IT’S YEAR TWO of the Jacques Nienaber-Leinster project, and already the province’s players look more at ease with the South African’s defensive system.
Nienaber arrived halfway through the season last year after helping the Springboks land back-to-back World Cups, and across his first months with the province Leinster at times looked vulnerable in defence.
There is an element of risk involved with Nienaber’s aggressive, high-energy defensive approach. Ulster memorably picked holes in the Leinster backfield through the boot of Billy Burns as they pulled of a brilliant win at the RDS last January, while Northampton Saints did similar to give Leinster a late scare in their Champions Cup semi-final at Croke Park.
This season Leinster feel they have a better grip on Nienaber’s ideas. Crucially, the South African had a full pre-season with his players and Leinster have hit the ground running in the URC. Leo Cullen’s team have taken 20 points from their opening four games and have leaked just eight tries – only the Bulls and the Lions, who both have games in hand on Leinster, have conceded fewer tries.
Saturday’s bonus-point defeat of Munster saw Leinster produce some impressive defensive moments.
While Leinster raced into a 26-5 half-time lead, Munster battled hard and managed to create linebreaks, only for Leinster’s scramble defence to recover.
Leinster feel they have an increased sense of clarity around their roles and are taking pride in their defensive work, with big defensive wins being celebrated as heartily as a try.
One such example came an hour into Saturday’s match, when Leinster centre Jamie Osborne shot up to deliver an excellent tackle on Alex Nankivell – as a play which began with a Munster scrum in the Leinster 22 ended with Leinster winning a penalty.
It’s a superb read by Osborne, who then manages to drive Nankivell back before Leinster get support players in to keep the pressure on and get the decision from referee Chris Busby.
It’s just one snapshot from a collectively strong defensive performance. Leinster captain Caelan Doris led that effort with 17 tackles, while forcing two turnovers.
“I think there’s more understanding in what we want to do, there’s more clarity within it and our work-rate,” Doris said.
“Even if they do want to beat us out wide, our want to scramble hard for each other has improved definitely off the back of last year. It’s still by no means perfect, but yeah, improved on last year.”
“This time last year Jacques hadn’t arrived,” added Leinster head coach, Leo Cullen.
“His World Cup was going on. It was interesting watching back at that Round 6 game [against Munster] last season because you tend to forget that Jacques arrived the week after.
“There is a lot clearer understanding having had that pre-season. We’re making progress, guys are working hard and there is a deeper understanding there but it is still such early days. We just need to keep adding parts to our game.
“We’re moving along in the right direction.”
Nienaber and Cullen will also have enjoyed how Leinster recovered from a Tom Farrell linebreak in the first half.
With the home side 21-0 up, Munster centre Farrell punches a hole in the Leinster defensive line before linking up cleverly with Craig Casey and Nankivell.
Casey then sends a bridge pass wide to Sean O’Brien, but Hugo Keenan and Ciarán Frawley combine to put pressure on the Munster winger, as Andrew Porter tracks across to protect the tryline.
“Andrew Porter is busting a gut to get back at that point,” Cullen said. “And everyone is getting back to the line, Munster are very good when they are five metres out.
“We scramble well on our tryline. Eventually Munster do play out of that sequence, and we come up with some big reads there, and good pressure. That’s what you want to see and that’s why the fans turn out to watch it as well.”
As pleasing as that defensive effort was, Doris took greater satisfaction from how Leinster came flying out of the blocks, running up a 21-0 lead inside the opening 21 minutes. Leinster were similarly clinical away to Benetton a week previously, scoring three tries and one penalty try within 30 minutes.
Yet in both games Leinster struggled to produce the same ruthlessness after half time. The province were held scoreless by Munster across the second 40 in Croke Park, while a converted try in the 78th minute represented their only second-half points at Treviso.
“I don’t think it’s a trend,” said Doris. “There were things we had to deal with in that second half (against Munster) that probably we adapted well to; lads playing in different positions, we had a couple of props in the back row at one stage.
“I know we didn’t score in the second half but I think we still dealt with things pretty well. But probably the fast start is the most pleasing thing.
“There’s still plenty of growth in there, plenty of things we can get better at. Discipline allowed Benetton last week and Munster back into the game. Of course, part of that is the quality they have and putting us under pressure that led to ill-discipline, but some of it is in our control as well so there’s plenty of growth and there’s plenty of want within the group to get better as well. It’s still definitely early days.”
