IT WASN’T QUITE a perfect night out in Pool 2 for Leinster, but it was pretty damn close.
Granted, Castres were not exactly at Saracens levels of intensity and purpose, but to put seven tries and 50 points on any team in this tournament is a result worth celebrating.
Immediately after the full-time whistle, with Harlequins yet to collapse against Wasps, the factor that appeared to please Matt O’Connor most was not the clinical finishing shown by his back line, nor the fact that they started and finished strong. It was that he was able to take players out of the firing line nice and early with the bonus point in the bag.
“The luxury of getting guys off by 50 or 60 minutes will be important in the freshness for next week,” said the Australian.
Jamie Heaslip and Marty Moore were two of the men called ashore after 50 minutes. The captain was visibly icing his shoulder after another bang, but O’Connor dismissed any suggestion that it was any more than that.
Moore also received treatment during his run-out, but he too was precautionary withdrawal as he builds his match fitness.
“I thought Marty played very well. Off the back of his shoulder injury, he needed to play, needed to get some game minutes under his belt so that we could make the best assessment for next week.
Thankfully, all the front rowers got through the game. We can have a look at that and work out who the best blokes are to get the job done next week.
As ever, O’Connor would offer no hints as to who exactly those blokes might be. With Mike Ross not in the 23 today, the Australian has a surplus of options in that area. The same is the case in midfield, where the form – and more importantly fitness – of Luke Fitzgerald is allowing O’Connor even more luxury in that he can rest star names.
“We chose to rest Benny Te’o. He had sore ribs from the game last week. Darce is there, so we’ve got a few options. We’ll sit down and look at ‘Quins v Wasps now and work out who the best guys are to get the job done.”
Leinster don’t have to be perfect away to Wasps next week either, but if it goes half as well as this one, they’ll be a dangerous and confident team going to the quarter-finals.
Wasps upset Harlequins to set up winner-takes-all clash with Leinster in Coventry
