'We won't be caught out again' - 2022 lessons learned, says Leinster coach Robin McBryde

Leinster must learn the lessons from last season's disappointing run-in as they once again target two trophies, according to assistant coach Robin McBryde.

Leo Cullen's side impressed in regular season last year but ended up empty-handed following a Heineken Champions Cup final loss to La Rochelle, whom they will meet again in this year's decider, and a shock home URC semi-final defeat to the Vodacom Bulls the week after they had trounced Glasgow 76-14 in the quarter-final.

Leinster dismissed Toulouse in the European Cup semi-final in a strangely similar fashion to last season and now prepare for a URC quarter-final against the Cell C Sharks on Saturday (5pm, live on RTÉ).

Earlier this season, Leinster, with a star-studded team including Johnny Sexton, beat the Sharks, minus a number of their Springboks, in a high-quality clash at the RDS, 54-34.

"In regards to managing the squad that way, there are certain things that obviously still hurt from last year," the assistant coach told RTÉ Sport.

"I'm talking about the end of season in particular, following the loss to La Rochelle, back in the URC, we gorged ourselves on the win against Glasgow and we really got caught against the Bulls.

"And there are similarities with regards to that where the Sharks have had a couple of weeks just preparing for this game.

"Wednesday, I think, they are arriving. The Bulls stayed here all week after playing up in Belfast last year and when we reflected on some of the lessons we can learn from selection.

"Did we get it right? Should we have changed more? The build-up? We’ve got to learn those lessons. It’s one thing we can’t be caught on.

"Emotionally, it’s going to be tough to get us up but we’ve got to get back up. It’s as simple as that.

"There are