Leinster to focus on basics

European Cup news: It's a familiar routine at this juncture: an extended Leinster squad is announced, whittled down by tomorrow, when the team and replacements are confirmed. Barring injury there won't be any changes to the personnel on duty when the Irish province thumped Bourgoin 53-7 at the RDS.

The parallels with last season, when Leinster romped to victory at Lansdowne Road against Bourgoin to escape from Stade Pierre Rajon only six days later with a 26-23 victory, guarantee an air of tension ahead of a repeat journey to France this Saturday.

That's the theory but in practice coach Michael Cheika appears unconcerned. His priority is the preparation of his team. He has definitely seen last season's video but true to a mantra to which he has adhered all season, he's more concerned with his own team rather than any metamorphosis that may occur in their hosts' performance.

Cheika pointed out: "The focus for this match started straight after the final whistle on Saturday. We're all about trying to get consistency in our performances, more than concentrating on the opposition. There is a lot of introspection in the way we (approach) play(ing)."

There was a minor training hiccup involving the team's two hookers, the Blaney brothers, Brian and David. It was a recurrence of old injuries but Cheika is happy that they will be rehabilitated in time. Despite his team's freewheeling success last weekend, he has identified areas of Leinster's performance with which he wasn't happy.

"(I want us) being (more) consistent as we go through games, especially in the set piece where we lacked concentration at both scrums and lineouts to deliver the ball we want to try and attack from. We must start looking to be as perfect as we can at set piece and then the rest of our game will flow.

"Defensively, even in the early parts when we did have a good run with the ball, we need to be adhering more to our system thus having more impact because a good defence is intimidating to any opposition.

"What we have to do better to achieve our objective on the weekend in France."

Inevitably the discussion briefly alighted on Brian O'Driscoll signing a contract extension to stay at Leinster until 2007.

Cheika enthused: "I think the whole team is very happy. It's just the quality of the player means that others want to play with him and he adds to the quality of the team. All parties involved should be congratulated for getting it done quite quickly with the minimum of fuss."

His expression was deadpan for the record.

Keith Gleeson was injured for last year's game in Bourgoin but he participated when Leinster beat Montferrand. He's unfazed by the demands of this trip, intelligent enough to appreciate the risk to the Irish province's season but only if they underperform.

"At least half the players have played in the Heineken Cup in France. You know that they are going to be 10 per cent more physical on their home turf. If we concentrate on ourselves, know the game is going to be physical but get our own game plan organised and our own basics down pat, then really the game is there for us."

What about the additional physicality?

"With players it is just a mindset," he says. "Last Saturday we expected a very physical French side. For probably the first 30 minutes they were and after that they tend to start to focus on the following week. This week will be the same.

"The first 30 minutes will be very physical. Then, depending on where we put ourselves in the game, is how tough the game will become over the next 50.

"I think it is a great opportunity. We didn't get off to the start we wanted. The pressure has been on each game. Leinster have won in France on a number of occasions and this is another opportunity."

Cheika offered in conclusion: "We must approach the game with the intensity we need to come away with the points. It's not cliched. That's what we have to do. Go there intense, focused and ready to play the game. Not make mistakes and be aggressive to hunt down the points."