Rhys Ruddock is hopeful that Leinster have learned lessons from the recent European semi-final defeat to Clermont as they bid to reach the Guinness Pro12 final at the expense of Scarlets on Friday.
The in-form Welsh region will travel to a packed RDS to take on Leo Cullen’s side (KO 7.45pm), and history is very much against the visitors.
Leo Cullen’s side are unbeaten at the RDS in 15 months and have won all six semi-finals that have taken place at the venue.
Crucially, no away side has ever won a Pro12 semi-final.
Leinster however need little reminding of their Champions Cup semi-final outing, where a disastrous opening proved fatal, despite a strong comeback as the Top 14 giants eventually won out 27-22.
Two early tries saw Clermont open up a 15-point lead, while skipper Isa Nacewa was sin-binned in a frantic start for the hosts.
Ruddock knows that professional sport is focussed on looking ahead rather than reflecting on the past, but he feels the Clermont defeat will stand his team-mates in good stead for Friday night’s challenge.
"We don’t want to look back too much, but everyone knows that you don’t get a second crack at those opening 20 minutes," he told RTÉ Sport.
"We know that we have got just one chance to get it right."
"If we could have played that game [Clermont] again, if we could have gone again, we would have loved to. We felt that we learned a lot immediately after that game from the way we started.
"We know that we have got just one chance to get it right.
"We feel like we have done the work. It’s just about going out and backing ourselves."
The 26-year-old will make his 18th provincial appearance of the season, beating off competition from the likes of Seán O’Brien and Dan Leavy for a place in the highly competitive backrow.
Leinster have had time to lick their wounds after concluding their regular season with a 17-13 defeat away to Ulster, a result that saw interpro rivals leapfrog them into the first place.
"We’ve put in a lot of work to make sure we are in the right place to deliver a big performance."
A week off is unusual preparation for a semi-final admits the 13 cap international, but it could well reap benefits for Leinster at the business end of the season.
"It was a bit of a strange run-in not having a game last week, but it meant we could freshen up and make sure we were recovered," he said.
"We’ve put in a lot of work to make sure we are in the right place to deliver a big performance.
"Any other week, you would probably have that disappointment and frustration lingering around...We were really able to launch ourselves into this game.
"The fact that it’s a home semi-final meant that the excitement just overrode those feelings."
Scarlets’ chastening 45-9 defeat at the RDS just two months ago is still fresh in the mind – Ruddock was among the try scorers – but they are expected to pose a formidable test this time around.
That loss in Dublin was the only defeat in their last 11 Pro12 outings, and they lead the way in turnovers in the league with their exciting brand of rugby.
Throw into the mix the presence of two Lions - Jonathan Davies and Liam Williams [Ken Owens misses the game with an ankle injury] - and Ruddock is wary of the test that awaits, particularly in the backrow.
"They have given us some serious trouble in the past. James Davies, John Barclay, Aaron Shingler...these guys are really tough competitors.
"If they are doing their job and getting to the ball, they have got threats across the backline.
"This year they have shown they are a really tight unit and they have something special there."
Listen to live coverage of the Pro12 semi-final between Leinster and Scarlets on Friday (19.45pm) on Friday night's Game On on 2FM.
Live coverage of the second semi-final between Munster v Ospreys (6.15pm) and Northampton v Connacht in the Champions Cup play-off (4pm) on Radio 1's Saturday Sport.
