LEINSTER ENJOYED THE simple and pure pleasure of downing one of their great rivals on their patch in La Rochelle yesterday evening but it came with several other benefits.
Leinster have qualified for the Champions Cup Round of 16 thanks to three wins from three games but the stoic 16-14 victory at Stade Marcel Deflandre also leaves them in position to top Pool 2 and advance to the knock-outs as one of the two top-seeded teams in the competition.
That brings with it home advantage throughout the knock-out stages before the final in Cardiff.
Leinster are on 13 match points, second only to Bordeaux on 15 after the French side’s latest bonus-point win against Exeter on Saturday. They have yet to face a top-class side but Bordeaux are a joy to watch with their array of attacking stars like Damian Penaud and Louis Bielle-Biarrey.
Irish attack coach Noel McNamara must be loving life with Bordeaux, who will look to make it a perfect 20 points by notching another bonus-point win at home to the Sharks next weekend. That would guarantee their status as top seeds, ensuring a home Round of 16 game, home quarter-final, and home semi-final.
If Bordeaux slip up at home to the Sharks, the beneficiaries will almost certainly be Toulouse, who are only a match point behind Bordeaux in Pool 1. Toulouse have a home game against Leicester to come this Sunday and will also be targeting a bonus-point win.
But only the winner of each pool can earn a place as one of the top seeds.
Indeed, by missing out on a bonus-point away to the Sharks last Saturday, Toulouse may have condemned themselves to an away quarter-final and away semi-final, even if they should be at home in the Round of 16.
Leinster should be aiming to finish as the number two seeds, which would guarantee Leo Cullen’s men a home Round of 16 game, home quarter-final, and home semi-final.
Leinster are at home to Bath in their final pool game this Saturday at the Aviva Stadium and that should be another cracking clash given that Johann van Graan’s men beat Clermont 40-21 yesterday to reignite their campaign following two defeats last month.
Still top of the Premiership, Bath can play some lovely attacking rugby with Finn Russell pulling the strings. Nonetheless, Leinster will be hoping for a bonus-point win to seal status as second seeds.
They will have to keep a close eye on Toulon’s visit to Sale Sharks in the very last game of the pool stages on Sunday evening, given that the French side have won their three games so far to also sit on 13 match points, albeit with a points difference of +23 compared to Leinster’s +33.
Sale can still reach the knock-out stages so Leinster will hope that the English side can do them a favour.
Even a win without four tries could be enough for Leinster to be one of the top two seeds, depending on how Bordeaux and Toulon do.
At the other end of the Champions Cup equation, Ulster’s hopes of a Round of 16 tie are not mathematically dead but they would need to produce a massive bonus-point win against Exeter on Friday night and hope the Sharks get nothing from their visit to Bordeaux.
Following their defeat in Leicester, Richie Murphy’s side have zero match points from their three games. Exeter are in the same boat with zero points so this clash in Belfast on Friday will almost certainly decide who drops into the Challenge Cup Round of 16.
Unless one of them has a gigantic bonus-point win and the Sharks get no match points against Bordeaux, the winner of this Ulster v Exeter tie will be away from home in the Challenge Cup Round of 16.
Munster’s stirring victory at home against Saracens on Saturday revitalises their campaign and they will take on Northampton at Franklin’s Gardens this Saturday afternoon with hopes of earning a favourable knock-out tie. A win would ensure Munster top their pool, earning a home Round of 16 and home quarter-final.
Northampton had been in contention for top seeding until their defeat away to Stade Français on Saturday. The reigning Premiership champions were in a winning position in Paris but gave it up and though they can still be Pool 3 winners, the chance for a top-two seeding appears to be gone.
Munster are currently second in Pool 3, with that spot guaranteeing a home Round of 16 tie, but given that third-placed Saracens are at home to Castres this Sunday and likely to win, the Irish province will probably need to grab a victory in Northampton and top the pool.
Presuming that Saracens will win at home to Castres, a losing bonus point for Munster in Northampton should be enough to confirm third place in Pool 3 but that would mean taking to the road in the Round of 16. Munster have lost away games at that stage for the last two seasons, so they need something special against Saints.
In the Challenge Cup, Connacht’s third bonus-point win from three games leaves them as the only team in the competition on the maximum of 15 match points.
They still have a big game ahead on Friday night in Cardiff as they look to confirm top seeding for the knock-out stages. Montpellier, who are away to Newcastle on Friday, have 14 match points after three games.
Even a single losing bonus point would be enough for Connacht to top their Pool 1 and almost certainly grab status as second seeds, unless Edinburgh hammer Black Lion.
So all four Irish provinces have reasons to go hard at this final week of pool action as the jostling for favourable knock-out games reaches a crescendo.
- This article was updated at 9.37am to outline Toulouse’s situation in Pool 1.
Mega :)
Blessed with such strength and depth now, hope we make the most of it. Heres to a healthy and successful 2015!
Have you been watching the provinces recently? Scrums in reverse all over the gaff.
Two world class players that I wish were kiwi. Hopefully they’ll bring back what Leinster have been missing.. Grunt and efficiency up front combined with some destructive ball carrying.
Great news coming into world cup year but the best thing is, they won’t just walk back into the team, they will have to fight for their place because the other lads have done so well in their absence. Happy days.
If fit both are automatic choices.
Nobody has come anywhere near performing even close to healys level. Scrum has been going backwards for ages.
The boys are back in town :-)
Hope Sean takes his time and comes back without injury concern. God have mercy on any team facing both him and Healy back on form! Exciting times ahead.
We still have time to sharpen up and blow Wasps and Castres away in January. Positive vibes chaps! Is MOC giving in on his stubborn ideology a little or is that just me? The last 3 games seem to be at least TRYING to sort out the problem areas? Is it just my wishful thinking?
Cian until we play with half backs that can move the ball we will not get any better.
No back tries created since away to traviso.
Reddan (Mc Grath 21), Madigan 10, Reid 12, Fitzy 13 please please please
Leinster have been getting very little forward ball for the their half backs to be fair.
Brilliant news, possible inclusion for the last two crucial pool games of the Champions Cup would be excellent and have them battle hardened for the 6 Nations :)
As Leinster was the only Irish team to win last weekend and showed a marked improvement in cohesiveness, when these two players become available it can only strengthen the squad. Running the ball requires winning the ball first and that is why the old saying ” forwards win matches the backs by how much”. Next Friday will show just how much Leinster’s forwards have improved as I am quite sure the breakdown will be contested with the usual Munster vigour that earned them a comprehensive win last time out.
Brian the breakdown was handed to Munster because someone though it was a good idea to put only one or two players into the ruck v Munster.
Hopefully Leo will have enough balls about him to speak up this time and tell Matt that unless your forwards meet Munster head on with at least if not more numbers at the ruck your going to get your ArSe handed to you