James Ryan is back, and he couldn't have timed his return any better.
The Leinster lock needed to be road-tested before this Saturday’s Investec Champions Cup final against Toulouse and he passed his individual exam with flying colours.
Leo Cullen’s second-string team, however, will have to go back to the drawing board after a mistake-ridden display. More on that later.
Alongside full-back Hugo Keenan, who had a hip injury, Ryan played the full 80 against Ulster after recovering from a bicep injury suffered the week before Ireland’s loss to England in the Six Nations back in March.
The captain didn’t shirk any responsibilities, making 19 tackles and seven runs with ball in hand during the 23-21 defeat.
He appears to have put on a couple of kilos - "a lot of time in the gym," he says.
"It is [good to be back], I missed the lads, and I missed nights like tonight.
"Just being able to play with the lads, it's been a great week and we prepped pretty well."
The 27-year-old suffered the injury, which needed surgery, in an innocuous training ground incident but says he never doubted that he would get back before the end of the season.
"I was always confident it was going well.
"The lads did a great job in terms of the rehab, they probably don't get enough credit for that, the medical staff in Leinster and Ireland. They did a fantastic job.
"It's thanks to the great work from the lads over the last 10 weeks. Einar [Einarsson] out in the [IRFU] HPC, he's been brilliant for me.
"I'm happy to be back fit and it felt like I was pretty robust out there.
"I missed it. You miss it when you're not playing, you just feel outside it when you're injured.
"I just thoroughly enjoyed the week, being back in, we had a great group coming up to Belfast, there was a good mix between experience and youth...I love being back."
Leinster’s defeat puts them on the back foot in the race for a top-two place in the BKT URC standings with one game remaining and Ryan singled out the failure to score after declining a straightforward shot at goal in favour of a kick to the corner.
Had Harry Byrne landed it, Ulster would have needed to score a try with the clock running down.
That allowed Ulster to work their way back into the Leinster half with John Cooney floating over a superb long-range penalty to win the game.
"That entry into the '22, whereby we went for the corner and it's always easy to look back in hindsight about the decision, but we were happy with it," he said.
"It felt like we were on top, we'd driven unbelievably well during the week and we were really confident with it going into the game.
"We got a great punch in the maul, we got very close and then we don't quite resource the ruck, got turned over and we go away with nothing.
"It wasn't just me, [I] touched it off Ross Molony who was calling the lineout and Harry [Byrne] at 10 and we all just felt we should back it, go to the corner.
"We're an ambitious team, we want to back ourselves in those moments.
"Yeah, the execution let us down and that's a tough one to look back on now."
The Champions Cup finalists have nine titles between them but have never met in a decider.
"Is that right, yeah?" he asks.
"I'm sure it'll be an incredible occasion, it's the stuff of dreams for a kid who followed Leinster, who grew up wanting to play rugby for Leinster - days like that.
"We need to learn from this and move on, because it's a huge week."
Ryan featured in the last two meetings between the sides, the 2022 and 2023 semi-finals in Dublin, both won comfortably by the hosts.
But Ryan’s memories of the French side go way back to one of Leinster’s first 'statement’ wins in Europe, the 41-36 victory over a star-studded Toulouse team, who were defending champions.
"I was over at the Leinster v Toulouse win when Denis Hickie was playing, I was quite young but I still remember it," he says.
"It was such a big win for Leinster at the time, quite an upset.
"Good memories, I went over with my two brothers and my dad and a good family friend of ours.
"Toulouse, they've won it five times, they're the most successful team in the competition. It's an amazing opportunity."
Ryan (below) was having one of the best games of his career in last year's final before his day was cut short after a head injury in the 29th minute. It’s still hard to imagine that team on that day losing had Ryan remained on the field.
Asked about what drove him to that performance, he said: "There was a lot of hurt at the time, that was always going to be an emotional game.
"It was a home final at the Aviva, it was almost a once in a lifetime opportunity, I guess there was a lot of emotion went into it. Like there was a few weeks ago [against Northampton]."
Will he put this right on Saturday?
"Hope so."
Meanwhile, Cullen (above) is playing wait and see with Tommy O’Brien (hamstring) and Charlie Ngatai (shoulder) with both backs replaced in the first half.
Will Connors, Keenan and Ryan all came through unscathed.
On the prospect of Garry Ringrose making his return from a shoulder injury, the head coach offered: "Close, I don't know. It's hard to put a percentage on it. I haven't been focusing enough on Garry. I'm always hopeful."
After suffering defeat in the last two finals to La Rochelle and the 2019 loss to Saracens, this will be Cullen’s fourth decider since leading the team to glory in 2018.
"Hopefully we'll see a big performance next week," said the 46-year-old.
"Everyone is just excited by the prospect now. When you see where the game is going to be, the stadiums for next year, straight away you get your mind into picturing the team that you're involved in being there on the day.
"Spurs stadium, it's a cool venue, it's a little bit different.
"Rugby games have been played there and when you see them you think it would be a cool arena for the players to showcase what they can do.
"We've had amazing support all year and hopefully in London we'll have a big Leinster following and make it a special day.
"We need to work hard this week and get excited by the challenge.
"It's two good teams, two strong traditions in the competition. Hopefully it'll be a great contest."
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