What does an edge look like in training? Coaches enjoy seeing it in the week of a big match, especially a final, players climbing into each other at training as if it symbolises a mental and physical state of readiness.Leinster assistant coach Robin McBryde smiled when asked to explain in layman’s terms the catchall phrase. “Healthy competition, do you know what I mean? A good, solid shoulder. Not a grab, just a good, healthy shoulder. Just something that will give you a little bit of a rib tickler. “Everybody has got to be at the same pitch. Sometimes you get players who are trying to make a point to get into the team and they’ll just overreach a little bit. It’ll be completely out of context and it gets out of hand. That little bit of edge is just great, you know. I think the nature of a Champions Cup final week, in particular, just puts everybody on high alert.”Leinster have a few concerns ahead of the final against reigning champions Bordeaux Bègles in Bilbao on Saturday (2.45pm Irish time). Tommy O’Brien is at the top of a list that also includes Brian Deeny, Paddy McCarthy and Joshua Kenny. All four took some part in training on Monday. It was the last chance to bring “the edge” before the team was named internally.McBryde observed “some players took the opportunity; others maybe didn’t make the most of it”. His remarks were made in reference to the last two URC matches against the Lions and Ospreys as the players in contention for the Champions Cup final received match minutes.Mental acuity is best revealed in the crucible of a final and there’s no way of truly knowing beforehand. Leinster have some scar tissue – the ghosts of semi-finals and finals past – but there’s no point in picking at it unnecessarily. They can’t outrun the questions. McBryde explained: “I think we’re in a good place, but it hasn’t been the normal sort of season. We were on the back foot after the first couple of rounds and if you’d have told us we’d be in this situation, we’d have bitten your hand off.Bordeaux Begles' Cameron Woki was singled out for praise by Robin McBryde. Photograph: Philippe Lopez/AFP via Getty Images “It hasn’t been the smoothest of campaigns, whether that puts us in a better place or not remains to be seen. We’ve won some games that maybe we shouldn’t have, but we’ve found a way and we’ve got to deal with injuries. For me, it’s the journey. I just enjoy the journey. If [we] win, it’ll be great.“I’m not saying I’ll be happy about it [if we lose], but from previous experience, it may come down to something that’s not in your control. It’s the build-up. This is the part that I enjoy most. It’s this week leading up, seeing the excitement in the players’ eyes the morning of a game.“That, to me as a coach, is all you can do [to try and ensure] that they’re confident taking the field, excited, looking forward with nervous energy. Then it’s over to them on the weekend. You boys, you’ll interview the players. It’s a little bit different as a coach. I’m just looking forward to preparing them the best I can this week.”He paused briefly when asked what impressed him most about Bordeaux before sotto voce asking: “Where do I start?” Is rugby’s TMO process fair? Listen | 29:45He started by singling out a few players. “They’ve got some great individuals, but they play very well collectively. Cameron Woki is outstanding as an individual, but the way he plays with the nine and 10 – they’re obviously all on the same page, got a great understanding.“They’ve got quality throughout the team, quality on the bench as well. I mean, you’ve got somebody like Ben Tameifuna who’s a bit of an icon in the tight. He gets around the loose as well and he’s destructive from five metres out. You’ve got (Carlü) Sadie, who’s an outstanding scrummager. I could really go on.”McBryde admitted he didn’t fully comprehend the importance of European trophies to Leinster until he joined the environment. “I fully understand now. There’s a different feel about it, so it’s a bit bittersweet at the moment when you look back. As great as those journeys were, we didn’t win.“The fact that we’ve given ourselves another opportunity, another crack at it, it’s not something that you take lightly. It’s a competition littered with quality teams and we’ve given ourselves the opportunity to turn up on Saturday and have a go against the reigning champions.”