We are delighted to travel to the European champions as the current leaders of the RaboDirect, but all too well aware of how tough it will be to stay there beyond Saturday night.
It is also a game that has posed me several varying selection dilemmas, principally based on incorporating our Scotland contingent back into the side for this one.
Unfortunately, both Sean Maitland and Stuart Hogg will not make the trip across the Irish Sea due to injuries they picked up at the Stade de France for Scotland.
When it comes to another one of our Scotland contingent, Ryan Grant, then he has been an ever-present for the national side and I am bound to manage the attrition levels Ryan has absorbed.
As I said earlier in the week, the Leinster game will come to soon for Chris Fusaro, as he is not quite there in terms of his recovery from a groin injury. In that respect, it is a huge plus that John Barclay is not only fit, but back at the top of his game.
IN any encounter with Leinster the battle of the breakdown is hugely important, and John has a part to play for us at the RDS.
I am particularly pleased that we have two stand-offs, in Duncan Weir and Ruaridh Jackson, who both enjoyed meaningful game time at the Stade de France.
But there is no point in playing down the size of the task in front of us.
Leinster are the best team in the PRO12 at getting quick ball, they are the most disciplined, and the variety they utilise off the set-piece and the lineout in particular, makes them a real handful. So we have definitely benefited from the extra week we've had to study their plays.
Over the coming weeks I will be very much using a selection policy that will be employing the players who will represent best value for the specific challenge facing us.
For example, Leinster defend and attack in a very different way to Munster, who we have coming to Scotstoun tomorrow week.
As such, the team that takes to the field at the RDS on Saturday night will reflect just that.
This game is the first of the final five-game run-in that will decide whether we can achieve the club's first-ever home play-off semi-final, which is our target.
When I look at the fixtures that follow it, in our games with Munster, Scarlets, Ospreys and our finale at Connacht, we could hardly have faced a more daunting set of games with which to conclude our campaign.
But I think we have proven in recent weeks that we are ready to meet the challenges that await head-on.
