Connacht have 'nothing to lose' but Leinster always learning, says O'Sullivan

Connacht have "nothing to lose" when they face Leinster today but the four-time winners will have learned a trick or two from last week, says Eddie O'Sullivan.

Leo Cullen’s side take a five-point lead into the second leg of their Heineken Champions Cup last-16 tie where a quarter-final spot against Clermont or Leicester, who hold a 29-10 lead, is the prize for the winner.

It will be Andy Friend’s side’s second time to play at the Aviva Stadium this season, having switched their 'home’ URC game with Ulster to the Dublin 4 venue last October and winning 36-11.

Tries from James Lowe (2) and Hugo Keenan helped the visitors, who lost Jamison Gibson-Park to a second-half yellow card, to a 26-21 first-leg win over Connacht, for whom John Porch and Leva Fifita crossed the line.

"Leinster, particularly in the first half, they looked like one pass away four or five times from wiping Connacht out," said former Ireland head coach O’Sullivan on this week’s RTÉ Rugby podcast.

"They can score from 50 metres out, they have that capacity. They can get you from pretty much anywhere.

"Connacht defended much better, they scrambled well under pressure and they fed off the crowd, the crowd brought that energy.

"Leinster looked a bit rattled that those final passes weren't sticking.

"In the second half they circled the wagons, they were more focused.

"The yellow card energised Connacht, they fed off that and got the [Fifita] score and suddenly it was game on.

"[But] Connacht have nothing to lose here.

"We all thought they were crazy going to the Aviva to play Ulster, giving up their home advantage, and they gave Ulster a good kicking.

"Leinster are a team that learn from their misjudgments and they’ll be more dialled in this week. They will see the things