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Analysis

Leinster's young guns setting new standards for Cullen's squad

The likes of Ross Molony, James Tracy and Garry Ringrose were outstanding against Bath.

THERE WAS SOMETHING in the way Sean Cronin celebrated his try at the RDS on Saturday evening.

Cronin Heart

With the scoreline at 15-8 in Leinster’s favour before the hooker dotted down, it was clearly an important try in the overall context of this victory over Bath.

The intelligence and burst of pace to bring about the try were impressive too, but what we’re focused on here is the manner in which Cronin bounces off the ground and pounds his chest.

A simple act of passion from a passionate man perhaps, but we can also read it as the emotional response of a player who had to watch the man chosen ahead of him in the starting XV deliver an outstanding performance.

For 46 minutes of Leinster’s success, James Tracy played as if the rest of his career depended on him performing. The hunger, work rate, technical accuracy and sheer energy he brought at hooker for Leo Cullen’s side was infectious.

While Cronin obviously has a major body of provincial and international work to lean on, Tracy set a short-term standard that the replacement hooker had to hit.

24-year-old Tracy wasn’t the only one to provide that invigorating shot for Leinster on his first European start, with his fellow front rows Peter Dooley and Tadhg Furlong doing the same.

Ross Molony was man of the match in the second row after an exceptional European debut, while centre Garry Ringrose – on his own first European start – provided the latest demonstration of his exciting ability. At scrum-half, Luke McGrath played with the composure of a veteran.

Foundation

If everything begins up front, then Leinster were in a good place thanks to the superb performances of Tracy, Dooley and Furlong.

Tracy Hunger

We get a glimpse of Tracy’s hunger above, as he runs a decoy line close to the ruck, then works hard to get involved again as Ian Madigan darts at the line and gets away an offload.

An alumnus of Newbridge College, Tracy made his Leinster debut all the way back in 2012, but racked up only two further appearances over the next two and a half seasons.

He has earned nine appearances already in this campaign and looks like a man utterly determined to seize every opportunity.

Tracy Tackle, Steal

Above, Tracy completes a tackle on Anthony Watson as the Bath fullback counter-attacks. Not content with that contribution, the hooker works back to his feet and clamps into position for a superb turnover on the very next phase.

Tracy Tackle, Steal .1

It’s the kind of situation where a player is demanding more of themselves than might be obvious to others. Having completed the tackle on Watson a phase earlier, it’s unlikely anyone would have questioned Tracy for not being in the above position five seconds later.

It doesn’t take talent to do the hard work Tracy did so much of against Bath, a mantra that has been important in the Leinster group for a long time. Seeing a teammate put in this kind of effort consistently is inspiring, and Cronin took up the mantle when he entered the fray.

It must be said that Tracy’s throwing was excellent too, as he launched sharp darts into the Molony-run lineout. Technically, Tracy demonstrated his readiness for this level of rugby, as did all those around him.

Furlong, Tracy Hands

The catch and pass from Tracy to free Isa Nacewa up the right touchline in the example above is delightful. Inside, Furlong and the in-form Mike McCarthy do well to move the ball to the edge, but it’s Tracy’s pass under pressure that stands out.

With only a split second to transfer, no time even to glance out at Nacewa, Tracy shifts the ball across his body and then does well to stay on his feet in the hit. Indeed, he is involved in the very next ruck.

Furlong’s work rate here is exemplary too, while his sheer pace to keep up with Nacewa is a reminder of the New Ross man’s quality in the athletic department. A clean catch and pass, a burst of pace, then the handling skill to reel the ball in while on the move – not too many tighthead props have those abilities in their armoury.

Furling, Tracy .1

Furlong’s awareness shows his intelligence, as he is forced to pirouette to gather in the ball, but maintains a sense of where Matthew Garvey is. Once the ball is caught, it’s straight into Furlong’s left hand, allowing him to fend with his right.

23-year-old Furlong’s chances to carry the ball were limited to just two against Bath, but the example below highlights the cohesiveness of this display from Leinster.

Furlong Carry

There was a strong understanding of a relatively simple game plan across the board and Leinster performed very well as mini-units in phase play.

We see that above as Furlong picks and jams, benefiting from the supporting work of Rhys Ruddock – who was influential – Jordi Murphy and Molony.

Furlong Carry.1

Ruddock latches on to Furlong very early and hammers into Dave Wilson as the Bath prop attempts to assist Rob Webber in the tackle on Furlong. Ruddock’s preventative actions allow Furlong into a one-on-one confrontation with Webber, as the power of Murphy and Molony help him beyond the gainline.

Leinster loosehead Dooley – who has a GAA background, similarly to Furlong – got in on the ball carrying action impressively for Cullen’s men too.

Dooley Reaction

The former Ireland U20 international’s power was obvious throughout on what was his European debut and first senior start for the province.

At scrum time, Dooley combined comfortably with Tracy and Furlong, although there were not a huge number of scrums in the opening half of a lively game.

Engine room

Tracy’s accurate throwing helped to ensure the Leinster lineout ran smoothly too, though the work of 21-year-old Molony perhaps deserves most credit of all.

The former St. Michael’s man deflected credit onto the collective immediately after the game, but his calling of the set-piece in the biggest game of his career so far was consistently well thought out.

Molony Steal

Defensively, Molony and McCarthy managed to cause Bath a few issues, with the former helping to turn the ball over in the instance above.

Weighing in at around the 105kg mark, Molony has as much filling to do as the vast majority of locks his age. Certainly there is growth to come from Molony in terms of his overall mass, but that should be achieved at the expense of his current mobility and agility.

Molony Footwork

The UCD clubman is not the most explosive ball carrier in the Leinster ranks, but his clever footwork often allows him to make gains when it looks like he may be smashed in the tackle.

We see that above as the 21-year-old steps inside off his right foot to evade the onrushing Stuart Hooper, wriggling his way to the gainline with determination as he is felled.

In phase play defence, Molony put in a solid shift for Leinster too, demonstrating more good footwork and the same hunger and energy that seemed to flow through Cullen’s entire matchday squad.

Moloney Last Hit

Fittingly, it was Molony’s tackle on Garvey that forced the final turnover of the evening at the RDS, allowing Leinster to kick the ball out and confirm their first win of the European season.

Dancing shoes

The youngest of the Leinster men earning their first start in Europe on Saturday was Garry Ringrose, who turns 21 in just over a week. At that stage, the outside centre may well be in Ireland’s Six Nations squad, which is set to be named on Wednesday.

This is Ringrose’s first season of senior rugby and he has played only 10 times for Leinster so far, but all the signs are that he would be at home in Carton House over the coming months.

A debut against Wales on 7 February might be a stretch at this point, but Ringrose has stepped up to each new challenge in his career with utter composure. His first start in Europe looked like a walk in the park.

Ringrose Feet

Most of Leinster’s academy products have strong footwork, but Ringrose is a step above the rest. His ability to shift direction, slow down, burst back up to pace and change direction again is thrilling and allows Leinster to threaten from deep.

Another element to note from the above example is how Ringrose gets the ball back into two hands after he has beaten the first three defenders.

Ringrose Feet.1

It’s typical of Ringrose, whose powers of evasion are greatly enhanced by that constant blend of having the ball in two hands and then slipping it into one to allow himself to fend or sprint flat out.

It’s evident again below, as Ringrose delays his pass, luring Max Lahiff into racing up and leaving space in behind.

Ringrose Delay

Once the Leinster centre identifies the slow-moving Henry Thomas in front of him at that point, the ball is tucked into his right arm and he turns on the pace on that arcing line. Ball back into two hands, he sends Nacewa bursting clear on the touchline, taking a thumping hit from Matt Banahan for his trouble.

It’s worth noting the excellent decoy line Furlong runs for Leinster here, taking responsibility to tie down a couple of Bath defenders.

Ringrose Delay .3

Furlong’s straightening line draws the inside Bath defenders and also attracts Hooper inwards, providing Ringrose with further space to go at Thomas on the outside edge of the Bath line.

Ringrose’s impressive display was not all about his attacking prowess, as he beat Tracy to the top of the Leinster tackle charts with a hugely energetic performance without the ball.

Ringrose WR on D

Above we get a taste of Ringrose’s appetite for defensive work, as he engages with Kyle Eastmond powerfully at first, then instantly swarms after George Ford when he realises the ball has been shifted.

This play actually comes with Bath benefiting from an advantage, which they come back to, but Ringrose’s desire to make an impact is undiminished.

Ringrose Choke

It’s a similar story above, as Ringrose dinks the ball ahead and then works hard to make up the ground to the dithering Tom Homer, initiating a choke tackle that ends with Leinster being awarded the scrum.

As with Molony, there is a sense that Ringrose will physically fill out to a degree, but neither man is showing great signs of being affected by any lack of weight at present. Energy and work rate are among the reasons for that, but these young players are also technically proficient.

All the giveaway habits of well-coached and intelligent players are on show with these Leinster academy products, highlighting the good work of the likes of Girvan Dempsey, Richie Murphy [who has moved full-time into his Ireland role], Cullen and Kurt McQuilkin have done in recent times.

Ringrose, VDF on D

Above, we see Ringrose with his hands up in front of him even before the phase of play begins, allowing him to react effectively to whatever the ball carrier does.

Himself and Josh van der Flier – a relative veteran with three European starts  - take their tackle to Bath, chopping over the ground with good linespeed, then combining to get a forceful hit in on Francois Louw.

Even after the tackle, neither Leinster defender is willing to accept that Bath will retain the possession.

Ringrose, VDF on D .1

Both players attempt to barge beyond the ball, allowing Murphy to follow in behind and resulting in the possession being extremely scrappy for Bath. Van der Flier follows up by conceding a penalty, but these traits are highly positive from a pair of proactive players.

Marshalling

Underpinning Leinster’s entire performance was the sharp service of 22-year-old McGrath at scrum-half.

Like van der Flier, also 22, McGrath is swiftly taking on the appearance of a veteran for Leinster, particularly when the likes of Molony are making their European debuts alongside him.

But for a cruelly-timed injury, McGrath likely would have started a Champions Cup game before last weekend and there is no reason he should not be Leinster’s first-choice nine moving forward.

McGrath Pinches It

That is, unless Joe Schmidt decides to include him in his Six Nations plans.

We’ve already written about the vastly improved consistency of McGrath’s passing game this season, while his defensive skills have shown growth too.

His 5’9″ frame means he will often come off second best in direct one-on-one collisions with the biggest ball carriers, but he is an increasingly abrasive defender for Leinster and his sweeping has taken huge leaps of improvement.

Promising times

With an average age of just over 25, Leinster’s starting XV last weekend combined the youthful energy of the likes of Molony, Ringrose, van der Flier and Dooley with important leadership from the likes of Nacewa, Zane Kirchner and Ruddock.

While the disappointment of an early European exit will, and should, linger, the response from Cullen and his squad has been hugely encouraging.

Just a point behind leaders Scarlets in the Pro12, with a game in hand, last weekend’s European tie was the latest illustration that Leinster are on an upward trajectory after a difficult first half to the season.

Most excitingly of all, the latest batch of homegrown players is showing impressive ability and the potential for further growth.

Cullen has been somewhat cautious in unleashing his youngsters into the biggest fixtures, but their skills levels, energy, enthusiasm and work rate are setting new standards for everyone in the Leinster squad.

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