Leinster assistant coach Tyler Bleyendaal insisted it was "business as usual" for the coaching staff despite Leo Cullen's announcement that this campaign would be his final one as head coach after over a decade in the role.
The reigning URC champions began their season with a narrow defeat to the Lions in a lively encounter in Johannesburg, their 23-year-old scrum half Fintan Gunne running in three tries in a 27-26 loss.
It's been known for some time that it would be Cullen's last campaign after his long reign in the hot-seat, during which he has secured six domestic titles and the Champions Cup in 2018.
Asked whether this had changed the dynamic in the coaching set-up, Bleyendaal echoed his head coach in dismissing the idea.
"Leo's decision was on his terms. We're all very excited for him, whatever he goes onto," Bleyendaal said.
"But otherwise it's business as usual for the whole coaching squad anyway.
"Leo is still leading the team. He's still putting in the work and the hours. To be honest, nothing really has changed.
"It was a decision he's made for his own reasons and we all support that."
Leinster led 19-17 after an entertaining opening half, Gunne forming an eye-catching half-back partnership with 20-year-old Caspar Gabriel, the Austrian born Leinster academy graduate, the pair accounting for all of the team's points in the opening 40.
Down to 14 men in the closing minutes and trailing by a solitary point, Kelly Mpeku's try in the corner put the game beyond Leinster, even if they gave the hosts a scare in the next play, with Stephen Smyth's try at the death wrestling back a losing bonus point.
With a team largely shorn of their international stars - save for Andrew Porter, Ryan Baird and Tommy O'Brien - it was a reasonable showing and Bleyendaal was inclined to stress the positives, in particular the promise shown by their young out-half on his debut.
"With Kasper, he's just trying to be himself first and foremost. He's not trying to imitate anyone's style or way of behaving.
"He brings his own personality to it, which is different from some of the other lads.
"His work-rate is exceptional. He's a pretty creative player too, with a really great skill set, kicking and passing. I think we saw some of his running game. He's had good growth."
Leinster are not short of options at No. 10 with a former bright-young-thing Joey Carbery returning to his spiritual home in the RDS after eight years on his travels.
Carbery's famous switch to Munster in 2018 had been partly insisted upon by the national team set-up, who were anxious that Johnny Sexton's most prominent back-up for Ireland should be getting regular game-time.
Alas, Carbery fell down the pecking order in the subsequent years after an injury-plagued six-year stint in Limerick, which concluded when he transferred to Bordeaux in 2024, essentially taking himself out of the Ireland reckoning.
Bleyendaal briefly vied with Carbery for the starting out-half berth during the latter's early years in Thomond Park in the late 2010s. Does he feel he's working with a much changed player since Carbery returned to Dublin from the Top 14?
"There's a level of familiarity but it's almost like it's a really fresh relationship," Bleyendaal says.
"I'm really impressed at the way he's come back from his rehab. I think he's been sharp and he's had new experiences over in the Top 14, which will be valuable for him.
"Physically, mentally, he's come back really fresh. He's going to still have to find his way into the squad and [adjust to] how we do things and what the gap is between Bordeaux and what we do here. But I've been impressed with him."
In recent years, Leinster have been accused of becoming excessively focused on their defensive game, a narrative which is heavily centred around defensive guru Jacques Nienaber's role in the coaching staff.
"I don't agree with the narrative around that with Jacques," Bleyendaal said. "He's a world class defence coach and we commit a lot of time to it but I don't feel we neglect the attacking side.
"We're trying to evolve, we're trying to get better. Defence is more structured than attack at times.
"We have to learn how to break that down. We're enjoying that process. It's definitely not the end product but I think we've made great strides in the off-season and will continue to do so."
