Leinster's bid to defend their United Rugby Championship title has been hit by the loss of first-choice loosehead prop Andrew Porter, ruled out of Friday's Grand Final against the Bulls at Croke Park with a calf injury.
Porter picked up the problem in the first half of the semi-final win over the Stormers, and the province confirmed on Monday that the Ireland and Lions front-rower will not be available for the showpiece, which kicks off at 7.30pm. It is the latest blow in a season that has stretched Leinster's loosehead stocks to breaking point, with Paddy McCarthy and Jack Boyle both enduring long-term absences and Porter himself having missed the entire Six Nations with a similar complaint.
The timing could hardly be worse. The Bulls boast arguably the best scrum in the league, anchored by Springbok tighthead Wilco Louw and the in-form Francois Klopper, and Leo Cullen must now decide between the experience of 32-year-old Ed Byrne, back at the province on a short-term loan from Cardiff, and youngsters Alex Usanov, 20, and All-Ireland League recruit Jerry Cahir.
Leinster scrum coach Robin McBryde admitted the absence was "not ideal" but refused to entertain any sense of foreboding.
"We have managed it throughout the season," McBryde said of Leinster's loosehead troubles. "It does help you prioritise and Friday night is no different."
"It's the basics. You know they are going to come after you in the tighter aspects, the scrum, the lineout maul, so it would be foolish to look any further than that from a setpiece point of view."
McBryde drew on a conversation with departing Leinster prop Rabah Slimani to frame the challenge ahead.
"He said, 'When you look at your opposite number, if he doesn't meet you eye-to-eye, if he goes early, if he doesn't respect the referee's commands, it just shows you he's scared'. So we can't be scared. We've got to meet them head-on and go for it. And that's what we'll do."
There is precedent for Leinster surviving a front-row crisis against this opponent. Twelve months ago Tadhg Furlong missed the same fixture, only for Thomas Clarkson to step up as the province dominated the scrum in a 32-7 win. Furlong, who sat out the quarter- and semi-finals, is back in contention this time.
"It's surprising sometimes, when somebody's given an opportunity, how well they do," McBryde said. "All we can do is just prepare the team and whoever takes the field, they'll be as well prepared as they can be, because it's a big game."
Leinster also carry doubts over captain Caelan Doris and hooker Dan Sheehan. Doris picked up a knee injury against the Stormers and was seen in a brace at the province's awards night, though both trained at UCD on Monday and will be assessed through the week.
The Bulls, meanwhile, travelled to Dublin on Monday at full strength, with head coach Johan Ackermann naming a squad containing 17 Springboks and welcoming back hooker Akker van der Merwe for the first time since January.
For Leinster wing Tommy O'Brien, simply reaching a home final represents a recovery. The province lost their opening two title defences, going down 35-0 to the Stormers in Cape Town and 39-31 to the Bulls in Pretoria, with their Lions contingent rested.
"We didn't start very well," O'Brien admitted. "So if you'd told us then that we'd have a home quarter-final, semi-final and final, we would have bitten your hand off."
Both finalists have endured turbulent campaigns. The Bulls survived a mid-season seven-match losing run, yet both arrive at Croke Park peaking at the right time. McBryde, for one, has noted how Ackermann has broadened the Pretoria side's game.
"They play a lot more, their attacking game has grown and they do their best to keep the ball alive," he said. "They're still as potent, set-piece wise, but there's a general shift in their attitude, approach to keeping the ball alive, playing with tempo and staying on the front-foot with momentum."
