Lock may be the key to progress

Interview with Leinster's Leo Cullen: Leinster arrived in Treviso, Italy, last night with all the ingredients for what should finally be a prosperous European Cup campaign. For veteran lock Leo Cullen only defeat to the whipping boys of the group would be worse than the season he experienced last year.

Everything went belly up after a couple of weeks when his troublesome shoulder insisted on a visit to the operating table. More importantly, the recuperation period ensured his international aspirations were firmly put on hold.

Paul O'Connell established himself as the country's leading lock, while his Munster stable-mate Donncha O'Callaghan leaped over Cullen in the peaking order.

But after a tidy start to this year's campaign, and as one of Leinster four vice-captains, Cullen is back in the frame. Triple Crowns are not a dime a dozen in Irish rugby but harping on about what might have been isn't really the Blackrock forward's style. Anyway, there was work to be done.

"Yeah, last year was pretty much a write off for me personally. It's great to be back playing games. I've done reasonably well so far. When you are out for that length of time it's an opportunity to work on other areas. It's not as if I was sitting on my ass. I trained hard, as hard as any of the guys.

"You almost train harder when you are injured. I had instability in my shoulder joint so it kept popping out towards the start of the season. I just couldn't continue. I knew I had to get the operation done but probably thought I could postpone it until the end of the year."

Shane Jennings was another who was not kicking his heals in Donnybrook over the last couple of months. The hugely promising openside, another member of the vice-captain brigade, was also struggling to get his shoulder right. So far, both have stepped up to the mark.

"Shane has done really well," continued Cullen. "He has always had the potential to come through. He got a few games at the start of last season when he did really well then he picked up a similar injury to me and was out for six months."

Both came back into the starting 15 nicely conditioned after a 10-week pre-season programme, the same one that has come in for heavy criticism recently. Gary Brown and Aidan McCullen are two more players Cullen highlights as a sign of the improvement in the squad.

The loss to Perpignan in the European semi-final in 2002 and last season's showing against Edinburgh, when Leinster led by seven only to cough up 10 in injury time, are safely tucked in the memory banks.

"Guys have just that bit more experience now. That is a huge part of it really. It was great at the start of this season we got some wins despite missing some international players. Last year we would have played some very entertaining rugby but we just didn't get the results. We played really well and dominated games for large periods. We were scratching our heads wondering what we have to do to win a game. We learned some pretty harsh lessons.

"Guys were getting injured practically every week last year. I think it is important guys get their proper pre-season."

This time things are different. They have the right coach in place, the right preparation and there's an Italian team first up.

Cullen preaches caution when Benetton Treviso are mentioned. "In Europe, away wins are very hard to come by, irrespective of the opposition. They got some pretty good results in Europe last year. Munster would have struggled against them for the first 60 minutes. It's a hard place to go. They have that winning mentality so I don't think we will underestimate them.

"They are big strong physical guys and a lot of their players have experience of playing Six Nations. I don't think anyone is under any illusions about how hard it is going to be."

Get through the Italian job and next up is Bath at home and before you know it the squad is being announced for Ireland's autumn international against South Africa. The tables have turned as O'Callaghan is injured, putting the spotlight back on the Leinster engine room.

"Obviously it's a goal but it's in the back of my mind I suppose. You become a bit more philosophical about the whole thing when you have been out for a long period. I'm just glad to be back playing now, whatever happens, happens. I'd love to get back involved (with Ireland) but my main focus is here at the moment and these games."