The extra time Leinster have had to prepare for tomorrow's final could prove decisive, writes LIAM TOLAND

ODDS OF 6-1 don’t look so bad now! A two-horse race where both sides are off scratch. With Leicester’s obvious pedigree one would expect an English win but Leinster will win this match tomorrow. The moment Martyn Williams pulled his penalty effort left and wide three weeks ago I became very excited.

Cardiff are an unknown quantity, and in many ways they replicate Leinster’s somewhat chequered past. Cardiff, like Leinster, are a capital city team packed with talent, celebrities and physicality. But they can blow hot and cold. God only knows what Cardiff side would have turned up tomorrow. They could have been very unpredictable. Comfortingly, Leinster will know exactly what they are facing. Leicester, for years, have been constantly bubbling.

To Leinster, Leicester are Munster in a different jersey. And subsequently Leinster will know that when it really, really matters Leicester can do it. This will spur Leinster on by providing the “chip on the shoulder” that was so obvious in Croke Park. Yes it’ll be a very stiff challenge and unless they arrive with the level of physicality displayed in Croke Park they’ll struggle and peter out.

So why the confidence? Well, as I said, Leinster will know the exact challenge that faces them and will have prepared accordingly (for 10 years!) Not playing against the Dragons last week allowed the first team to do all the heavy lifting one full week out from tomorrow’s match.

I assume Leo Cullen’s understanding of the Leicester juggernaut was well-rehearsed last week. This preparation time will give them a huge advantage over Leicester. While Leicester were strangling the life out of London Irish the Leinster squad were sitting by the TV, confirming their opinions.

There’s no doubt that Leicester have invested huge energy in getting to this stage of the season. In doing so they have played 33 games that have earned them the English Premiership and another final appearance. So what effect will last Saturday have on Richard Cockerill’s men? There is the obvious body damage and fatigue. But less obvious is the lack of preparation time which provides a significant difference between the Top 14 in France, the English Premiership and the Magners League. Life in the Premiership is focused primarily on week-to-week survival, where a negative result can relegate you.

With the Magners League conceded by Leinster some weeks back Michael Cheika could afford to swing his management team into Leicester mode. While Cockerill and co were focused on London Irish the Leinster players were wrapping up their preparation.

The third quarter was a key area in the Premiership final which Leicester dominated, forcing London Irish into a very high tackle count. In that 20 minutes Leicester pushed the score from 3-3 to 10-6, which exhausted London Irish. This, conversely, will work to Leinster’s advantage. With their fitness, their excellent defensive systems and the rest they’ve enjoyed physically and, especially, mentally over the past fortnight, Leinster will be cranking it up in the third quarter all the way to the final whistle.

Although Leinster have been inconsistent at times this season they managed their best European and Magners League performances two weeks running against Munster and Llanelli. Llanelli were poor in a game that didn’t stir them too much but it was a clinical, accurate and aggressive performance by Leinster nonetheless. Further reason for confidence is the simplicity of the Leinster backline attack. All scores arrived from hard running, creating space and crossing the gain line ASAP. Shane Horgan’s return to form is another reason for confidence. It’s such a pity he didn’t find this form some time back because, at 30, he should be heading to South Africa.

Of course there’s more to life than romance and Leinster are far from foolproof. Leicester will have noticed weaknesses, however minute, in the Leinster performances, even in Croke Park. Chris Whitaker had his best performance this season in that semi-final but the breakdown area will be very different tomorrow, which will force a very different performance from the Australian. His distribution in Croke Park improved but the Munster back line was very focused on the Leinster midfield, in anticipation of a “wind” up from the scrumhalf. On several occasions Ronan O’Gara sprinted forward into the Leinster backline as Whitaker prepared to pass. Dan Hipkiss, at inside centre for Leicester, will understand that prevention is easier than cure and will attempt to snuff out Johnny Sexton’s distribution. So Whitaker must generate time for his young outhalf.

The Leinster lineout is a cause for concern. Clearly, over the course of the season, the lineout has provided an excellent platform but, as Bernard Jackman knows only too well, he must bully the best out of his forwards by keeping all things simple and fast. I can’t imagine Leinster surviving and winning if the lineout misfires. Furthermore he’ll have to bring the absolute most out of Cian Healy and Stanley Wright at scrum time. There’s no doubt that Leicester’s main targets will be the scrum and Sexton’s distribution.

But like Munster, Leicester have fallen to Leinster in the past. They’ve proven it so all they’ll have to do is stop Leicester by dictating the momentum, lineouts, scrum and the breakdown. Easy!

Two massive contributors to Irish rugby will be departing our shores shortly. And as the curtain falls on Felipe Contepomi’s six years here in Ireland I can’t help but feel the loss of a true gentleman and especially a club man. In 2004/05 I was appointed captain to Lansdowne FC which coincided with Contepomi’s arrival into the club. Unfortunately I travelled to Kosovo that September and missed a vast chunk of the season. And when I arrived back, Lansdowne were in trouble!

Fortunately there was a play-off match against UCC where Contepomi insisted on playing for “his” club. As you guessed, he was the difference.

And possibly for the last time Matt Williams departs our shores, and there is some degree of irony as Leinster finally reach their Holy Grail. My mind drifts back to his early days where I can safely say that Williams did more for my rugby education than anyone else.

He certainly exposed me to the level of professionalism and rugby thought that is required to hit the heights of European rugby. Many of tomorrow’s Leinster players owe him a huge debt that winning the European Cup would certainly satisfy.

Best of luck!