IGNORE THE EUROPEAN travails. Ignore the disappointing defeats that chequered the league campaign.
The table is a bad liar, and with only two games to go before the Pro12 play-offs, Leinster are right where they want to be. Top.
That could change this Saturday when they meet an Ulster side desperate for points to push them closer to the two provinces that they share a border with.
Desperation though, can work two ways. And Leinster will be an assured visitor with a confidence in the knowledge that the onus is on Ulster to force the issue.
Leinster, after all, have never called a first-place finish their objective. It’s a top two placing and the home semi-final that matters most before the Edinburgh final. To secure that, Leo Cullen’s men must keep their nose ahead of Ulster and third-placed Glasgow – eight and two points shy of the leaders respectively.
“It’s a huge game for them as well,” Devin Toner said in UCD yesterday, “but we’ve always been saying it’s good to have it in our own hands going in to the end of the season and getting that home semi-final is what we want.”
That’s our goal, that’s what we need and we’re going to do whatever we can to get it.”
A weekend of sparsely-populated Champions Cup semi-finals made most rugby fans on this island long for the days when Irish crowds thronged European cities for the occasion. Players can’t quite afford to look wistfully backwards in the same manner though, so Toner and his team-mates are hoping the weekend off can be a benefit ahead of the make-or-break portion of the campaign.
“We’re not happy not being involved in the Champions Cup, but as a whole we’re happy with how we’re playing. We were happy to get a bonus point against Edinburgh, not so happy to let three in.
“As a squad we’re in a good place, everyone enjoys coming in to work and it’s a good environment to be in. Hopefully we can build on that in the next couple of weeks.
Chill out
“The S&C guys could see a weekend off (coming), so it was a tough week last week. Friday was particularly tough. It was a good way to rejuvenate the body and lads are solely focused on this game coming in now.
“It’s not very hard to be motivated for games like these. When lads get the weekend off, they chill out and take time about things, but I don’t think we’ll have trouble getting motivated for this part of the season.”
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He’s not as disappointed as some on relation to how far off they are? They are miles off. No offence to Munster but they are an average,though very gutsy and committed side,and they have hammers Leinster twice in a row now. I do agree that they haven’t had any continuity with combinations,especially from 9-13,and hopefully when the likes of OBrien, Healy, Moore, Teo, McFadden etc come back then there will be a big improvement.
I must take the opportunity to praise Matt O’Connor for the huge improvement in Guinness Pro12 teams. Ever since he arrived at Leinster, every other team has greatly improved. Teams, that two years ago were almost brushed aside by Leinster, have now reached the heights that Leinster once inhabited alone.
Treviso have improved, Munster have improved, Edinburgh have improved, Scarlets have improved, Dragons have improved, Zebra have improved, Connacht (brilliant tonight, by the way) have improved..
In fact, they have all improved so much that Leinster has great difficulty taking on any of them.
By extension, Wasps and Harlequins have shown just how brilliant they are too due to you Matt.
I can hardly wait to see how much Castres get better when they arrive at the RDS soon. They will build statues in your image all over the town.
Matt, you have done European rugby a great service. They have all reached and surpassed Leinster this season thanks to your input at Leinster and everywhere else.
Thank you Matt and Happy New year!.
(and also to Mr Caputo, the news paper seller. Your influence on all other teams has been exceptional)