Leinster have laid down a marker in the first four rounds of the United Rugby Championship that they are more than capable of sweeping aside all before them this season, albeit that seems to be an annual occurrence.

The only unbeaten team in Europe’s top three leagues, last season’s Investec Champions Cup runners-up have gone from strength to strength with every week that has passed, boosted by the return of their sizeable Irish contingent in round three.

Their 26-12 victory over rivals Munster at Croke Park on Saturday rubber-stamped this early-season statement made by Leo Cullen’s side, particularly their first-half display, where they raced to a 26-5 lead at the break, looking untouchable in the process.

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In the wake of the victory, broadcaster Ryle Nugent described the URC as “outstanding to watch,” likening their attacking structure to American football.

Joining the Off the Ball podcast recently, Nugent highlighted the “chaos” that the province create, which was a term frequently used during Stuart Lancaster’s time in Dublin, pinpointing Hugo Keenan’s try as a prime example of this.

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Leinster

“No one should have been surprised at the pace that Leinster started at, but everybody seemed to be, including the crowd and most definitely Munster.

“It’s akin now to American football the way that Leinster approach their attack. There is a commitment from everybody to run lines and create that moment of chaos in the defender’s head that you just don’t know where it is going to go.

“The Hugo Keenan try was a perfect example of that. It comes to [Jamison] Gibson-Park in jig time, and he’s then got [Ciaran] Frawley running one line, guys over on the left-hand side running lines, Liam Turner’s running towards the touchline, and Keenan goes straight up. You have no idea where the ball is going to go.

“It really is outstanding to watch when it is in full flow and I can’t imagine anything other than a nightmare to try and defend against.”