FOR A TEAM that has become so used to winning league titles, Friday night’s United Rugby Championship semi-final defeat will have felt hauntingly familiar for Leinster. 

There were moments during their loss to the Bulls which sparked memories of other notable Leinster defeats – specifically La Rochelle two weekends’ ago, La Rochelle last season and Saracens the two seasons before that.

This was a power-based team doing what they do well and causing Leinster all sorts of problems in the process. It’s important to highlight that the Bulls, La Rochelle and Saracens have all needed more than just brute force to get the better of Leinster, but it’s an unignorable thread all the same.

After the game, head coach Leo Cullen was asked if it’s fair to bunch those defeats – and some of Ireland’s struggles in the same department – under the one umbrella.

“No, it’s not a wrong analysis because there are similarities in terms of how some of those teams set up the game,” he replied.

“It’s one of the great debates really. There is that type of squeeze rugby. You saw it in the Lions against South Africa and that was two teams trying to play that pressure rugby game.

“That’s not necessarily our DNA and there are lots of different factors. How the game is refereed plays a part in that and some of those big turnovers, particularly when the conditions deteriorate but as well, and how we manage that as a team, as a coaching group and how we message.

We want to be able to play a more ambitious attacking game because there are other factors, and trying to get season ticket holders to come and watch the games etc etc. But that’s the bit that you need to have both parts to your game because if it turns into an arm wrestle you need to be able to play that type of game as well.

“That’s the part that we will always question ourselves but we want to stay true to the DNA of Leinster rugby as well. That’s the challenge for us. We need to be a bit more accurate in executing our game because when we get our game right against even a power-based team we can be a match for anyone.

“That’s the bit: be at our best on the biggest days. Unfortunately we weren’t today and that’s the bit we need to reflect on from an individual and collective sense.”

Leinster are certainly a better side to the one that lost to La Rochelle in last season’s Champions Cup semi-finals. Their attacking game in particular has moved to a new level, and when they are in full swing there are few better teams to watch. 

However as Cullen says, the problem has been what happens when the game doesn’t bend to their desired shape. 

Against a superb La Rochelle defence in this season’s Champions Cup final, Leinster barely fired a shot and that slick attacking game was nowhere to be seen.

Leinster's Jack Conan. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

On Friday, the Bulls’ impressive linespeed and aggression without the ball made Leinster look nervy as the setpiece wobbled and Cullen’s players made a number of uncharacteristic handling errors, the pressure appearing to take its toll on a group who were heavy favourites to collect a fifth straight league title this season.

There are not many departments in which Leinster look lacking, but against both La Rochelle and the Bulls they perhaps could have done with a bit more aggression and bite of their own – the type of presence previously supplied by the likes of Scott Fardy, Brad Thorn and Rocky Elsom.

It’s going to be an interesting summer as Leinster sit with the fact that such a promising campaign ultimately ended up being their first trophyless season since 2017 – with no disrespect to the URC Irish shield.

Munster lock Jason Jenkins will be on the books next season and Lyon centre Charlie Ngatai is also expected to join the club, while stalwarts Devin Toner and Seán Cronin head for the exits and Dan Leavy also hangs up his boots. There’s further change at coaching level too. Seán O’Brien will replace Denis Leamy as the province’s contact skills coach while they are yet to confirm a replacement for outgoing attack coach Felipe Contepomi, a living Leinster legend. 

These are important appointments to get right as Leinster look to come back stronger ahead of what should be an even more competitive and demanding 2022/23 season. It’s worth remembering that when they last failed to collect any silverware (2017), the won the double the following year.

“I do believe our game has come on a lot this year,” Cullen added.

“We’ve added plenty of layers to the game. It might not seem that when you come up with nothing at the end of the season, but you get to a Champions Cup final away in France, you’re so close, little bits of execution, but that’s going back to that point, we really need to be at our best on all the big days and it’s just little, little things we’re not quite nailing. That’s the fine margins, isn’t it?

That’s the bit for us just to keep working away on. It’s a long summer though, isn’t it, when you don’t have silverware and I guess everyone in the club demands that. It’s not that it’s an expectation, but there’s a demand for it. And that’s everybody, players, coaches, supporters, the whole shebang. 

“But there’s lots of progress in our game. Unfortunately when you lose in the manner you do today, it may not feel like that. 

“But yeah, that’s the reflection. Making sure that we’re right on the big days. 
As I said, I’ll look to myself first, how we go about setting up the players, but there’s plenty to reflect upon now. We’re all hugely disappointed, but we’ll come back stronger.

“As I said, I think the group have made progress in a number of facets and a number of individuals have made great strides this year as well, so I think they’ll be better for the experience, as painful as it is.” 

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