DAN SHEEHAN admits Leinster are ‘grateful’ to still have the URC to fight for after missing out on Champions Cup glory.

The Blues were beaten 31-22 by Toulouse in the London showpiece last month.

It was the third European final in a row that Leo Cullen’s men have lost after losing successive deciders to La Rochelle in 2022 and 2023.

But they have a chance to make amends in the URC — starting with Saturday’s quarter-final showdown against provincial rivals Ulster at the Aviva Stadium.

And Sheehan said: “We’re lucky enough to have the chance that there is still something to play for.

“Hopefully within three weeks of success but we need to make sure we take it one week at a time.

“We make sure that we still enjoy coming in every day and being around the lads.

“We’re grateful for the group we do have and it would be a shame not to enjoy the next few weeks with them.”

While most of those who started against Toulouse in the Euro final were rested for the 33-7 URC win over Connacht, Sheehan was drafted in as a second-half substitute.

And the hooker bagged the home team’s fourth try of the game at the RDS to bring his scoring tally for the season up to eight.

Instead of waiting until this weekend to return from the crushing disappointment of the Toulouse game, the 25-year-old was more than happy to do so in Ballsbridge.

Sheehan revealed: “I really enjoyed the game against Connacht. I got a bit of frustration out.

“It gave me something to focus on straight away, which was nice. I think it’s good. We took a lot of learnings from the Toulouse game.

“I think it would have been easy to brush over and forget about it.

“We did a good debrief on it over the last week. We turned our focus on to Connacht and stripped it back to basics.

“We are now looking towards this week, Ulster are the team to beat.”

HEALTHY COMPETITION

While Leinster chief Cullen will be going up against Ulster counterpart and fellow Wicklow man Richie Murphy on Saturday, the front-row battle provides the most intrigue.

After making his senior international bow against Japan in November 2021, Sheehan found himself competing for the No 2 jersey with Blues pal Rónan Kelleher and Ulster’s Rob Herring.

The latter surpassed Andrew Trimble and Darren Cave earlier this season to become the most-capped player in the northern province’s history.

And with the highly-rated Tom Stewart also competing for a starting berth, Sheehan (right) is expecting to be put to the pin of his collar this weekend.

The Leinster man added: “I met Rob the first time I went into the camp and he has been hugely helpful for me.

“He gives everything, he gives his time, his advice. He is a brilliant set-piece operator. Over the years in the line-out and the scrum, I’ve learned a lot from him.

“He is in good form at the moment with Tom Stewart. That’s a good pair there so that will be an interesting battle.

BAD BOY

Meanwhile, Toulouse lock Richie Arnold was handed a three-week ban for his red card in the Champions Cup final.

But it clears the way for him to contest in the closing games of the French Top 14 season.

Arnold was sent off by referee Matthew Carley in the tenth minute of extra-time against Leinster for a dangerous clear-out on Ireland prop Cian Healy.

The independent disciplinary committee agreed that Arnold “made contact with Healy’s head in a dangerous manner”.

But they decided the offence was at the mid-range of World Rugby’s sanctions, with four weeks selected as the appropriate entry point.

Arnold is free to play on June 24 but if he completes a World Rugby Coaching Intervention, he will be free to play on June 17.