Joe McCarthy believes there is a target on Leinster's backs as they return to BKT United Rugby Championship action this weekend.
The province are already locked into a home quarter-final with four games to go in the regular season, and they could seal a top-two seeding this weekend, which would ensure a home semi-final should they get there.
Leo Cullen’s side have coasted through the opening 14 games of the league, with 13 wins and one defeat, that sole loss coming away to the Bulls in Pretoria last month.
On Saturday, Leinster host Ulster in their final interpro of the regular season, hoping to make it a clean sweep against their fellow provinces after home and away wins against Munster and Connacht, as well as a win away to this weekend’s opponents back in November.
And while Leinster come into the game off the back of two resounding Investec Champions Cup wins against Harlequins and the Glasgow Warriors, McCarthy says they will be wary of an Ulster side who are still fighting to secure their Champions Cup qualification for next season.
"We'll take a lot of confidence from the last two games, but we really want to keep that momentum going," McCarthy (below) told RTÉ Sport.
"We know Ulster have been sort of scheming for the last two weeks, not having the game last week, so they'll have a good plan for us. We'll definitely have to be at our best. I always feel they kind of raise their level against us.
"They always really want to get one over us, so we'll have to be at our best or better than we have been."
Leinster lost twice to their northern neighbours last season, with the 23-21 defeat in Belfast ultimately costing them a home semi-final, and they would go on to lose away to the Bulls in the last four.
"It doesn't matter how each team is playing, it's always huge intensity and anyone can really win on the day.
"We know that with Ulster, last season they turned us over twice. It didn't really matter how well the teams were playing, if we were unbeaten or they had a rough period or whatever.
"It’ll be extremely intense and they'll be coming to try and knock us over in the Aviva, but we'll be ready for it."
Even though Leo Cullen’s side have won 19 of their 20 games in all competitions, the province look to have moved into a higher gear in recent weeks as they build for the business end of the season.
In their Champions Cup knockout wins in the last fortnight, they’ve scored 114 points and conceded none. If you include the previous win away to the Sharks in Durban, it’s been more than three hours of rugby since Leinster have conceded a point.
And McCarthy says they’re taking huge pride in their defensive work under senior coach Jacques Nienaber (below).
"I think that's something we pride ourselves on a lot. Every time we're defending, we're defending as if our lives counted on it.
"We don't care if it's the 79th minute, we're up with a lot of scores, we want keep teams out, we don't want to give them anything easy.
"It's crazy because we made a few changes there [against Glasgow] and then even you look at some of the guys who aren't playing, or they’re 24th man, it's incredible.
"Even myself, I feel like we've been in the walkthrough and you're looking at the whole squad of players around you, it's an unbelievable squad and it feels so exciting to play in.
"So I think that's sort of pushing guys on as well. The competition, the squad, every moment, every play you get, you have to perform, where there'll be another guy just as good being able to step in. It’s pushing everyone on."
Watch a URC double-header, Stormers v Connacht and Munster v Bulls, on Saturday from 2.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player.
Watch Wales v Ireland in the Women's Six Nations on Sunday from 2.40pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1
