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Leinster players celebrate the win over Ulster. Billy Stickland/INPHO

'If you start giving away things cheaply in Thomond it can be a pretty tough day'

Leo Cullen won’t be caught complaining about the players available to him for Saturday’s clash with Munster.

THE SUMO ACRONYM is a regular full stop applied around Leinster HQ.

Monday begins with the review of the previous match. Win or lose, they nit-pick through their errors and figure out what they must improve on in the week ahead. The it’s ‘Shut Up and Move On’ to focusing on the next opponent standing in their wake.

So, having steered a team to the 100% winning record that Leinster still hold 12 matches into this season – a run that has featured all the disruption of losing swathes of players to the World Cup and bringing them back in while balancing the mood of the wider group – head coach Leo Cullen isn’t about to start complaining.

It is within Leinster’s grasp now to reach the turn of the season without a loss to their name. Munster and a sold-out Thomond Park are the last team that can deny them that feat, but Cullen isn’t bemoaning the fact that he may have to leave some of his international stars at home in cotton wool.

“It’s been planned out for such a long time now. We talked about this last summer, really,” says the head coach.

“There are limited resources in this country with regards playing resources. So it’s important we take care of the guys we have here and keep them in the country because they know they’ll be looked after here and not played into the ground. That’s not going to help anyone.

“It’s one of those realities that we all have to face up to and it gives us a great opportunity to see some of the young guys.

“We’ve worked hard to bring young guys through, so to have two ‘new Leinster players’ after today,” adds Cullen with a nod to Tommy O’Brien and Roman Salanoa who debuted in the 54-42 win over Ulster on Friday.

“When you’re missing a certain amount of players it just gives  younger guys an opportunity and that’s important for the overall development of Irish rugby.”

That said, Cullen will still expect to see more of a finished product that mere progress from his side in Thomond Park. Last season’s winter inter-pro in Limerick was a feisty affair that left Leinster bruised and beaten on their trip back up the M7.

“Last year we went down to Thomond and we had a bit of a wobble in the first half when we don’t get a lot of things right,” Cullen said last Thursday.

“We learned a lot about ourselves that day, but we’re back at that venue next week and we’ll see what that looks like. “

leinster-team-huddle Leinster gather after the defeat in Thomond Park. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

“Even that game, we’re back in that as well,” Cullen added post-match at the RDS on Friday, “and we throw an intercept pass again. They’re such momentum swings in the game.

“For us, we just make sure that we’re nice and accurate in the game and not giving up anything cheaply.

Because if you start giving away things cheaply down in Thomond it can be a pretty tough day down there.

“It’s a good challenge for our guys. It’s great really. We didn’t acquit ourselves well down there last year, so hopefully, we can go a bit better. We’ll see.”

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    Mute #JUSTICE4NOEL
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    Feb 16th 2019, 6:30 PM

    Why is there a Hollywood star in the picture lads?

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    Mute grandslamkbo
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    Feb 16th 2019, 6:48 PM

    @#JUSTICE4NOEL: Didn’t go for glory at the end either, just passed the ball on to COB to put the game away. Israel Folau should take note.

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    Mute William Finnegan
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    Feb 16th 2019, 9:34 PM

    @#JUSTICE4NOEL: sporting icon

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    Feb 16th 2019, 6:04 PM

    Fair play to Leinster, it got sticky in a game that should have been straight forward but they hung in there and got the job done and came home with the bonus point win. There were some very average performances in the first half, especially from the all international front row who were all outplayed but the half time chat got them all more focussed. Fardy did well and Deegan put in some big numbers. Thought o brien did well at 12 too and so did Gibson Park. Perfect result for Cullen, maximum points but plenty of work ons for the young lads come Monday morning.

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    Mute The_Muffin_Man
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    Feb 16th 2019, 6:27 PM

    Porter is one of the most overrated players at the moment. Has little to no influence over a game and is average at best. Without bias to munster I would put him below stephen archer

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    Mute Eoin Murphy
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    Feb 16th 2019, 6:32 PM

    @The_Muffin_Man: good joke im sure stephen archer is in the ireland squad too

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    Mute Michael Murray
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    Feb 16th 2019, 6:54 PM

    @The_Muffin_Man: well for the bench, Ryan a better all round option maybe.

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    Mute Fiachra Ahern Esq
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    Feb 16th 2019, 6:58 PM

    @The_Muffin_Man: about time someone called this. Porter is really struggling for form at the moment and it’s a worry if Furlong gets injured. The gulf is massive

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    Mute Rollander
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    Feb 16th 2019, 11:20 PM

    @The_Muffin_Man: what absolute shite talk. Porter is still firmly 2 for Ireland.

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    Mute Mike Rugby Nuts
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    Feb 17th 2019, 8:55 AM

    @The_Muffin_Man: I cringe watching him trot around the park. Nothing in open play but excellent in the scrum.

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    Mute Bob Joe
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    Feb 17th 2019, 1:49 PM

    @The_Muffin_Man: 1 bad game, he is a class ahead of Ryan. Deluded

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    Mute Anthony
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    Feb 16th 2019, 7:11 PM

    Carty has to start against Italy

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    Mute Jim Demps
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    Feb 16th 2019, 7:13 PM

    @Anthony: why?

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    Mute Ian Verdon
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    Feb 16th 2019, 7:46 PM

    @Jim Demps: Because he’s a Connacht player and Anthony is extremely biased towards Connacht players.

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    Mute grandslamkbo
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    Feb 16th 2019, 8:38 PM

    @Ian Verdon: had he led with Ultan Dillane, he would have snapped up 50 recs by now. Dillane was outstanding. Looks like he’s really enjoying his rugby.

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    Mute Ian Verdon
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    Feb 16th 2019, 10:00 PM

    @grandslamkbo: Yeah dillane is back to his destructive best, it’s brilliant to see. His carriers were so explosive tonight and I would love him to start against Italy.

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    Mute Anthony
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    Feb 17th 2019, 12:02 PM

    @Ian Verdon: haha keep biting lads lol

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    Mute rowan hill
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    Feb 16th 2019, 6:00 PM

    Lucky lucky boys

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    Mute Oval Digest
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    Feb 16th 2019, 6:04 PM

    @rowan hill: A lucky 16 point, 6 try win away? I’ll take it!

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    Mute grandslamkbo
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    Feb 16th 2019, 6:43 PM

    @Oval Digest: Yep. They really dicked about in those 10 minutes before half time. Lost composure everywhere and the state of that Dave Kearney ‘tackle’ for the 3rd Zebre try!! Their conference is as good as over but some of the players are trying to get back in the national squad. They need to do much better. But, like you, I’ll take it. Plenty of home games left aswell.

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    Mute mrbryanrussell
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    Feb 16th 2019, 7:14 PM

    10 points from securing 1st place at this stage. The league is brutal at stages (teams not sending teams to win away) tied in with Leinster being very good in others.

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    Mute Chris Mc
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    Feb 17th 2019, 12:00 PM

    Watched it again, COB , Doris, deagan and moloney where all very good.
    The best player on the pitch was JGP. His box kicks were very good and not for the first time this season set up a box kick and sniped a sneaky pass from the base allowing massive yards

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    Mute Santi Charlie Bravo
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    Feb 16th 2019, 6:32 PM

    You might aswell have called them “Zebra”

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