IT’S ALL ON the line at the semi-final stage and on top of shoring up a defence which has sprung its fair share of leaks in recent weeks, Leinster are intent on showing their best Cup Rugby this Sunday.
Familiarity through the pool stage meetings hasn’t bred so much contempt as mutual admiration between four-time champions. And the round two meeting in Toulouse has already been the source of a few lessons for last year’s double-winners.
Scrum-half Luke McGrath will probably remember the loss longer than most, as it was his loose pass which was intercepted to spark the thrilling counter attack for Maxime Medard’s brilliant bonus point-winning try.
“They punished us when we were sloppy over there as well. We’re going to have to keep the ball for long phases and periods,” said McGrath this week, signalling an intent that Leinster attempt to wear down their guests at the Aviva Stadium rather than get sucked into another high-tempo shoot-out.
“The first match, I don’t think we respected the ball as much, we gave up loose ball on counter attack. The backs started offloading and we couldn’t slow them down.
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“In the second game (a January win in the RDS), we were much more controlled. There was a bit of wind in the first half and we controlled that well and played the territory second half. That was something we improved on, but they were two incredibly difficult games and we know what we’re in for on Sunday.
“Their offloading game, they have their flair back from what they had a few years ago.
We can’t kick loosely to them or their counter attack Will punish us. We’ll have to have a real accurate gameplan and that’s something we’ll focus on.”
Lancaster carries the tackle bags to training on Monday. Laszlo Geczo / INPHO
Laszlo Geczo / INPHO / INPHO
The other key facet of that gameplan will be around the defence, particularly after shipping eight tries at home to Glasgow and Benetton. McGrath feels that the lapses were matters for individuals after one-on-one slippages, and the senior coach responsible for the defence will challenge his charges to snuff out the opportunities for Toulouse to show their wares.
“It’s a team thing, defending against the counter attack,” says Stuart Lancaster.
The main thing is not to give them ball cheaply – one of the things we did over there by kicking loosely or offloading a 50-50, it ends up on the floor and in their hands.
“It’s not about who’s at 15, it’s about the mentality of the group having a mindset to attack, but doing it in a way that means you can retain the ball and build pressure on them.”
Building pressure means prolonged periods of phaseplay and extended bouts of exertion, something that has become a Leinster trademark and it’s down in no small part of Lancaster’s infamous heart-racing ‘Stuesday’ training sessions.
Last Friday, the senior coach was able to take a session with players – including Jonathan Sexton – who were not involved in the following day’s clash with Glasgow Warriors.
“It wasn’t quite a ‘Stuesday,’” he insists, but the players took the benefit of it into the weekend none the less.
“The players might say it was. I didn’t think it was too hard, but the boys were blowing a bit.”
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Leinster plugging leaks and tightening up for tussle with Toulouse
IT’S ALL ON the line at the semi-final stage and on top of shoring up a defence which has sprung its fair share of leaks in recent weeks, Leinster are intent on showing their best Cup Rugby this Sunday.
Familiarity through the pool stage meetings hasn’t bred so much contempt as mutual admiration between four-time champions. And the round two meeting in Toulouse has already been the source of a few lessons for last year’s double-winners.
Scrum-half Luke McGrath will probably remember the loss longer than most, as it was his loose pass which was intercepted to spark the thrilling counter attack for Maxime Medard’s brilliant bonus point-winning try.
“They punished us when we were sloppy over there as well. We’re going to have to keep the ball for long phases and periods,” said McGrath this week, signalling an intent that Leinster attempt to wear down their guests at the Aviva Stadium rather than get sucked into another high-tempo shoot-out.
“The first match, I don’t think we respected the ball as much, we gave up loose ball on counter attack. The backs started offloading and we couldn’t slow them down.
“In the second game (a January win in the RDS), we were much more controlled. There was a bit of wind in the first half and we controlled that well and played the territory second half. That was something we improved on, but they were two incredibly difficult games and we know what we’re in for on Sunday.
“Their offloading game, they have their flair back from what they had a few years ago.
We can’t kick loosely to them or their counter attack Will punish us. We’ll have to have a real accurate gameplan and that’s something we’ll focus on.”
The other key facet of that gameplan will be around the defence, particularly after shipping eight tries at home to Glasgow and Benetton. McGrath feels that the lapses were matters for individuals after one-on-one slippages, and the senior coach responsible for the defence will challenge his charges to snuff out the opportunities for Toulouse to show their wares.
“It’s a team thing, defending against the counter attack,” says Stuart Lancaster.
“It’s not about who’s at 15, it’s about the mentality of the group having a mindset to attack, but doing it in a way that means you can retain the ball and build pressure on them.”
Building pressure means prolonged periods of phaseplay and extended bouts of exertion, something that has become a Leinster trademark and it’s down in no small part of Lancaster’s infamous heart-racing ‘Stuesday’ training sessions.
Last Friday, the senior coach was able to take a session with players – including Jonathan Sexton – who were not involved in the following day’s clash with Glasgow Warriors.
“It wasn’t quite a ‘Stuesday,’” he insists, but the players took the benefit of it into the weekend none the less.
“The players might say it was. I didn’t think it was too hard, but the boys were blowing a bit.”
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Champions Cup cup rugby Leinster Toulouse