WE'VE GOT ALL OF OUR RUCKS IN-A-ROW

LEO CULLEN says Leinster are in a far better position at this point this season than they were last season - the fixtures and logistics aren't as complicated.

- BY DEREK FOLEY

The post-Champions Cup schedule has combined a home tie with Ulster with a short trip to Scarlets and a tea-time kick-off next Saturday before hosting Northampton in the Champions Cup semi-final at The Aviva on Saturday week (May 3).

"If you think that this time last year we were in South Africa and were beaten by the Lions and we were scrambling a bit," says the Leinster boss.

"When you're battling through the season, you're trying to make sure that you stay in control of your own destiny and we have that now.

"It's just one game at a time because we don't need to worry about anyone else.

"We don't worry about anything else, we are not looking at other teams, or permutations; it's just about ourselves, prepare well.

"So we'll give guys a bit of extra-time, recovery-wise, this week then put a plan together to build for Scarlets.

"That's all that really matters at the moment, we'll deal with the following week, the following week."