Here we go again: “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.”There is something akin to Shakespeare’s Henry V about Leinster’s unbending quest to lift another Champions Cup. A multiyear journey with confrontations in different parts of the Continent, packed with heroic resilience in the face of deep adversity and in this, perhaps the last Act, our hero faces a powerful French foe in a decisive battle. The question is will this end as another tragedy?Can Leinster break their European hoodoo? Listen | 25:29Elite rugby is not a fairytale. Nice guys do come last and justice is not always delivered. In every final, heartbreak and elation are travelling companions.More than any other team in the world, Leinster understand what lies in store for them if they lose another Champions Cup decider. They carry four soul-deep lacerations from being good enough to reach the final, but falling so tantalisingly close to lifting the trophy. To me, that makes their bravery to compete even more admirable. Despite living with the full knowledge of the consequences and real possibility of defeat, they step back into the ring and continue to fight. That takes some kahoonas.Like Henry V’s famous speech before the Battle of Agincourt, Leo Cullen has given a call to arms. Leo’s spray to the media after Leinster’s semi-final win was no accident. He is a highly calculated, intelligent leader. His comments shocked the media and the rugby community because he was sending a message to his players. As the local media attempted to defend itself, his message was amplified. That is exactly what Cullen wanted. It is now Team Leinster, underdogs against the world. A smart move by a smart coach who has positioned his team as underrated before a huge final. Cullen knows that every final is a one-off event. Everything is about the moment. Form and past results are irrelevant.Bordeaux's Louis Bielle-Biarrey runs with the ball as Cameron Woki and Damian Penaud look on in victory over Northampton Saints. Photograph: Romain Perrocheau/AFP via Getty Images Bordeaux are favourites because they carry two powerful advantages over their opponents.Leinster’s controversial rush defensive system leaves unmarked space out wide on their flanks. Sitting out in this unmanned area, ready to exploit the lack of defenders, Bordeaux have the blistering speed of Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Damian Penaud. Their second significant asset is that their halves, Matthieu Jalibert and Maxime Lucu, both possess passing and short-kicking skills that are highly effective in getting the ball to these speedsters with exceptional accuracy.Statistically, Bordeaux lead Leinster in almost every category. Long-range tries, offloads, defenders beaten, points scored, you name it, Bordeaux lead it. I can find no statistical evidence that Leinster’s defensive system is capable of minimising their deep weaknesses on their flanks. I want to be wrong, but almost every aspect of analysis points to Bordeaux winning and getting a second star on their chest.In the emotional cauldrons that are finals, “Xs and Os” written on a whiteboard are not what wins matches. While it is “once more unto the breach, dear friends”, King Henry goes on to say, “but when the blast of war blows in our ears, then imitate the actions of the tiger”.It is the spirit of that wild tiger that Leinster must bring to their play if they are to overcome the lightning speed of Bordeaux.[ Ulster and Leinster will have to battle sweltering conditions in Bilbao for European decidersOpens in new window ]Leinster must take this Champions Cup final by force with a game plan based on complete aggression that can heap unexpected pressure on the French side.First, they must get in their opponent’s face and derail their mental state by physically, psychologically and verbally getting under their skin and placing doubt inside their minds. Leinster must violently attack every tackle, ball carry and scrum to physically dominate and intimidate Bordeaux. We have seen these Leinster players pull on an Irish jersey and bash up the Springboks in the second Test in Durban in 2024 and against England at Twickenham this year. Every Leinster player must carry that same warrior attitude into each minute of this final.If we consider last year’s final, Bordeaux and Northampton put on a tactically smart display of clever boxing, which the French dominated. If Leinster run out in Bilbao and box nicely, as Northampton did, Bordeaux will win.Leinster must grab Bordeaux by the collar and turn the boxing match into a physical brawl that rattles Bordeaux’s game plan, while navigating the razor edge of delivering physical aggression beyond anything they have displayed in the past six years, while not producing yellow cards. There is no better way of doing this than by dominating the aerial battle that is created by box kicks. While both Bordeaux wingers are fast, they are not noted for their skills under a high ball.South Africa's Handré Pollard and Ireland's James Lowe and Garry Ringrose. Photograph: Dan Sheridan/©INPHO While Jacques Nienaber’s defensive system does leave space out wide, its compact nature empowers the close-in defenders to smash the Bordelais and slow down their ruck speed. If Leinster can dominate the French at the breakdown, it will hinder their ability to get the ball wide and limit their execution of attacking plays. All of those tactics are an achievable mission for Cullen’s men.For Leinster, the performance of Harry Byrne is paramount. He must play to his strengths and not try to overplay his hand. It is essential that his goal-kicking is accurate as every point will be crucial. There can be no points left untaken. His kicking in general play must also be pinpoint to deny the superb Bordeaux counterattack any opportunity. This match is his chance to prove to the world, and himself, that he has what it takes to lead a team around the park on a big day and win. Jamison Gibson-Park must also be at his zenith. Penaud is a spectacular attacker, but his defence on his outside shoulder is highly suspect. If Gibson-Park’s service can give Garry Ringrose a few metres of space, there are plenty of opportunities for Leinster to penetrate around Penaud, especially at set play.This Champions Cup final is a day like no other in Leinster’s history. If they are to eliminate all the pain and heartache of seven years of frustration, it all distils down to a single factor. If Leinster are to lift the Champions Cup, they must take it by violent, physical force.That is easy to say but immeasurably hard to execute.Head says Bordeaux. Heart says Leinster. Always go with your heart.