If Leinster's battling defeat to Toulon in the Champions Cup eased a little bit of pressure on head coach Matt O'Connor and his players, Friday night's Pro 12 defeat to Ulster has heaped that pressure back on them.
Grenoble coach Bernard Jackman and Trevor Hogan joined Off The Ball on the line tonight and the latter admits that the situation for this season is rather bleak.
"There's no denying on reflection that losing that game puts a really dark look on that league table for Leinster. There's even people talking about them slipping out of the Top Six. It's just nightmare stuff," he said.
Meanwhile, Bernard highlighted the role of those lower than the pecking order in the squad.
"For me, the big question mark and improving point is the guys below - No 25 and onwards in terms of their squad. They're the guys who have to take responsibility for some of the results and performances when the internationals have been away," he said.
"Leinster have the best natural resources going in, in terms of the academy. Those guys have to realise that just playing for Leinster isn't good enough. They've got to win for Leinster. When they get those opportunities to play, they've got to take them and I think they're the guys who are going to be in the spotlight. They have to step up. If not, you're not good enough to be in a Leinster jersey," said Bernard, while Trevor predicted that Isa Nacewa will have a big role in focusing those players' minds when the internationals are away again in the Autumn.
Trevor also lauded the performance of Ulster's Iain Henderson, saying: "He was a mixture of every brilliant quality in a rugby player. He was like Alan Quinlan-style, really annoying at every ruck, coming through, kicking balls, but it was also fused with Stephen Ferris' power and aggression. He's got all that fused into one," he said.
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