'It’s a fine line between being battle-hardened and battle-weary'

Ciarán Kennedy LEINSTER AND NORTHAMPTON Saints have had very different run-ins to Saturday’s do-or-die Champions Cup semi-final clash in Croke Park .

Northampton, on the other hand, have had their hands full in the Premiership, where they lead the table by four points after 16 rounds. Now the Saints are challenged with picking themselves up for a testing trip to Dublin, and a game Leinster have been able to prepare for since breezing past La Rochelle on 13 April.

In many ways it’s been an ideal way to prepare for such an important fixture, but that extended run-in also brings its own pressures. “Yeah it’s a challenge, I think the result on Saturday will dictate where we got it right or not,” says assistant coach Robin McBryde. “I played alongside a lot of players who did next to nothing all week and then on the Saturday, bang, they have so much confidence in their ability and the prep that they do, the way they look after themselves and how professional they are.

Leinster Northampton Saints

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