FELIPE CONTEPOMI TODAY moved to back up comments made by Leo Cullen over the weekend as Leinster insist Johnny Sexton was not dropped for Saturday’s Pro14 semi-final win over Munster.
The Leinster head coach expressed his frustration at what he perceived to be ‘nasty’ headlines suggesting Sexton had been left out of the province’s starting XV for performance-related reasons after Ross Byrne was named to start.
Cullen took exception to the use of the word ‘dropped’ by some media outlets.
World Player of the Year was deemed fit to play after taking a full part in training last week but surprisingly had to settle for a place on the bench for the last-four tie against Munster, before coming on for the final 23 minutes at the RDS.
Cullen had hit out at the media’s role in ‘sensationalising’ some of his team selections after there had been much debate over Sexton’s omission from Leinster’s side along with Seán O’Brien, Rob Kearney and Scott Fardy as part of four changes the province made from their Champions Cup defeat to Saracens.
Contepomi, Leinster’s attack coach, remained firm in his message at this afternoon’s Pro14 final media day, insisting there was a universal agreement that it would be best for Sexton to come off the bench as fresh as possible.
“This has to be clear, Johnny was not dropped,” he said, when asked to clarify the weekend’s selection. “If that’s the way people want to see it or say it, that’s a perception or something that someone says from outside.
We, and when I say we, it’s not only the staff but the players as well, we all want the best for Leinster and Johnny demonstrated how great a team player and leader he is because he is the captain of the team. Coming back from a very bruised 80 minutes in the Champions Cup and all [after] he was injured.
“We thought, and everyone agreed, that maybe the best thing for him was to come off the bench and be fresh or as fresh as possible. He showed… his show and go and break, and I think sometimes… I’m not saying journalists but you want to have a headline of ‘Jonathan Sexton dropped’. We don’t drop him, we all agree and are in the same boat and Johnny is one of them.”
When asked if Sexton would return to the starting team for Saturday’s Pro14 final against Glasgow Warriors, Contepomi added: “We haven’t talked yet.”
Subscribe to our new podcast, The42 Rugby Weekly, here:
Shame management feel they have to justify their decisions to the media
@Coco86:
How long before Jim comes in and says something negative about Leo and Leinster :: probably about his bad timing Joke>>> but it keeps it away from Saturday and their coaches.
@Martin Quinn: about two and a half hours ago apparently.
@Bungee Aky:
Sorry dont see him !!
@Martin Quinn:
The G W coach response was “Leo is a good guy and what he said was a joke and he knows what we have been doing regarding our support “>>
It’s only a narrative being driven by Cullen to try and deflect from the calls for him to apologise about his comments about Glasgow. Stick the words Leo Cullen into Twitter and hit latest and you’ll see all the anger out there on the other side of the water, it’s on papers, politicians are tweeting about it, the lot. People can pawn it off as a joke and I’m sure that’s what the intention was but that doesn’t mean he was wrong. He completely misread this one and should own up to it. The lack of a story about it on here and on more of the national sites is very telling as to who’s paying the wages.
@Jim Demps: Jees Jim let it go, what he said wasn’t the must clever thing he’s done but I think you’re blowing it up a bit too much. Relax and try forget about it.
@Ian Verdon: why would Jim let it go? He’s found himself a stone to throw at Leinster which takes the focus off the pain inflicted at the weekend. You can be sure he’ll keep this one going as long as possible because no matter how much he may claim otherwise, Jim just does not like Leinster and will take every opportunity to try and tear them down.
@Jim Demps: There’s absolutely no way he meant it in a bad way but it was a shockingly ignorant comment from a guy who’s been a class act for his entire career. Letting it drag out is poor show. A simple apology is all he needs to make.
@Jim Demps: Munster fan living in Leinster 20+ years so obviously have a ‘second team’ affinity for Leinster. In my opinion Cullen is a decent guy doing a fine job. Usually honest and upfront as he can be in press conferences. Maybe he got this offhand comment wrong but I wouldn’t be point scoring on it. Jim – you are usually a fairly balanced contributor but I think you might be going OTT on this particular topic, you’ve had a couple of dabs at it over a number of articles. Might be time to let it go.
@Ian Verdon: Christ you’re a bore. Have you noting better to be winging about on a Monday? Did a quick google search there and the only two Scottish newspapers that even mentioned it are the Scottish Sun and the Scottish Daily Record. Funnily neither outlet are outraged.
@Rocky Raccoon: it’s seems to me you’re the one whining. I did read the relevant paper sources. I just have more things to worry about than to feel such disdain to go on two different articles and make a remark of what was said.
@Ian Verdon: the Munster twitterati have been banging on about this non story for days
@Jim Demps: Maud Flanders starting to hyperventilate.
@Ian Verdon: id only have to go on one article if it was actually covered. I’m not really having a go at Cullen, he made a mistake, big deal, he’ll apologise in his own way.
It’s the lack of coverage on here and other places that’s annoying. They are more than happy to put out hit pieces on munster and ulster when there’s a sniff of bad news or trouble but won’t follow suit on leinster. There wasn’t a single article on the 42 about the Leinster fan ejected and arrested from the Leinster ulster game for sectarianism – we both know how much coverage the ulster fans got v racing and the munster fan v saracens and here again there isn’t even so much as a single article about it. They’ve no bother in putting out that David Johnston piece on Sunday morning either.
@Jim Demps: I would love to have your life Jim, if my main concern was why the 42 haven’t produced an article surrounding the comments Leo made and how I feel they favour Leinster over the other provinces my life would be pretty swell I tell you. No need to make a mountain out of a mole hill Jim, relax maybe have a beer or a glass of wine and take your mind off it.
@Jim Demps: I always wondered Jim, does it ever get too warm under those tinfoil hats? And is it hard keep them on in the wind or do you use a bit of string or something?
@Paddy: ah now Paddy, Jim has said straight up he is a Leinster fan this coming weekend. He’s gone and bought the boat shoes, the Ralph Lauren polo (Extra large collar) and has a table booked in the Greenery saturday morning and a pre-ordered copy of the Thornley Gazette. Where is this Jim is anti-Leinster stuff coming from?
@Ian Verdon: I missed it, what did he actually say?
@Ian Verdon: every article that comes up he starts a row and takes over it, arguing and saying he is not shit stirring. He hates Leinster, end of.
@BrianBoru: lmao.. Jim’s second profile!
@BrianBoru: Jim’s other profile here
@Peter Vincent: nope, but keep trying the same comment over and over, that’ll work. Anything of interest to contribute other than that?
@BrianBoru:
Dont worry about that Brian , your point was made and as points go it was fair ::
You know Jim has spoken when a standard rugby article has 20 plus comments.
@Jim Demps: when I was at sea many years ago people like you were called shit stirrers. Usually they were better at it than you. Try to get past your bile at being beaten last Sat by a better side and cut out the bloody attempts to deflect from the situation by trying to do down a real gentleman!
@Tom Byrne: Jim has history having a go at people who don’t align with his rugby beliefs i.e. Munster comes first. He’s already branded Joe Schmidt an arrogant liar this year because he wasn’t picking certain Munster players.
@Jim Demps: You’re coming across as not well. Your comments are utterly bizarre.
@Andrew H: What’s bizarre is the lads who seem to live and breath what Jim posts and spend their days making personal attacks on the guy. As usual most of the replies don’t even mention the point he raised and just went straight to having a go at him
@Peter Vincent: I’d actually suggest Rochelle is. Very similar
@Jim Demps: Your losing the plot lad
@Eddie Hekenui: why is Jim so upset about a joke made about Leinster and Glasgow fans. He has gone on about it on 3 articles now. Looks like his day out in the big city has short circuit
@William Finnegan: Fair enough then debate his point but most lads seem more interested in just having a go at him than actually engaging in a discussion.
@Eddie Hekenui: dear Eddie. Please read elsewhere on here where I explained to Jim that he has completely misinterpreted the words of Cullen, at worst which were clumsy. To keep raising such an unimportant point on articles of a different topic is really strange.
@Eddie Hekenui: the discussion was had elsewhere. Continuing the same point is, well, hard to understand.
@Eddie Hekenui: the Dublin media debate is well worn out by now. If Jimbo was commenting in good faith I’m sure people would debate him. But he is salty AF that his team got smashed up, so he has to sling shite at Leo over a joke, on loads of articles. It’s pathetic
@Andrew H: There’s nothing strange about it. He’s a passionate fan acting out a little. He is going a bit ott but saying someone you’ve never met appears not well over a few posts on a stupid rugby forum is ridiculous carry on. But you’ve gone after people like that on a number of occasions. Says lots about the type of person you are.
@William Finnegan: It’s silly behavior but I find the personal abuse way more pathetic. Grown men and women losing their rag about what an irrelevant poster (no offense intended Jim as were all irrelevant) says and obsessing over his ever word is just ridiculous carry on.
I’m all for good rugby chat and a bit of provincial banter but this place has gone to the dogs. I actively avoid it in the day or two before and after a interpro games because the level of discourse is appalling and there is next to nothing interested or insightful posted.
@Eddie Hekenui: You’re a little odd yourself – you take me to task repeatedly yet you have no issue with Jim obsessing about Cullen’s character? And then your pithy comment at the end, which, to use your expression says a lot about the type of person YOU are.
If someone obsesses about Cullen inferring in the way Jim has, I’ll call him out on it. You just hadn’t read the discussion elsewhere, as usual.
@Andrew H: Thanks for the compliments. Who wants to be normal and yes my comment does say a lot about me!!
@Eddie Hekenui: I should be proud, there aren’t too many fellas who are living rent free in Dublin.
@Jim Demps: cop on. Why would you care what outrage Leo’s comments made across the pond.
Sexton was left off cos the Leinster management knew he wasn’t needed and were too polite to say so. He was protected from the cheap shots that Munster like to dish out to him and then brought in just to show them how lucky they were that he wasn’t playing all game
I think it’s fairly clear, he was dropped. He started one week and then was on the bench the following week, that’s exactly the dictionary definition of dropped.
There might well be very legitimate reasons for him being dropped, like tiredness, rotation, soreness, tactical etc etc, and nobody is saying Byrne is better but he was dropped.
@Bungee Aky: what does it really matter, it had the desired effect. Munster were beaten off the park once Sexton and the bench were put on….
@ℝ: it doesn’t really matter, but someone should really tell Leo.
@Bungee Aky:
On behalf of all of us (IMO) we will give you permission to voice those points to Leo anytime you get near him :: your our man Bungee Aky : I am suggesting you as any post you put out(IMO) we all feel you speak for all of us ::GO GO GOG GO Bungee Aky
@Martin Quinn: fair play.
@Bungee Aky: rested for the final a week later, Leo all league campaign has picked players who could do the job. Johnny was not needed but will be next weekend as we are playing the winner of the other conference in the league final.
With munster’s semi final record bective’s j2 would have beat munster.
Dropped? Na Johnny only plays the big games
@Bungee Aky:
Bungee Aky: your our man !!
I wish he and Murray were rested more during the last 6 nations
Sure the Old Boy ( Sexton ) needs a rest . He’s not as young as he used to be and not getting any younger either . Himself and Best might need some veteran care at the world cup .
Anyway neither should be handed their place in the World Cup on Past Reputations .
Just saying .
@Pl O’neill:
Dear “JUST SAYING” The old man came out and dominated the play for the last 2o min :: All we need him to do is one more game then we can put him back into his Hibernation Box and then bring him out when Joe wants him.
PS
There is room for one other do you think Murray would be interested ???
@Martin Quinn: Murray is living off reputation at the moment as well
How did we get to the world cup without giving their replacements more game time in big games .
@Pl O’neill: yeah, Murray’s passing and tempo has been slow and ponderous for while now, maybe Mathewson should’ve started last weekend
Embarrassing carry on from Cullen this week, has he even apologised for the sectarian comments?
@Rochelle: nobody cares. Jimbo stole your thunder
Starting Byrne was a master stroke. All the talk from the previous meeting was how Sexton was ‘got at’ and how it affected his game. The Munster tactic was obviously to repeat that but they didn’t really know what to do once the team was announced. Munster are badly coached and offered little last weekend.
Handbags.!.