THE best team we have played all season and the best team in Wales - that is the verdict on Newport by Leinster coach Matt Williams.

The Irish province have won all seven Celtic League games this season and all four Heineken League matches.

They face Newport for the third time on Friday night having got the better of them on the two previous occasions.

They were both in the Heineken Cup, Leinster winning 21-6 at Donnybrook and 26-21 at Rodney Parade a week later, though both were extremely tight.

On Friday, it's the Celtic League quarter-final back at Donnybrook.

"There is real tension in the camp this week because we know how good Newport are," said Williams, an Australian who had previously coached New South Wales in the Super 12 competition.

"We got away with the last one against Newport. We hung on and full credit to our guys for the way we played, but Newport impressed us, there's not much between the sides.

"We think they are the best team we've played this year and the best team in Wales. "We've got to knuckle down and get our heads round this one again."

The Leinster players have benefited from having last weekend off when all provincial matches were postponed after a heavy schedule.

And Williams, who will have Irish wing Denis Hickie fit again after missing the Heineken Cup clash at Rodney Parade, wants Leinster to go flat out to win the Celtic League competition.

"A lot of our players are in the national team and they were exhausted," said Williams.

"They haven't missed a game in the Celtic League, the Heineken Cup or at international level since August 18.

"We definitely want to win the Celtic League for the prize money and for the prestige. It's been a great idea, it's a fantastic competition and it's given the Welsh a wake-up call as well.

"It will be another test of character against Newport, there's only been a few points in it, it's just that we've taken our opportunities."

After the second clash between the sides, Williams claimed they knew how Newport were going to play.

Now he says a little more carefully: "We've watched the videos, and when Newport had to do it against Toulouse they scored good tries through their backs.

"When we played them in Newport we held Matt Mostyn up on one occasion and we pushed Ben Breeze out over the touchline on another. Everyone in the quarter-finals this weekend wants to win the competition."