Leo Cullen and Robyn McBride faced the press when the wounds of the Champions Cup final defeat were still raw.
Having just taken a beating in Marseille, in a game they started as heavy favourites, they had to suck it up and go through the media motions.
First, Cullen was interviewed immediately post-match on the side of the pitch, and then forwards coach McBride two days later as part of a Monday updates via a virtual press conference.
Leinster were outscored three tries to none, were unable to close out a game from eight points up and failed to take full advantage of a second-half yellow card for La Rochelle.
Defeat was still slowly sinking in during those interviews.
Nine days later, with a United Rugby Championship semi-final bagged following a surreal 76-14 win over Glasgow, has the cold light of day given the Leinster management some more insight into what went wrong?
"Definitely La Rochelle is a game for us to learn from and we took the lessons and we keep revising them," backs and attack coach Felipe Contepomi told RTÉ Sport.
"It's not that we were thrashed by La Rochelle, we could have, should have, could have won that game. It was just such small margins. You are playing against a very good team and you can lose.
"It’s very easy in hindsight and obviously from a coaches’ point of view with three or four cameras and behind a computer [it's easier to assess but] it’s in the midst of the day how you react [that's important].
"I don’t know if tactically...I think the game we wanted to play, we’ll keep trying to play the game.
"It wasn't tactically bad. But there are certain moments where we can get better, certain moments where we could have done something differently.
"Every game is different but hopefully when we get to similar situations we can pick better options."
Leinster kicked seven penalties on the day and Contepomi hinted that some of La Rochelle’s play at the breakdown, especially during penalty advantage, was one of the reasons they didn’t cross for a five-pointer.
That’s in reference to defending players infringing a second or third time during a penalty advantage, slowing down the ball in the hope that the referee, in this case Wayne Barnes, will just come back for the original offence and ignore the secondary fouls.
It’s a high risk-reward play but one that worked out for Ronan O’Gara’s team.
"I think overall the game was good," continued the Argentinean, who will take up a coaching role with the Pumas when Leinster’s season comes to an end.
"There were certain times in the game where we didn’t score a try. Why?
"Apart from very good defense, we weren’t allowed to.
"It was a penalty and every penalty has three penalties in the same place so there is a bit of cynicism there also.
"We have to try to improve what we can control. It’s making our style of game stronger and better and hopefully we can keep improving and next year we’ll be better and be again in situations like that to prove that we are better."
Leinster ran in 12 tries against the Warriors, who had taken an early lead before wilting quickly after a yellow card for Richie Gray in the 15th minute.
Preferring to focus on what his own team did right, the former Leinster out-half pointed to the attitude of his players against Glasgow, who this afternoon sacked coach Danny Wilson.
He added: "For me the value is when I see, we were winning by 60 points and they make a break, and you see Ciarán Frawley not allowing them to score and then blue jerseys sprinting back into the defensive line.
"Those are the things that get the value because then you see those habits instilled in every single player and those habits are the ones that come in big days that count.
"It doesn't matter who the opposition is, the result, the way the game is going when you start seeing that those habits become second nature then you see the value for us."
Meanwhile, the province said that they will continue to monitor the progress of Tadhg Furlong (back), who was replaced in the victory over Glasgow, Johnny Sexton (ankle) and James Lowe (shin) ahead of Friday’s night’s URC semi-final at the RDS against the Vodacom Bulls (7.35pm).
Rónan Kelleher (shoulder) remains out of contention.
Watch highlights of the weekend's URC games on Against the Head, 8.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
Follow Leinster v Bulls (Friday 7.35pm) and Stormers v Ulster (Saturday 2pm) via our live blogs on rte.ie/sport or on the RTÉ News app. Listen to live commentary of Leinster v Bulls on RTÉ Radio 1 Extra and updates from Stormers v Ulster on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1.
