Updated at 9.01
LEINSTER HEAD COACH Matt O’Connor believes Leinster have put their patchy early-season form behind them as they look to make it four wins on the bounce when they welcome Edinburgh to the RDS this evening.
Away victories on the continent over Zebre and then Castres in the European Champions Cup book-ended a hard-fought win over Wasps a fortnight ago and O’Connor is adamant the group have got their attitude right ahead of their return to Pro12 action.
“Three wins back-to-back. Two very tough wins in Europe and a hardy away win in Zebre is worth taking a lot of confidence out of. From that end we’ve been happy with out form,” O’Connor said shortly after naming his side to face Edinburgh.
Kevin McLaughlin returns from injury to captain the side in one of eight changes from the win in France last week and with a host of players away on international duty, O’Connor claims the group have benefited from change this week.
“It’s a bit of a new group we’ve got this week, so we, me, the leaders have spoken a lot about making sure we get the attitude right. We make sure that we are incredibly hard on ourselves to deliver a quality performance.”
“I think if we can do that then we’ll be okay.”
Edinburgh arrive in Dublin with as many as eighteen players unavailable through injury or international commitments. Despite the Scottish side coming into the game off the back of just two victories from their opening six games of the campaign, McLaughlin is not taking anything for granted.
“We’re expected to win it, we know that,” he said. “I was just looking at their team and although they’ve a few injuries, they’ve got a lot of dangerous players. Tim Visser, Tom Heathcote and a lot of experience in the back line with Dave Denton because he’s dangerous.”
“We know they play a physical game but we only beat them by three points here last year and they beat us away. So we’re not going to take the challenge lightly. We’re going to make sure we’re switched on.”
Edinburgh play a very physical game. We only beat them by three points at home last year and they beat us away. So we’re not going to take the challenge lightly, we’re going to make sure we’re switched on. But obviously we’re going to look to win, we always look to win at home.
Fair play to Leinster ,and to heaslip , who’s balls I have broken for a while now , he was top shelf lately when they needed him.
Agree totally about Heaslip. I put my hand up as a Heaslip basher too. Eating humble pie now and gladly admit it. But as to turning a corner, stillthink there is a lot of work to be done.
I know every coach has his own style but why in the name of god did O’Connor go in the complete opposite direction to what Schmidt was doing at Leinster. He has turned ye from one of the best ball handling sides in the world to a side that now can’t string 5 passes together without someone dropping it or putting boot to ball. The sooner he goes the better it will be for Leinster and Irish rugby.
From all his soundbites and the evidence of past games, MOC seems to be a guy who tells his players to try Plan A, and if that doesn’t work, to try Plan A harder
Plan b is a fallacy. There’s the gameplan and there’s playing heads up when the opportunity arises. Coming up with one gameplan is hard enough, getting 23 guys on the same page about two gameplans is a waste of time.
I guess so, mate. It depends on the way you look at it. Maybe what I mean is that Leinster are pretty one-dimensional under MOC. Coaches should be able to tweak things at half time. Plus Leinster are lacking technically in a lot of areas, hence my suggestion that MOC just tries to get the players to try the same stuff with more intensity
Leinster were great to watch under Schmidt now they are a bore.
When Schmidt landed he could do no right , look at him now “loike”
That lasted for all of a few weeks though. We’re a season and a bit in and they’ve still only been impressive twice. Northampton away and the Pro12 final. Every time they win there’s the feeling that it was unconvincing and a bit jammy. I don’t get anything like the enjoyment from watching them play that I used to. Still just as big a supporter but there are too many ugly wins.
Your turnip stew is going cold buddy.
Ya not alone I’ve felt like that since kidney left Munster :)