Heineken Cup champions Leinster will be aiming to extend their unbeaten run in Europe to 18 matches when they head to France to face the unbeaten Pool 5 leaders ASM Clermont Auvergne.
You have to go back to the Irish team's last visit to Stade Marcel Michelin, in Round 3 two seasons ago, for their last defeat in the competition, 20-13. Since then they have won 16 and drawn one, with two triumphs coming over Clermont.
Both clubs won theri two opening matches in this season's tournament, but Clermont managed to pick up winning bonus points in their victories over Exeter Chiefs and the Scarlets to lead the Pool by two points.
"Being second in the pool ahead of these back-to-back games is not our favourite position to be in, because we will go to France chasing them rather than being in control of the pool," admitted Leinster head coach Joe Schmidt, who joined the club from Clermont.
"We have won two from two but I hope there is more to come from us. There has to be more because we can't keep surviving these skinny margins."
The champions pipped new boys Exeter Chiefs 9-6 on the opening day of their defence of the title abnd then won 20-13 at Parc y Scarlets. Now comes their biggest challenge of all as they try to stay on course to become the first team to win three titles in a row.
The return game in Dublin on Saturday, 15 December, will be played at the Aviva Stadium and already more than 42,000 tickets have been sold.
The Leinster v ASM Clermont Auvergne Rivalry
2002/03
P4 Montferrand 20 - 23 Leinster Rugby Marcel Michelin 10,000
P4 Leinster Rugby 12 - 9 Montferrand Donnybrook 7,500
2009/10
QF Leinster Rugby 29 -28 Clermont Auvergne RDS 20,000
2010/11
P2 Clermont Auvergne 20 - 13 Leinster Rugby Marcel Michelin 16,106
P2 Leinster Rugby 24 - 8 Clermont Auvergne Aviva Stadium 44,873
2011/12
SF Clermont Auvergne 15 - 19 Leinster Rugby Chaban Delmas 32,397
2012/13
P5 Clermont Auvergne v Leinster Rugby Marcel Michelin
P5 Leinster Rugby v Clermont Auvergne Aviva Stadium
