Leo Cullen admits some players are left frustrated by Leinster team selection

"Some guys would feel that maybe they haven't got a full crack at it over the last couple of weeks"

Leinster plough on towards another double - fuelled for success by a squad of players brimming with quality and power fighting tooth and nail for the oxygen of game-time.

Josh van der Flier was named the man of the match in last Saturday night's PRO14 final victory over Ulster.

But a shift in approach could see the flanker lose out to Will Connors in Saturday's Champions Cup quarter-final clash with Saracens, just as Connors lost out to van der Flier for the final.

Ross Byrne and half-back partner Jamison Gibson-Park did a sterling job in steering the Blues to their three-in-a-row triumph.

But if Johnny Sexton and Luke McGrath don't return for the meeting of last year's finalists then it would be a massive surprise.

Such is the level of competition for places and Leo Cullen admits some Blues stars are naturally left frustrated by the process.

"The players are obviously a very, very competitive group," said the Leinster supremo.

"They want to represent Leinster and they want to go on and represent Ireland, if they're qualified to do that and yeah, they're ambitious," he said.

"There are times when selection has been very, very tough and this period has been tough for a number of guys because it's not straightforward.

"Some guys would feel that maybe they haven't got a full crack at it over the last couple of weeks and they're probably right to say that they think that.

"But you know, they've got to park that and do what's best for the team and prepare the team well.

"Some of the training sessions we've had over the last couple of weeks have been excellent. So it's just everyone pulling together and to go through the whole season unbeaten, it's a great effort from everybody and that's never down to one person, clearly.

"So that's the whole kind of mantra, we can't rely on one person. The next person has to be able to step in."

Leinster over-powered Ulster with their rock-solid defensive mindset that locked in after the shock of their rivals' brilliant fourth minute try.

The Blues conceded just five points in the decider - and only three against Munster the previous weekend.

Cullen pointed to the shape his players returned from lockdown in, the quality of the fitness programme that had them primed to maintain their unbeaten record.

And van der Flier referenced the mindset among the players when it comes to defending as impressively as they did in the second quarter against Ulster.

"It does come down – no matter how technical you are about it – to physicality and mindset," said van der Flier.

"If you don’t have those two factors then you won’t really be successful.

“It definitely gives you a desire to go after more when you taste success.

"We're very fortunate obviously that we’re in a position that we do get to work for years and years and get the opportunity to play for Leinster and then win trophies.

"There’s incredible players that don’t get that opportunity."

Given the travails that Sarries have endured - with Owen Farrell's suspension just the latest in a long line - Leinster are clear favourites for their Aviva Stadium clash.

"We know the threats that they have, they’ve had some changes but they still have such quality, some world class players in there," he stated.

"So we need to make sure we’re peaking week on week".