O'Driscoll points the way forward

RUGBY: Saturday represents an opportunity for Brian O'Driscoll to add another feather to his well-worn cap. Victory in the heart of the West Country is a feat no Irish team has achieved.

Munster have failed on their three visits to the region, twice against Gloucester in recent years and an 18-5 loss to Bath in 2000.

Granted, Leinster beat the Bristol Shoguns two seasons back to complete a clean sweep of their pool but to escape from Kingsholm or the Rec with the spoils is the real test of a team aspiring for the European top table.

Due to Bath's injury-stricken squad, Leinster are hot favourites to go where Munster could not and prevail in one of the most partisan arenas on the rugby map. It would practically guarantee a home quarter-final and a return to the knockout scenario, at Lansdowne Road, where things went so sour just weeks after that Bristol victory in January 2003.

One problem though, Bath desperately need to win, and win big, for a variety of reasons. For starters, like Leinster's beating by Munster, their New Year's Day was ruined by defeat to Saracens and they are staring into unfamiliar territory of consecutive home defeats. Lose again and it's goodnight European Cup.

"It's all or nothing for them," O'Driscoll admitted. "Must-win games produce good performances from teams so we definitely have our work cut out irrespective of the fact they are missing some of their high-profile backs in particular. It will be a hard, physical game and I guess, like at Lansdowne, it will be won up front."

The 30-11 triumph on October 30th really set up Leinster for the season. Bath never threatened out wide but their forwards were at times awesome, especially English locks Steve Borthwick and Danny Grewcock. They will come on even stronger at home.

"The forwards have to get on top then it is our job to finish off the scores and make inroads. If we are denied ball as we were a little bit last weekend it shows you can't do much but defend," said O'Driscoll. "There are no numbers on shirts at times now. Lads don't think about that anymore. You need to go win a ruck - you go and win it."

Granted, the absence of world-class centre pairing Mike Tindall and Robbie Fleck should allow O'Driscoll and Gordon D'Arcy breathing space but the January stumble Leinster have experienced in previous years still needs to be eradicated.

It's the same group of players but the advantage is they have learned some painful lessons.

"Matt Williams used to have a saying, basically 'don't screw up January' - he text it out to us. We probably enjoyed the Christmas period too much in the first couple of years but we have copped on to that now. We've learned our lesson. These two games (Benetton Treviso come to Dublin next week) are vital to us so we can be where we want to be: in the knockout stages."

So, with their greater experience and David Holwell's arrival at outhalf, is this the best Leinster squad O'Driscoll has been a part of since coming on board in 1999?

"I think so. There is huge strength in depth what with Felipe (Contepomi) on the bench along with Brian O'Meara. Then there are people like Aidan McCullen not getting on and Dave Blaney showing good form. It's a nice way to be - at provincial level you can still be dropped."

It comes thick and fast from now until the Lions tour. The European Cup spills into the Celtic League, which in turn leads neatly into the Six Nations. After that the focus switches back to the last eight of Europe and beyond. Good thing they had that 10-week pre-season after all.

"That's really starting to stand to us now. Even before playing Bath at home we had another European game and after there were the (autumn) internationals. We then played two more European games. I had a week off but then had Ulster and Munster. The provincial games are always hard games to play in. There hasn't been any real let-off or any games we have won comfortably. I guess it's something we are going to become more used to. I think that is the way rugby is now."

The week off?

"I just forgot about everything. Just switched off and enjoyed myself for a while. Had a bit of fun."

Be assured he's switched back on since.