EDINBURGH MAY STILL be on top of the United Rugby Championship table despite their defeat at Ospreys, but they will have to be at their very, very best when they come to the RDS in two weeks’ time.
In the wake of their first defeat to Cardiff in the Welsh capital since 2011, Leo Cullen was unequivocal on the importance of the top-of-the-table clash with Mike Blair’s Scottish outfit in Dublin.
“It is looking very tight and congested at the top. We have no game next weekend, but we then play Edinburgh the week after and all our focus has to turn to that game,” said Cullen.
“Edinburgh have been going very well and we need a better performance. We have a lot of work to do if we want to stay at the top end of the league as it is a very competitive season.
“It is a huge game coming up against Edinburgh as we go into this block of five games during the Six Nations. There are lots of points up for grabs and it is important we put in better performances.”
It took a 45-metre kick from Jarrod Evans in the last play of the game to finally get Cardiff over the line and end a 16-match losing streak in all competitions to Leinster. They stood tall, stayed strong and celebrated as if they had won the tournament at the end.
That’s how much it means to beat Leinster these days, especially in Wales, where they had lost only once in their previous 16 visits. The key thing for Cullen now is that his team bounces back.
“For us it is very, very frustrating. There is a lot of stuff in our control that we can be a hell of a lot better at,” admitted Cullen, who had captained the last Leinster team to lose in the Welsh capital 11-3 on 19 February, 2011.
“There were parts in the game where we could be better. A few of our guys hadn’t played in a while so they will be better for the game.
“It was an exciting game, but frustrating from our point of view having been 24-19 up. We had a shot at goal from the halfway line that hit the bar and Cardiff did well to come back and score,” added Cullen.
“We showed pretty good composure and Ross Byrne did well to nail his kick to put us back in front. Then we had a marginal high tackle and a call by the TMO that went against us.”