With the greatest respect in the world to the Glasgow Warriors, it's hard to sit in a room with Leo Cullen this week without the conversion not eventually weaving its way back to Marseille and La Rochelle.
The Leinster head coach was doing his best to steer the chat back to the matter at hand; the United Rugby Championship quarter-finals and the Glasgow Warriors this afternoon, but understandably the questions keep coming about last Saturday's Champions Cup final defeat.
Does this one hurt even more than the others? Are the coaches feeling the pressure? Can they set things right this week?
Regardless of what happens against the Warriors this afternoon, those questions won't be answered for several months until they're back in the white-hot Champions Cup environment, and chasing down a spot in next year's Dublin final.
To Cullen's credit, he doesn't hide the fact that getting back on the horse for a URC quarter-final has its challenges after the physical and mental toll of the last week, and he admits the regrets of last week will be "in the back of our minds" for some time yet.
You don't need a magnifying glass to read between the lines and see there's a frustration over one moment in particular from that game, with Cullen mentioning the penalty Michael Ala'alatoa conceded under his own posts on 72 minutes, Leinster penalised when it looked like the tighthead was about to win his side a massive turnover.
The Leinster head coach referenced the Ala'alatoa penalty yesterday, veering off on a tangent when asked about his own decision making in recent weeks with team selections.
"It didn't quite get us there [the selection policy] but…it’s one decision away probably isn’t it? That's how close it is. Mike Ala’alatoa gets a poach penalty, and we clear the line," he said.
When asked to elaborate, Cullen backed off.
"That’s the thing really, it’s the same with other coaches talking about injuries, it’s just other variables that happen and you’ve so much control over.
"But that’s why you just have to be considerably better than the opposition and then nobody is talking about those decisions afterwards.
"That's the sport part, isn't it? We got a final this year, semi-final last year, previous year quarter-final and then the previous year, we were in a final, which we happened to win.
"You have to keep working hard in the background. We're competing at the top end, you are coming up against the best teams in Europe.
"We have talked about heavily resourced teams and all the rest. You think if we get it right on the day, we have a good chance against those teams. It's just making sure we get everything right that's in our control.
"There's always other factors there, what the opposition are doing, how the game is being officiated etc etc. You don't have much control over.
"But the group is as motivated as it has ever been. That is the important bit to note."
"If we won the game, okay you'd see what sort of head space are people in, because some guys are just dying to get back playing. But we’ve a number of guys that would love to play in this game that aren’t selected, and some weren’t picked in the final either."
With eight of last week's starting team retained, and a further three named on the bench, there's a clear determination to prove a point this weekend against the Warriors.
And while Cullen says some of this week's selections were dictated by injuries, notably to Johnny Sexton, James Lowe, Hugo Keenan and Rónan Kelleher, he says there's a desire among the players to get back onto the pitch as soon as possible.
"People are dying to play," he added.
"You're trying to get a gauge on individuals, so a bit of freshness, some guys were unlucky to miss out on selection for the final, some lads are dying to play as well. So it’s a bit of a balance.
"If we won the game, okay you’d see what sort of head space are people in, because some guys are just dying to get back playing. But we’ve a number of guys that would love to play in this game that aren’t selected, and some weren’t picked in the final either.
"The motivation in the group is very, very strong to get out there and represent and, I guess, channel some of that frustration that’s bubbles away with them."
One of those drafted into the starting team is Jordan Larmour, who many feel was unlucky to miss out on a place in last week's matchday squad, particularly since Lowe was carrying an injury which has now forced him out of today's contest.
"You could see the response from a lot of players on the sideline and Jordan was one of those players who came into the team as a young player and won a double and thinks that's normal."
Larmour looked back to his electric best a fortnight ago against Munster at the Aviva Stadium, and is pushing Cullen for selection, not to mention Ireland head coach Andy Farrell ahead of this summer's tour to New Zealand.
"He is yeah, absolutely and he’s played in huge games, he’s played in a Champions Cup final and won," the Leinster coach added.
"He was with us, but he was there in the stand and he was devastated. You could see the response from a lot of players on the sideline and Jordan was one of those players who came into the team as a young player and won a double and thinks that’s normal.
"He is just excited to go out there, and deliver a big performances. He was disappointed to miss out on selection last week and now he’s selected this week and he has to go out there and put in a performance and do his thing. He doesn’t need to think too much.
"I’ve met so many parents who come up to me and say 'I watched Jordan Larmour player when he was with St Andrews Under-14s scoring six tries, blah, blah, blah.’ That’s the kid, you want to see the adult, you can see it at the Aviva, getting back out there, he’s not overthinking things, just doing his thing, getting the ball and making things happen, being instinctive, and he’s always adding layers to his game, so you’d be excited what he can deliver."
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