Schmidt’s charges lie second in the Pool and will be targeting maximum points in their remaining two fixtures against the Scarlets and Exeter Chiefs but even if they secure two bonus-point wins, they will be relying on favourable results in other pools to send them through.

Having faltered in front of a home crowd of almost 49,000, the New Zealander insists Leinster owe it to their supporters to go for broke in Europe, regardless of how unlikely it is that they will make the knockout stages.

“I’ve had a look at all the permutations, I’ve done a lot of maths, I was an English teacher but my maths isn’t too bad, those permutations suggest we’ve got a sliver of opportunity,” Schmidt told LTV.

“So we’re going to roll our sleeves up and try as best we can to reward the supporters for what was a fantastic occasion on Saturday.”

With six Top14 sides well positioned to navigate the Pool stages, France looks the likeliest destination for this season's Heineken Cup, but Schmidt believes Ulster and Conor O’Shea’s Harlequins can challenge the French teams.

“Harlequins are pretty well-placed, Ulster aren’t badly placed, Leicester are in a fight with Toulouse and maybe Ospreys in that pool.”

Saturday’s defeat in Dublin was the turning point in Leinster’s European season with the defending champions now facing their first pool-stage exit from the competition since 2008.

Reflecting on the game, Schmidt believes they were beaten by a more powerful team who took their chances ruthlessly.

“I don’t think you saw them break our line with anything other than power, they really did overpower us.

“I think their homework was pretty good, they know me very well, just like we know them pretty well.

“Both teams created opportunities they were just better placed to take theirs and the pressure they exerted allowed them to dominate, especially in the second half.”

After consecutive defeats in the Heineken Cup, Leinster must now look to regain form in the RaboDirect PRO12 but the fixture list is not getting any kinder for Les Bleus with an away meeting against league leaders Ulster looming on Friday.

After thirteen consecutive wins in all competitions Ulster suffered their first defeat of the season against Northampton Saints at Ravenhill on Saturday and Schmidt is expecting a backlash from Mark Anscombe’s side this weekend.

“I thought Clermont beat us good and proper, I thought Ulster had the beating of Northampton.

“I think they made a few errors, they certainly created a couple of chances that I saw which they’ll be kicking themselves about.

“They’ll be looking to create those same chances but finish them against us.

“They’ve got the firepower and the ability to do exactly that.”