Just like three seasons ago, Leinster host Wasps at the RDS for their opening Heineken Champions Cup tie. The landscape however could scarcely be much different.
In October 2015, a Wasps side that had finished in mid-table in the Aviva Premiership the previous season came to town. Winless in two pool games against Leinster the previous season - who themselves reached the final four of the competition - new head coach Leo Cullen had hoped to get his European reign off to a winning start.
The hosts however were humbled 33-6 and it would set the tone for a disastrous campaign. They lost five out of six games in the competition, including a record 51-10 reversal at the Ricoh Arena to cap off a truly miserable campaign.
"It was very bleak memories back then," admits scrum-half Luke McGrath, who is expected to return to the Leinster team having sat out the 33-20 win over Munster at the Aviva Stadium.
McGrath’s position within the province was quite different back then.
He was a 48th minute substitute for Eoin Reddan three years ago, while Isaac Boss was also applying pressure for the number nine jersey.
With the scoreboard 23-6 in Wasps’ favour when he received the call to enter the fray, it was simply damage limitation as far as McGrath can recall.
"We were chasing the game early on. They are so lethal off turnover ball," he tells RTÉ Sport.
Another man with a key part to play on Friday night will be towering lock Ryan, though he was in the stand watching on when the Premiership side last visited the RDS.
"It definitely wasn’t where Leinster had been for a number of years. It wasn’t a nice result at the RDS, it doesn’t happen very often," he says. "We were way off the mark."
Ryan was only out of secondary school and a less than a year from earning an academy contract, but between both squads, so much has changed.
Cullen has guided his native province to a semi-final and the title in his two subsequent European campaigns and added a Pro14 title to the trophy cabinet.
The team sheet from 2015 encounter includes Isa Nacewa, Zane Kirchner, Reddan, Richardt Strauss, Mike Ross, Mike McCarthy and Jamie Heaslip.
It’s little wonder McGrath says the significant turnover of personnel make it a completely different ball game and reflects on what has been achieved in the interim.
"It’s been an unbelievable amount of hard work that has gone in from everyone into getting here, so it’s important we keep these standards and we don’t go back to a dark place like that.
"Stuart Lancaster came in, a lot of young talent came through at the right time. We had a great mix between youth and experienced guys last year."
The outlook seemed bleak in the winter of 2015, with Johnny Sexton reflecting on his return to Irish rugby that the culture had changed since the glory days that led to three European titles.
Were the players concerned with a possible fall from the club pecking order as the French and English clubs flexed their financial muscle?
"We were concerned about the squads they were building because of the money they had, but the model Leinster has, sooner or later, it comes through," says Ryan.
"Look at the number of guys in our squad who are from Leinster and want to play for Leinster. You can’t really buy that."
While a teenage Ryan was looking on with envy from the stand, McGrath was wondering what he had to do in order to force Cullen's hand with Reddan and Boss getting preference.
"I knew at that stage I had a long way to go in my development"
With both their respective careers drawing to a close, it was about remaining patient and putting himself front and centre when the time rose.
"I knew at that stage I had a long way to go in my development," he says.
"I know I had to train hard and constantly learn off these guys. The two of them retried at the same time, so I knew there was a massive opportunity to take.
"I’ve been trying to improve every day since."
