Given the sense of completion that a Champions Cup final brings, it always takes a minute to remember that we're straight back to business in the United Rugby Championship this week.
For Leinster, it’s now the annual salvage mission to get something tangible to show for their season, after another crushing final defeat.
They will host the Lions this Saturday where Leo Cullen will likely field a heavily rotated side. If they get through that, it would be home again versus one of the Stormers or Cardiff for the semis.
Winning trophies is hard, and while it would be some small consolation for Leo Cullen’s side to go on and retain their title next month, the powers that be in both Leinster and Irish rugby will need to think long and hard about the direction of travel they are taking with the province regardless of how the next few weeks materialise.
Over the last three seasons they have gone all-in, chasing their obsession of a fifth Champions Cup title. A double World Cup-winning coach in Jacques Nienaber, a double-World Cup winning second row in RG Snyman, and All Black pair Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane have been recruited to try get the province over that final hurdle.
Granted, there is another URC play-off push to come, but as things stand that investment has brought with it one just URC title, and while that is an achievement in its own right, and more than the other Irish provinces have contributed in this World Cup cycle, it’s not what Nienaber and those all-star signings were brought in for.
Like it or not, Leinster are judged by higher standards, standards they have set for themselves.
"Success and failure, I don't know who judges that I suppose," Cullen (above) said, when asked if he would deem another URC title to a 'successful season', in spite of another Champions Cup final defeat.
"It was amazing to be part of an incredible occasion. I don’t think there is any shame in that, they’re amazing occasions to be part of.
"When you get to these occasions, obviously you want to win them because that’s why you put in all the work for, and that’s why everyone is here supporting us, to be part of those successful days. But as I said, Bordeaux are the champions and the better team on the day.
"But it would be a nice thing to go after and any time you win a trophy needs to be celebrated. I think we’ll be deemed a success if we went onto a win a trophy."
On Saturday, Caelan Doris (below) insisted the province have the right structures and the right people in place to finally break their Champions Cup fast, but if the structures and people are right, then something needs refreshing.
They started superbly against Bordeaux, securing a turnover at a midfield maul before a series of hard carries saw them drive their way to the 22, eventually leading to Tommy O’Brien’s try.
It was Leinster and Ireland at their best; quick rucks and multi-phase attack, but it was also 19 phases of relentless physicality under a 30C sky. When play restarted, they looked drained, and there were still more than 70 minutes to play.
Cullen spoke of his side’s missed opportunities in attack, but many of those came when Bordeaux were already out of sight. The only other significant attack came at 21-7 down where their lineout fell apart, and while they would fortunately get a second chance at attacking from the resulting scrum, they went through phase after phase before a knock-on from Jack Conan ended the attack.
Conversely, Bordeaux’s ability to score without playing through a dozen or more phases meant they could put more energy into their defence, while Leinster’s consistent issue with giving away penalty advantage almost as soon as Bordeaux entered their 22 ensured Maxime Lucu and Matthieu Jalibert could take risks on early phases, knowing they had the safety net of a penalty to return to.
"We were working real hard and we probably didn't make it easy for ourselves," Josh van der Flier (above) said of Leinster’s game management.
"It just keeps driving you on, it's what we all work towards.
"The URC means a lot to us but I think this particular relationship with Europe means a huge amount to us and Leinster. We'll be back next year giving it our all again but it's pretty tough to take at the moment to be honest.
"A huge amount of work goes into it from everyone. It's different this year I suppose in terms of we fought really hard to get a lot of results. We probably had it a bit easier getting to the final in previous years.
"We worked unbelievably hard and thought it was going to be the day but we didn't quite have it."
The province also have a puzzle to solve at out-half, where neither Sam Prendergast nor Harry Byrne have made the 10 jersey their own, with Cullen turning to Ciarán Frawley early in the second half, despite the versatile 28-year-old getting such little time at the position all season.
The fact that Frawley (below) is leaving Leinster for Connacht so he can get more gametime at out-half only adds to the irony.
"I can't talk to him and make the decision for him," Cullen said afterwards, when asked if he had regrets around Frawley’s departure.
"We tried to keep him but he decided to go to Connacht. We wish him well, but yeah, I think he's had a great season.
"We've had players leave before, but yeah, this one we were a little frustrated with at the time, but I can't undo it, unfortunately."
While the age profile of the current Leinster squad isn’t a major concern, the big fear is that the window of opportunity to get their hands on the Champions Cup again is growing smaller every year.
Bordeaux, Toulouse and La Rochelle have shared the last six titles, and on the evidence of both Champions and Challenge Cup finals this weekend, the French clubs are streets ahead and only getting better.
