This was all about grit and composure under pressure

THEY SAY beauty is in the eye of the beholder and for the Leinster team, management and supporters at The Stoop yesterday, the fact the victory was more mongrel than best of breed makes it even more enjoyable: ugliness has its attraction

Leinster tapped into a reservoir of determination on a day when the accuracy of their performance was at best fitful and when they struggled between trying not to lose the match and summoning the courage to go after the game.

The province rolled up their collective sleeves and slugged it out, where the most cherished qualities had nothing to do with footballing ability. There was none of the dash and brio of Toulouse or the Recreation Ground but instead earthier characteristics prevailed. It was about grit, composure under extreme pressure and heart.

It sufficed on the day. Leinster players nursed battered bodies and smiles in the dressingroom. Coach Michael Cheika admitted: "They are broken in there in the dressingroom because it was very physical and we had to do a lot of defending in the second-half.

"It wasn't just the physical pressure but the mental pressure, trying to defend that lead and being pinned down in your own territory for so long: they showed a lot of character. Maybe not the accuracy we had hoped for but they definitely showed a lot of character against a quality side."

The Australian added when putting the win in context: "It was very important, the most important thing we had to do so far because it's a tournament we want to win. We won the league last year and we really want to try and win the cup and we knew this was the next step along the way.

"Now that we have done this we will try and polish ourselves up a little bit and prepare for what is going to be a massive challenge against the best team in Europe."

Brian O'Driscoll epitomised the determination of the team, refusing to come off after he damaged his shoulder - he should be fine - in almost scoring a try before the interval.

Cheika explained that although his team defended almost exclusively for the second-half he didn't feel it necessary to bring on reinforcements. "There was a lot of tight stuff and a lot of defending in the second-half. I thought the team was in a groove too. That's why I didn't make any replacements. They were getting stuck in and they were doing it well."

The game was not without a little sideline controversy arising from the reintroduction of Harlequins outhalf Nick Evans as a tactical substitution. Having gone off with a knee injury 10 minutes into the second-half he reappeared with 10 to go - Quins' claim that Tom Williams had a blood injury prompting a heated discussion between the respective management teams.

Cheika explained: "We didn't doubt the substitution but we are entitled to check for blood and we weren't given the opportunity to do that. That's all we're talking about. Once the referee makes the decision out on the field; like any other decision, that is it. We've got to run with it. We just wanted to get a look at the rules, which we are entitled to do."

Quins' coach Dean Richards took a slightly different stance explaining that he was within his rights to make the alteration and when asked about Leinster's objection said: "If you don't know your rules it's not my fault."

In fairness both coaches pretty much downplayed the whole incident; for public consumption anyway.

Perched alongside Cheika at the top table, a battered and bruised Rob Kearney tried to offer a player's perspective on the game and a thought going forward to the Munster match.

"It was fatiguing. Everyone in there is exhausted. They (the match) are the ones players enjoy winning the most, when you feel like you really had to work very hard for it - and we did.

"It's important to remember we are still only in a semi-final but I think, as a team, we took a really big step today. It is important to treat it (the Munster match) like any other game. Given what happened to us last week and what happened to us in the RDS, it is important we make a real statement.

"There is obviously a lot of hurt over the last two games but, at the same time, it is important to treat it like just another game."

Some chance.