MORE SILVERWARE MAY be uppermost in the minds of Leinster fans after watching Ireland win the Grand Slam, but Leo Cullen isn’t going to count his chickens as the business end of the season comes sharply into focus.
A Guinness Pro14 and Champions Cup double is still on the cards for Leinster, but the physical reminder dished out by Alun Wyn Jones’ Ospreys team in their 32-18 victory over the Conference B leaders was proof enough for Cullen that his squad needs to refocus this week ahead of the Champions Cup quarter-final clash with reigning champions Saracens.
“It was a bit of a reality check for some of our guys because it was a tough, physical contest. We came off second best in too many of those contact areas,” said Cullen.
“It definitely gave us a good grounding ahead of next week and showed us the level we need to get to. We saw Ospreys play against Saracens in the Champions Cup in the drawn game at the Liberty and we know Saracens are going to be another physical team.
“We watched a little bit of their game against Quins and it is going to be a great challenge for our players to get back to that level. There is a hell of a lot at stake next week.
“Any thoughts of a league and cup double are miles away. Where we are at the moment is that this week we are taking on the two-time champions of Europe.
“It is hard to look past that at the moment. At least we have an eight day lead into that game and it is important for the guys to recover well and prepare well for next week because it is an unbelievable challenge for us.
“It sounds as though it will be a great crowd at the Aviva and we will certainly need every little bit we can get out of them against a team like the Saracens. There is a real focus in the group and the players will re-set their goals this week and assess what they want to get out of the season — it is a big week for us.”
Fergus McFadden and Noel Reid will have to undergo the back to play protocols after leaving the field with head knocks in the first quarter at the Liberty Stadium, while Dave Kearney will be treated for a left shoulder injury that restricted his game time to a mere 11 minutes in an extremely physical tussle against the Welsh region.
Victory would have secured qualification for the Pro14 play-offs with three games to play for Cullen’s men, but there shouldn’t be any problem in them holding onto their three-point lead at the top of Conference B with home games against the Italian duo, Benetton Rugby and Zebre, followed by a trip to Galway to meet Connacht.
“We would have liked to have pushed on a bit after seeing the Scarlets lose to Munster and create a bit more of a gap, because it is getting very tight at the top. There is a huge amount to play for before the end of the season and it is going to be a busy time for our medical department,” admitted Cullen.
“There were a few head knocks and we will look to get them back into things via the graduated return to play policy. Dave Kearney took a bang to his shoulder and was in a degree of discomfort, so we will have to see how he comes through.”
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Sickening how they’re dragging people over there and exploiting them by providing rakes of cash, world class facilities and a great lifestyle.
@The Guru: doubt the rakes of cash but everything else ok.
@Ger Buckley: if they’re any good it’s very lucrative. The average player salary is $370k.
@The Guru: He hasn’t a problem with that, he said he wouldn’t begrudge any of them going over that. His problem lies with the explayers, recruiting for the AFL, this is a valid point. In saying that the GAA needs to start thinking about financially rewarding players, at least the ones who get as far as a provincial final and so on.
How dare they offer them a wage for working. What is this world coming to.
Time to pay our inter county players on s semi-pro basis
He’s always whinging about something. Why wouldn’t ex GAA players do the recruiting. They are as he said ex players who have possibly given 10 to 15 years of their lives to the GAA without financial reward. If they now can make a few euros off the back of that then more luck to them.
@Manbackonboard: the last 20 years players are being poached from other counties and he has said nothing, now that it’s his own county he pipes up
@Patrick O Connell: wrong Patrick. He has always been against any kind of association with the afl. Constantly ridiculed the compromised rules series as he felt it was just an opportunity for the afl to poach players
@Patrick O Connell: he’s always been against it. Kyle Coney and Conor Mckenna are two of the more recent Tyrone players that had and have been snapped up by AFL. Coney took a few years to find his GAA form after returning from AFL. Mckenna is flying at Essendon
If St Jim Gavin made this point it would be taken as gospel but the fact it’s Mickey making the point means ‘ah sure he’s just whinging again’
@Mel Roberts: that’s a load of pony Mel, Gavin got as much stick as Mickey does if not more just because he’s a Dub.
ps: welcome back
@Mel Roberts: Not really though, but sure that’s more of the Tyrone “siege mentality” muck you’re usually spouting.
@my name: he definitely got nowhere near the stick Mickey has got over the years. Not even close. Only thing Gavin has ever got stick about is the fact he very rarely offers an opinion on anything. Just gave the media the usual sound bites so dunno how Gavin got any stick for offering his opinion when he never ever gave one. The league starting shortly, have to come back stir the pot for another while
@Mel Roberts: Gavin would just wish the player well
@John O Reilly: might have known you’d have to have a dig at harte. Favourite pass time of yours
The lad is 24 so he’s had time to have a good look at what’s here & what he could potentially make over there. At the end of the day it’s a big decision leaving family & friends but it is a personal decision so the best of luck to him whatever he decides. He’d be a big loss to Tyrone but maybe it’s time for some big company to offer him a job here that entices him to stay or maybe he wants to live the professional life for a while.
He’d be on less then 150k if that easily as a category B rookie he couldn’t command anything near 350k till his next contract, thats even if he makes it. Plus he would have to put in some exceptional seasons on top of that, if he is going to the Brisbane lions it will be big up hill battle to break into a top 4 team which busting at the seams with top end talent
@John Walsh: 150k as opposed to what exactly,nothing for playing for Tyrone,and swelling the GAA’s coffers !
@Gerry Campbell: I’m not against him making a $ more power to the all the players that cross codes just that commentary around it makes people believe gaa players are going to make big dollars over here its not that simple and he is a long way off from doing so, just as much as anyone else who takes a punt on an afl career.
Players like pearce hanley got big dollars because they went to poor clubs and had to be payed overs to keep talent like him which hasn’t worked out for the club in the long term because there a basket case.
But someone like zac touhy earned his big dollars after multiple good seasons at carlton who low balled him with a contract offer and geelong swooped in with an offer he couldn’t refuse.
@John Walsh: who said that it was going to be easy? All anyone is saying is good luck to him in his pursuit of those dollars.
And Mickey is not complaining about ex players getting lucrative management and training positions off the backs of current players
@Joe Clery: sorry Joe but that’s not exactly the issue at hand so why would Mickey offer an opinion on that whenever it’s got nothing to do with mcahane going to oz?
Every player is entitled to a free choice where they play Good luck to everyone
@pat seery: absolutely pat. And Mickey would agree with you too.
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Why shouldn’t Mcshane go he’s only 24 let him go get some sun in his bones and see how the other half play, if he doesn’t go he might regret it and then hate GAA and all to do with it go get it out of his system and then come back and for Tyrone if that’s what he wants Mcshane has to decide no one else can decide for him.
@Moya Power-kelly: nobody is saying he shouldn’t go Moya.