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Competition breeds contentment for Leinster

The eastern province’s winning streak is based on intense competition for places.

NEW YEAR, CLEAN slate.

Connacht surely feel it’s the ideal time to wipe away Leinster’s long unbeaten streak while beginning a run of their own, away from a 2019 that ended with just three wins from eight.

Now, there’s a fair few hurdles and a Shannon-wide leap to come before the western province can make that a reality. On home turf Leinster consistently look untouchable and even with a gaggle of big names missing in this mid-season rest window, there are still internationals and Lions in harness to help keep their Pro14 points tally ticking upwards.

With the winning run now stretching 15 games back to the Heineken Champions Cup final loss to Saracens, all is rosy in the garden for Leinster. Such runs often serve to defuse a host of issues: fans forgive errors, journalists can’t avoid being positive and players cannot complain when they are replaced or rotated if the effect is another W on the board.

Rhys Ruddock has never been a man prone to being embittered when a coach’s selection call goes against him, but even his take on the current strength of competition for places verges on the sickly sweet.

“Honestly, I’d be more excited for them,” he says when asked about the latest impressive crop of back rows at Leo Cullen’s disposal – Max Deegan, Will Connors and Caelan Doris.

dan-goggin-is-tackled-by-caelan-doris-and-will-connors Caelan Doris and WillConnors tackle Dan Goggin in Thomond. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

Once ‘brothers’, now Leinster sound like one big happy supportive family. Who can stand such a thing this side of Christmas?

“It was only a matter of time from the performances they’ve been putting together, the way they’ve applied themselves to training and how keen they are to learn.”

Victories make everything in rugby feel a whole lot easier, not least a collective mentality. Or perhaps it’s more of a chicken-and-egg thing.

“It didn’t come as much of a shock or a worry, it’s more excitement for them to get the opportunity. They’ve been putting in big performances, hopefully, they can do the same tomorrow and they’ll be a step closer to being involved down the line.”

He adds: “They’re going to be great players… it’s not worth worrying about how good they become.

“I think everyone will be delighted to see their potential. The thing that we can focus on as players competing with them: is how good can we become?

“A little bit of competition probably makes everyone a better player and apply themselves even more.

The only thing you can really do is try and help everyone get better and when you can’t get in the team, work even harder and make sure you are doing everything you can to get in the team yourself.”

That same level of competition within the squad enables Leinster to put up a strong guard against complacency. Once a coach is willing to wipe the slate clean week-on-week, a player making a breakthrough isn’t likely to ease off the pedal if he knows the incumbent, or someone just below him in the depth chart, is ready and waiting to take the shirt back.

rhys-ruddock Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

For this evening’s inter-pro (kick-off 17.30, eir Sport), Leinster have handed a big opportunity to Ciaran Frawley at out-half ahead of the fast-rising Harry Byrne while Ross Byrne is rested and Jonathan Sexton progresses along a comeback trail that looks set to end in time for Ireland’s opening Six Nations match against Scotland.

Frawley will hope the carrying strength of Joe Tomane will help him put Leinster on the front foot and give him room to show his wares in attack through his running game and that intelligent array of kicks.

A week on from keeping a clean sheet in terms of tries away to Munster, defensive integrity was at the forefront of Leo Cullen’s thoughts after his side completed their preparation for Connacht yesterday.

“Their attacking shape causes us problems. You see the game last year, we had to score at the death having led by 17 points. They pulled us apart in several different ways, they like to attack with a dangerous back three,” said Cullen.

“Systems need to be good both sides of the ball. For 50 minutes against Ulster, we acquitted ourselves well but then we had mental lapses, an intercept try, dropping the ball.

“We need to tighten up and impose ourselves on the opposition and it will be challenging with a new team.”

Leinster:

15. Jordan Larmour
14. Fergus McFadden
13. Garry Ringrose
12. Joe Tomane
11. Dave Kearney
10. Ciarán Frawley
9. Luke McGrath

1. Peter Dooley
2. Seán Cronin
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. Ross Molony
5. James Ryan
6. Rhys Ruddock (captain)
7. Will Connors
8. Max Deegan

Replacements:

16. Bryan Byrne
17. Ed Byrne
18. Roman Salanoa
19. Ryan Baird
20. Caelan Doris
21. Jamison Gibson-Park
22. Harry Byrne
23. Cian Kelleher

Connacht:

15. Stephen Fitzgerald
14. Niyi Adeolokun
13. Kyle Godwin
12. Tom Daly
11. John Porch
10. Conor Fitzgerald
9. Caolin Blade (Capt)

1. Denis Buckley
2. Shane Delahunt
3. Dominic Robertson-McCoy
4. Niall Murray
5. Gavin Thornbury
6. Eoghan Masterson
7. Paul Boyle
8. Robin Copeland

Replacements:

16. Tom McCartney
17. Paddy McAllister
18. Conor Kenny
19. Joe Maksymiw
20. Sean Masterson
21. Stephen Kerins
22. David Horwitz
23. Tiernan O’Halloran

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10 Comments
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    Mute Keelan O'neill
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 10:23 AM

    Not deliberate. So the money was just resting in the player’s accounts before being moved on.

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    Mute Hirrison Mirk
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 11:19 AM

    @Keelan O’neill: right there Ted. Down with this sort of thing!

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    Mute SPQH
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 9:48 PM

    @Hirrison Mirk: even a Dyson isn’t going to vacuum up all the dirt on this one…

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    Mute Ave it
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 10:47 AM

    Nobody who wears tinted glasses is trustworthy

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    Mute Hirrison Mirk
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 11:20 AM

    @Ave it: What about Ray Charles?

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    Mute Graham Ross
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 12:05 PM

    @Hirrison Mirk: Stevie Wonder maybe but Ray Charles?! Have you not seen the movie???

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    Mute Hirrison Mirk
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 2:07 PM

    @Graham Ross: good point well made, at least his motivation was always obvious.

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    Mute Wheresmyjumper
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 10:25 AM

    The way people are going on about it you’d swear they were systematic drug cheats like the Russians, all they did was under handed pay their players off the official books which is against the rules of the league, every club in Ireland pays a few players under handed against the rules of the All Ireland League, should they all be kicked out vilified?

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    Mute s mc
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 10:36 AM

    @Wheresmyjumper: ballina got deducted points because they got caught

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    Mute Pat Ryan
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 10:36 AM

    @Wheresmyjumper: Don’t be bringing the GAA into this

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    Mute Wheresmyjumper
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 10:44 AM

    @s mc: Shannon were fined as well, my point is that people who just don’t like Saracens and are using this as stick to beat them with. At least it was excellent players who have a short career getting paid and that’s not a bad thing. It was rules not laws that were broken

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    Mute David Egan
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 10:48 AM

    @Wheresmyjumper: Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs might have a different view as to whether laws were broken. The Glasgow Rangers case springs to mind.

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    Mute Wheresmyjumper
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 10:51 AM

    @David Egan: i’m sure they’ll claim back the money so, as far as i know the HMRC are not involved

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    Mute Cormac Ó Braonáin
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 11:00 AM

    @Wheresmyjumper: if what you say is true, why would Sarries choose relegation over handing over their books!?

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    Mute Wheresmyjumper
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 11:06 AM

    @Cormac Ó Braonáin: no business in the world wants a revenue audit, they did their sums ans found this way was cheaper, other staff paid under the counter might also have got in trouble, I just don’t see this as much of a big deal

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    Mute Darren World
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 11:23 AM

    @Wheresmyjumper: what about the excellent players at other clubs being run correctly that have had medals taken off them and defining moments that they worked all their life for? Or the fans who spend thousands to follow them over the country being cheated? The correct action was taken to relegate them, and now further action should be taken by stripping them of their titles that they won through cheating. Its a disgrace if they dont check the accounts from every year and how that was an option for Saracens is baffling.

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    Mute Wheresmyjumper
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 11:27 AM

    @Darren World: i just think anyone involved with any club in Ireland knows this is going on so we can’t afford to pontificate from our ivory towers

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    Mute Darren World
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 3:30 PM

    @Wheresmyjumper: you are compairing it with an amateur league, completley different.

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    Mute tim dawson
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 3:36 PM

    @Darren World: how so? Isn’t cheating the same regardless? Aren’t excellent amateur players being denied trophies and medals and dozens, potentially hundreds of club members and fans being denied seeing their club win a trophy? Or do they not count because they are not Saracens? Remember professional rugby came about because the cheating became unhideable.

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    Mute Norris Kevin
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 5:09 PM

    @Wheresmyjumper: I dunno, let me see, knocked Munster out of two champions cup semi finals in 4 years. A competition where their seeding is based on cheating. Have a stronger playing panel also because of it. Before it was the champions cup it was know as the Heineken cup and Wray was at the forefront of having that changed to favour the english teams. Systematic financial doping…..nothing less

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    Mute Norris Kevin
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 5:14 PM

    @Wheresmyjumper: that maybe so – in doing so, you run the risks (when sport is a business, they are business risks). They got caught and the agreed and defined punishment was applied.

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    Mute Darren World
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 6:33 PM

    @Darren World: because you are in a league where it is not a level playing field. The AIL allow universities to offer players scholarships and can pay their college fee’s. Thats why its not strictly policed in the league. How can ya pull up a club for paying match fee’s in a system where players in that league are allowed get 3k college fees covered?

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    Mute Paul
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 11:41 AM

    We did not deliberately draw up all those non standard contracts like buying a % of a players image rights for an elevated non arms length valuation….sure it was all an accident really

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    Mute Glenbower
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 12:16 PM

    It would have got interesting if there was also a salary cap in the Championship (which there probably ought to be actually).

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    Mute Joe Conway
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 4:03 PM

    In being relegated to the Championship, where there is no salary cap, Saracens can keep all of their players! Now if you were to be cynical ….. Suppose they all stay and were to get say a 50% advance on their salary for 2021/2022 paid as a ‘bonus’ for winning promotion to the premiership in the 2020/2021 season!!!!!

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    Mute blindside
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 5:47 PM

    He looks a bit like father Romeo Sensini in that picture !

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    Mute Annaa69xx
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    Jan 23rd 2020, 11:51 PM

    my hot photos are here…

    http://69-chat.club

    only 18+

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