Charles Ngatai was asked to "empty the tank" and walked off the pitch on Saturday after a job well done.
The New Zealander hadn't featured for Leinster since early January due to a hamstring injury but was thrust back into the fray last week when Robbie Henshaw suffered a quad injury.
The former Lyon centre couldn't have asked for a much tougher reintegration with the visit of five-time champions Toulouse to the Aviva.
He got off to the perfect start, his run from deep setting up a Leinster penalty in the fifth minute.
Thereafter, the 32-year-old, who joined the club last summer, didn't put a foot out of place and made Henshaw's absence academic.
The All Black made seven tackles, won two turnovers and kicked a rousing 50:22 in the 41-22 win that sets up another Heineken Champions Cup final against La Rochelle.
He received a rapturous applause when he took his leave in the 53rd minute.
"Yeah, it was good," smiled the 6' 2" Kiwi when asked about the game.
"I was pretty nervous leading up to the game. Obviously, an injury early on in the week with Robbie going down and then I wasn't too sure what the deal was.
"Then I found out on Thursday that I was starting. It was a bit of a shock, lot of nerves but good to be out there playing again, it’s been a while, start of January.
"[Leo Cullen] said pretty much just do your role and we’ll back you and empty the tank.
"They knew I wasn’t going to go the full 80 so they just asked to give me what you’ve got and I pretty much did."
Assistant coach Robin McBryde said that Ngatai, who was making his 12th appearance for Leinster said that he fitted in seamlessly.
"He’s a quality player and a quality man, he’s been very diligent in regards to being able to step in," said the former Wales international.
"He’s been working hard on his rehab in the gym, a bit longer than anyone would have liked.
"He’s got a good skillset, he’s strong, a very powerful runner and understands the game. He brought that with him on Saturday and he was seamless really the way he fitted in. He’s experienced as well and a good guy to have around."
The Gisbourne native moved from the Chiefs to Lyon in 2018 and won the Challenge Cup last year.
While Leinster are gearing up for a busy month, starting with a BTK URC quarter-final against the Cell C Sharks on Saturday, Ngatai revealed that his spare time is spent ferrying his four young kids around.
Any hobbies - the suggestion that he might catch some of the Snooker World Championship final is met with a smile - are on the back foot for the moment.
He said: "I love to watch a bit of telly but my time is taken up with family, looking after the kids, running them around off to their sports on most afternoons and most weekends so that’s pretty much [how] my time is spent after this. It’s a pretty busy schedule.
"[Moving to Dublin has] been good. For me, it’s been pretty easy with rugby. You wake up, shoot down to training, train all day or do what you do.
"Then you go home with the kids and the family.
"The hardest part is making sure that they're happy because if they are not happy it puts you under stress as well.
"So over the last year I look back and make sure that they’re happy and then it's a lot easier for me to perform."
Watch the BKT URC quarter-finals, Leinster v Sharks (Saturday, 5pm) and Glasgow Warriors v Munster (Saturday, 7.35pm), on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player, follow a live blog on the RTÉ News app or RTÉ.ie/Sport or listen to live commentary on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1.
Follow a live blog of Ulster v Connacht (Friday, 7.35pm) or listen to live commentary on Game On on RTÉ 2fm.
