A FAULTLESS POOL campaign was embellished with impressive testimonies of Leinster’s renewed European credentials, but a quarter-final shootout with the back-to-back defending champions will be a true measure of their progress.
Leinster may have considered themselves unfortunate to draw Saracens at this juncture of the competition after qualifying as top seeds, but Leo Cullen’s side will feel they are now ready to end Saracens’ two-year reign in Europe [KO 3.30pm, BT Sport].
Victory would add further weight to the assertions that the eastern province are in a strong position to end their six-year wait for a fourth European crown, but defeat would see all of their impressive work over the last two seasons unravel in one fell swoop.
When there is so much at stake, the margins between success and failure are incredibly fine, and the next 80 minutes are likely to provide an accurate appraisal of how far this Leinster team have actually come. The ultimate yardstick.
Cullen laughed off the idea that his side are favourites — the handicap spread has even extended to seven points in Leinster’s favour — for this afternoon, but when it comes to knockout rugby, the balance invariably tilts towards the home side.
Leinster have earned that advantage, dispatching Montpellier, Exeter and Glasgow in the pool stages, and their record in the quarter-finals is impressive when playing in front of their own fans — on six previous occasions, they’ve progressed to the last four in all but one year, namely defeat to Leicester in 2005.
In fact, their overall record in the last eight is strong, winning eight of their 11 European Cup quarter-final ties.
And with a host of Grand Slam winners back in the mix, the general consensus is that Leinster are well primed to dethrone Saracens and, more significantly, take a big step towards the rarefied heights of 2009, 2011, 2012.
“Is it time?” Cullen replied, when asked if this team needs to deliver something more than potential this season with the province’s last piece of silverware coming four years ago.
James Ryan during Saturday's captain's run at the Aviva Stadium. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
“It is very outcome focussed, is it not? We are more process focussed. We prepare, we prepare well, we think we have a good chance.
“That is the way we focus, we do not really focus about things we cannot control, we just focus on what we can control ourselves, making sure we all get our own jobs right in the lead in to the game, making sure we have the players in the best physical shape they can be in the lead in to the game.
“That is what is in our control. We cannot control what other teams are doing. It is important we just focus on ourselves.”
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What cannot be questioned, however, is this Leinster team’s capacity to be the best in Europe again.
They were by far and away the strongest and most consistent performers over the course of the pool stages, flexing their muscles with a bonus-point win at Scotstoun and then back-to-back victories over the English champions, and have built up serious momentum.
But the problem for Cullen and Stuart Lancaster is that a lot of water has passed under the bridge since that final pool outing in Montpellier and while they’ll hope to benefit from Ireland’s Grand Slam success, the challenge is reintegrating a host of internationals and hoping it all comes together on the day.
“It’s such a unique challenge, isn’t it?” Cullen continued. “Because it’s a week prep into a European quarter-final off the back of two clubs that have been doing two very different things over the course of a two-month period.”
Saracens had most of their internationals back last weekend, and the hope for Leinster is that the likes of Rob Kearney, Johnny Sexton, Dan Leavy and Cian Healy will all return physically and mentally fresher after a week’s break.
Fascinating match-ups all over the pitch means this one promises to be a cracker.
Sexton and the fit-again Owen Farrell, key playmakers in their respective systems, face off again a fortnight after Twickenham, while the second row battle between Devin Toner and James Ryan and George Kruis and Maro Itoje will have a big part to play.
Kearney is among the internationals back for Leinster. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
That Toner and Ryan continue their partnership from the Six Nations is down, in part, to Sean O’Brien’s failure to pass a late fitness test and a needs-must situation which sees Scott Fardy shift to the back row.
Jack Conan’s medial ligament damage, suffered in the defeat to Ospreys last weekend, hasn’t helped matters either, with Fardy deputising at six alongside Leavy and Jordi Murphy; Cullen has named two back row options — Max Deegan and the returning Rhys Ruddock — on the bench.
Elsewhere, it’s pretty much as you would expect. Fergus McFadden has recovered from a head knock to start on the opposite wing to James Lowe, with Kearney occupying the 15 jersey and captain Isa Nacewa back to partner Garry Ringrose in midfield.
A mix of youth and experience which has served Leinster so well, and players who have been here and done it all before, namely messrs Sexton, Kearney, Nacewa and Healy.
“It’s a blend,” Cullen said. “I think a blend is what we’re looking for, so hopefully we’ve got the right blend of youth and experience.”
Saracens, too, arrive locked and loaded.
Ford and Kruis have been declared fit while Mako Vunipola returns to the front row, and captain Brad Barritt starts despite undergoing cheekbone surgery during the week.
Eleven of the XV started last year’s semi-final victory over Munster at the Aviva, with Liam Williams, who scored three tries during the pool campaign, Juan Figallo, 19-year-old flanker Nick Isiekwe and Schalk Burger the new faces.
“They’ve so much quality throughout,” the Leinster head coach warns, glancing down the visitors’ starting XV with more than a hint of trepidation.
Leinster have nothing to fear though, as the onus is on them to take the game to the holders, lay down a marker and send out a serious statement of intent. They have the armoury to gun Saracens down, now it’s time to make it count.
Leinster:
15. Rob Kearney
14. Fergus McFadden
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Isa Nacewa
11. James Lowe
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Luke McGrath
1. Cian Healy
2. Seán Cronin
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Devin Toner
5. James Ryan
6. Scott Fardy
7. Dan Leavy
8. Jordi Murphy
Replacements:
16. James Tracy
17. Jack McGrath
18. Andrew Porter
19. Rhys Ruddock
20. Max Deegan
21. Nick McCarthy
22. Joey Carbery
23. Rory O’Loughlin
Saracens:
15. Alex Goode
14. Liam Williams
13. Marcelo Bosch
12. Brad Barritt
11. Sean Maitland
10. Owen Farrell
9. Richard Wigglesworth
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Jamie George
3. Juan Figallo
4. Maro Itoje
5. George Kruis
6. Nick Isiekwe
7. Schalk Burger
8. Jackson Wray
Replacements:
16. Schalk Brits
17. Richard Barrington
18. Titi Lamositele
19. Dominic Day
20. Blair Cowan
21. Ben Spencer
22. Alex Lozowski
23. Chris Wyles
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Leinster know only their best will suffice against three-in-a-row chasing Saracens
A FAULTLESS POOL campaign was embellished with impressive testimonies of Leinster’s renewed European credentials, but a quarter-final shootout with the back-to-back defending champions will be a true measure of their progress.
Leinster may have considered themselves unfortunate to draw Saracens at this juncture of the competition after qualifying as top seeds, but Leo Cullen’s side will feel they are now ready to end Saracens’ two-year reign in Europe [KO 3.30pm, BT Sport].
Victory would add further weight to the assertions that the eastern province are in a strong position to end their six-year wait for a fourth European crown, but defeat would see all of their impressive work over the last two seasons unravel in one fell swoop.
When there is so much at stake, the margins between success and failure are incredibly fine, and the next 80 minutes are likely to provide an accurate appraisal of how far this Leinster team have actually come. The ultimate yardstick.
Cullen laughed off the idea that his side are favourites — the handicap spread has even extended to seven points in Leinster’s favour — for this afternoon, but when it comes to knockout rugby, the balance invariably tilts towards the home side.
Leinster have earned that advantage, dispatching Montpellier, Exeter and Glasgow in the pool stages, and their record in the quarter-finals is impressive when playing in front of their own fans — on six previous occasions, they’ve progressed to the last four in all but one year, namely defeat to Leicester in 2005.
In fact, their overall record in the last eight is strong, winning eight of their 11 European Cup quarter-final ties.
And with a host of Grand Slam winners back in the mix, the general consensus is that Leinster are well primed to dethrone Saracens and, more significantly, take a big step towards the rarefied heights of 2009, 2011, 2012.
“Is it time?” Cullen replied, when asked if this team needs to deliver something more than potential this season with the province’s last piece of silverware coming four years ago.
“It is very outcome focussed, is it not? We are more process focussed. We prepare, we prepare well, we think we have a good chance.
“That is the way we focus, we do not really focus about things we cannot control, we just focus on what we can control ourselves, making sure we all get our own jobs right in the lead in to the game, making sure we have the players in the best physical shape they can be in the lead in to the game.
“That is what is in our control. We cannot control what other teams are doing. It is important we just focus on ourselves.”
What cannot be questioned, however, is this Leinster team’s capacity to be the best in Europe again.
They were by far and away the strongest and most consistent performers over the course of the pool stages, flexing their muscles with a bonus-point win at Scotstoun and then back-to-back victories over the English champions, and have built up serious momentum.
But the problem for Cullen and Stuart Lancaster is that a lot of water has passed under the bridge since that final pool outing in Montpellier and while they’ll hope to benefit from Ireland’s Grand Slam success, the challenge is reintegrating a host of internationals and hoping it all comes together on the day.
“It’s such a unique challenge, isn’t it?” Cullen continued. “Because it’s a week prep into a European quarter-final off the back of two clubs that have been doing two very different things over the course of a two-month period.”
Saracens had most of their internationals back last weekend, and the hope for Leinster is that the likes of Rob Kearney, Johnny Sexton, Dan Leavy and Cian Healy will all return physically and mentally fresher after a week’s break.
Fascinating match-ups all over the pitch means this one promises to be a cracker.
Sexton and the fit-again Owen Farrell, key playmakers in their respective systems, face off again a fortnight after Twickenham, while the second row battle between Devin Toner and James Ryan and George Kruis and Maro Itoje will have a big part to play.
That Toner and Ryan continue their partnership from the Six Nations is down, in part, to Sean O’Brien’s failure to pass a late fitness test and a needs-must situation which sees Scott Fardy shift to the back row.
Jack Conan’s medial ligament damage, suffered in the defeat to Ospreys last weekend, hasn’t helped matters either, with Fardy deputising at six alongside Leavy and Jordi Murphy; Cullen has named two back row options — Max Deegan and the returning Rhys Ruddock — on the bench.
Elsewhere, it’s pretty much as you would expect. Fergus McFadden has recovered from a head knock to start on the opposite wing to James Lowe, with Kearney occupying the 15 jersey and captain Isa Nacewa back to partner Garry Ringrose in midfield.
A mix of youth and experience which has served Leinster so well, and players who have been here and done it all before, namely messrs Sexton, Kearney, Nacewa and Healy.
Saracens, too, arrive locked and loaded.
Ford and Kruis have been declared fit while Mako Vunipola returns to the front row, and captain Brad Barritt starts despite undergoing cheekbone surgery during the week.
Eleven of the XV started last year’s semi-final victory over Munster at the Aviva, with Liam Williams, who scored three tries during the pool campaign, Juan Figallo, 19-year-old flanker Nick Isiekwe and Schalk Burger the new faces.
“They’ve so much quality throughout,” the Leinster head coach warns, glancing down the visitors’ starting XV with more than a hint of trepidation.
Leinster have nothing to fear though, as the onus is on them to take the game to the holders, lay down a marker and send out a serious statement of intent. They have the armoury to gun Saracens down, now it’s time to make it count.
Leinster:
15. Rob Kearney
14. Fergus McFadden
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Isa Nacewa
11. James Lowe
10. Johnny Sexton
9. Luke McGrath
1. Cian Healy
2. Seán Cronin
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Devin Toner
5. James Ryan
6. Scott Fardy
7. Dan Leavy
8. Jordi Murphy
Replacements:
16. James Tracy
17. Jack McGrath
18. Andrew Porter
19. Rhys Ruddock
20. Max Deegan
21. Nick McCarthy
22. Joey Carbery
23. Rory O’Loughlin
Saracens:
15. Alex Goode
14. Liam Williams
13. Marcelo Bosch
12. Brad Barritt
11. Sean Maitland
10. Owen Farrell
9. Richard Wigglesworth
1. Mako Vunipola
2. Jamie George
3. Juan Figallo
4. Maro Itoje
5. George Kruis
6. Nick Isiekwe
7. Schalk Burger
8. Jackson Wray
Replacements:
16. Schalk Brits
17. Richard Barrington
18. Titi Lamositele
19. Dominic Day
20. Blair Cowan
21. Ben Spencer
22. Alex Lozowski
23. Chris Wyles
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