Rugby European CupOn a superficial level it trumpets a more serious intent but the 10 changes in personnel that Bourgoin have made from the side thrashed 92-17 at Lansdowne Road for tonight's game could contain a certain element of the card sharp's sleight of hand.
The French side fielded six internationals the last day, a quota that hasn't been increased for the sequel at Stade Pierre Rajon.
French international loosehead Olivier Milloud comes into the front row, while Augusto Petrilli, capped by Argentina, is introduced at number eight.
Italian Test tighthead Federico Pucciariello and Argentine scrumhalf Matias Albina are demoted to the replacements.
In mitigation, coach Laurent Seigne has shaken up the team with just two of last week's starting pack, French internationals Pascal Pape and Julien Bonnaire, remaining.
One notable addition apart from Milloud is the return of captain and local cult figure Pierre Raschi, a combative back-row player who has been named to partner Pape in the second row.
There is a new half-back pairing in Mickael Forest and Benjamin Boyet, the latter considered first-choice outhalf in these parts, while the three-quarter line has been revamped and not just in playing personnel. David Janin switches from full back to wing, Alexandre Peclier replacing him in the number 15 jersey having played in the centre last week.
South African and former Ulster player Grant Estherhuizen is the only player to retain his starting position from last week in the latest backl ine.
Anthony Forest, a brother of Mickael, and Glenn Davis have been included on the right wing and centre, respectively.
Those who suggest that Bourgoin were impervious to last week's humiliation probably don't want to debate the issue with second row, Pape, for whom the defeat still rankles. "It's obvious that the defeat was very bad and that we didn't play to our normal standards.
"But it is important not to forget that we faced a quasi-Ireland side in Leinster whose play was of the highest standard. Since the finish of the match we have thought of nothing else but to take our revenge and show our true worth as a team.
"Bourgoin can play a lot better than that. I am counting on our supporters, that in these difficult moments, we have need of them and their support. I promise them a great game of rugby against a great team and that will give our maximum."
There is little doubt that Pape and his cohorts will try to give substance to the rhetoric. No club, with even a scintilla of self-respect, would endure last week's reversal and then be content to potter around in front of their home fans. There is a passion to rugby in the south of France, a parish mentality, and Leinster are likely to bear the full brunt tonight.
Quite whether Bourgoin would have the will to stay the course will be determined by the visitors' performance in the first 60 minutes. Leinster will be trying to establish a gap on the scoreboard at the earliest possible opportunity. What the Irish province can expect is that the opening throes of this contest won't be for the faint-hearted.
They will need to respond in kind, while maintaining their discipline. Coach Declan Kidney has been at pains to point out that the history of the Heineken European Cup is littered with teams who took a shellacking away from home only to win in front of their home supporters.
If Leinster are looking for a less generalised syllabus then they could look at their own fortunes in the tournament when they toppled several teams at Donnybrook - notably Toulouse - only to be humbled on foreign soil. It's not a case of carrying over the first-leg score from Lansdowne Road for tonight' s game. Trite as it may seem, this match starts at 0-0.
The visitors can expect the bruising contest they had prepared for prior to the last game. If Leinster have real aspirations of progressing to Murrayfield then these are exactly the notches they should covet.
The same fundamentals of rugby will apply: good set-pieces and a ruthless exploitation of opportunities. The one flip side to last week's demolition was the three tries conceded and the number of missed tackles, more in both cases than allowed in any previous match.
Bourgoin will have absorbed the lessons of the video. David Holwell and Felipe Contepomi can expect additional attention and it'll be up to others to step into any breach in creative terms. They have an excellent tight five and a back row that contains power and athleticism. The back line is bristling with ability.
Leo Cullen is expected to prove his fitness but as of yet there has been no definitive decision. As to the composition of the bench, that too will not be confirmed until closer to kick-off time.
The temperature is due to drop to a few degrees below zero by the time hostilities commence tonight at the Stade Pierre Rajon, a probable contrast to the initial heat of the encounter. Leinster must douse that flame. A night for the saing-froid in more ways than one.
BOURGOIN: A Peclier; A Forest, G Davis, G Esterhuizen, D Janin; B Boyet, M Forest; O Milloud, B Cabello, P Peyron; P Raschi (capt), P Pape; J Frier, J Bonnaire, A Petrilli.
Replacements: W Bonet, F Pucciariello, A Driollet, A Mazel, M Albina, J Coux, F Gengenbacher.
LEINSTER: G Dempsey; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, F Contepomi, D Hickie; D Holwell, G Easterby; R Corrigan (capt), S Byrne, E Byrne; L Cullen, M O' Kelly; E Miller, V Costello, S Jennings.
Replacements (from): R Nebbett, P Coyle, D Blaney, G Hickie, B Gissing, D Dillon, C Potts, A McCullen, B O' Meara, G Brown, K Lewis.
Referee: Nigel Whitehouse (Wales).
EUROPEAN CUP
Formguide (2004-05): Bourgoin lost to Bath (a) 22-12; lost to Treviso (h) 34-0; lost to Leinster (a) 92-17; Leinster beat Treviso (a) 25-9; beat Bath (h) 30-11; beat Bourgoin (h) 92-17.
Previous meetings (EC 2004-2005): Leinster 92 Bourgoin 17.
Leading try scorers (EC 2004-05): Bourgoin - L Soucaze, N Bontinck, A Forest 1 each; Leinster - Shane Horgan 4.
Leading points scorers: Bourgoin - Benoit Boyet 12; Leinster - David Holwell 51.
Verdict: Leinster.
Pool 2 Standings
P W D L F A Bp ... Ps
Leinster 3 3 0 0 147 37 1 13
Treviso 3 2 0 1 72 48 1 9
Bath 3 1 0 2 56 71 1 5
Bourgoin 3 0 0 3 29 148 0 0
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