HURTLING up the home straight at the front of the pack is all very well. Leinster seem to understand the imperatives and pitfalls of stepping on to a pitch at the RDS with both feet already in the quarter-final. As the week progresses eaten bread is soon forgotten. A hunger has developed for much more than qualification.

Provincial well-being hinges on home advantage in the knockout stage and with it progress seems comprehensively less hindered. But all of this in a week when Declan Kidney, the only man who can trump the provincial coaches, beckons some into his parlour and bolts the door on others.

There will be players taking their anxieties with them onto the pitch, others putting champagne on ice until Leinster secure one of the top-four places. Kidney’s selection today could have the capacity to bruise egos wheeling into a weekend where important issues of home venue and, more precariously in Ulster, qualification hinge on the composition of his Irish squad. “Nah,” says Shane Jennings. “I think from a player’s point of view the work has been done. It is out of our hands.”

He’s right but that doesn’t allay the disappointment some Leinster players are going to face, leaving just two more days for their game heads to return. “Yeah, of course I’d imagine there will be [disappointment], yeah,” he adds.

“Certain lads will be disappointed. But I think if lads are disappointed it’s good motivation for the weekend. If people aren’t picked they always want to prove someone wrong. If they are they obviously want to end on a high before they go into the Six Nations camp.”

Jennings is right in that with every disappointment a new beginning is always available with the start of the next match. “Yeah, it will be interesting to see what happens,” concedes the backrow, whose career challenge in recent years has been to undo last year’s European player of the year and openside flanker Seán O’Brien. “But from a Leinster point of view I think people are pretty focused on this weekend, working on trying to get a home quarter.”

The delicious alignment of three Irish sides among the final eight is sweet for many reasons. National disposition up, Six Nations confidence up, the possibility of advancing up, vindication that IRFU policy is successful, and a fun weekend for the supporters seem like good reasons to be cheerful. “I think it’s brilliant,” says Jennings. “That’s good for Irish rugby. There’s always going to be rivalry there. You’d be a fool not to think there is because when you go into camp you always want to be top dog . . . It’s going to be very exciting times.”

Leinster carry injuries that may be resolved in the next few days. Forwards coach Jono Gibbes rattles through the list, more pleased than not. “Richardt Strauss, good, available to play. Kevin McLaughlin, progressing well with shoulder, hopefully available. Steven Sykes, injury free. Luke Fitzgerald, mild discomfort, reassess Thursday, confident of availability. Jonathan Sexton, rolled his ankle, looks pretty good, medics positive, reassess Thursday, more likely than unlikely. Seán O’Brien, good, time off feet, no issue. Dominic Ryan, coming back long-term; way to go yet.”

Jennings understands the measure of the challenge on Saturday. A Georgian and two Frenchmen will keep the backrow more than involved. “He’s a big strong physical ball carrier, he’s good in defence, he’s good at the breakdown,” he says of Mamuka Gorgodze. “But it’s not just him. I’ve played against Remy Martin at Stade and he’s always been a difficult competitor. Then [Fulgence] Ouedraogo’s got a complete game. Dangerous backrow, dangerous scrum, a good outfit.”

Not unlike Leinster.