kieran Lewis, who has switched to Munster.
"I'm going to reduce the squad next year so I can give better quality of training. We are playing more games now with our top team. We will probably use our Academy players more when the World Cup is on to bring those players through."
Like the English and French clubs? "That's the right way to do it I think. We've pushed the age level down since we've been here. We brought (Irish under-20s loosehead prop Cian) Healy with us on the weekend and I'd say he'll see some game time before the year is out."
Cheika has a year remaining on his own three-year contract but has put off signing an extension until the season is over, by which stage he may be in a stronger negotiating position.
"They've made an offer to me but I'm not going to make a decision until the end of this season. I just want to concentrate on getting everything right to win the league. I'll take a look at it when I go home. Talk to my family and see what they think."
Celtic League Run-in
Leinster
April 27th - v Ospreys, Liberty Stadium, 7.10
May 4th-6th - v Borders, Donnybrook
May 11th-13th - v Cardiff, Arms Park
April 19th - v Cardiff, Arms Park, 7.10
April 27th - v Glasgow, Ravenhill, 7.30
May 11th-13th - v Edinburgh, Ravenhill.
Ospreys
April 24th - v Llanelli, Stradey Park, 7.35
April 27th - v Leinster, Liberty Stadium, 7.10
May 4th-6th - v Glasgow, Hughenden
May 8th - v Dragons, Rodney Parade, 7.35
May 11th-13th - v Borders, Netherdale.
Cardiff Blues
April 19th - v Ulster, Arms Park, 7.10
April 27th - v Borders, Netherdale, 7.30
May 1st - v Dragons, Arms Park, 7.10
May 5th - v Llanelli, Stradey Park, 5.30
May 11th-13th - v Leinster, Arms Park
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