LEINSTER HAVE HAD some big wins in France before. The 2012 semi-final against Clermont in Bordeaux springs immediately to mind.
The brilliant Joe Schmidt-designed set-piece try finished by Cian Healy. The ferocious defensive grandstand in the closing stages as Clermont battered the Leinster tryline. They held out for a 19-15 victory that sent them on to win the Heineken Cup for the third time.
There was the Toulouse quarter-final in 2006 when Denis Hickie’s wonder try was crucial to Leinster causing a big upset.
A few other wins in France are among Leinster fans’ fondest memories but last weekend’s victory in La Rochelle jumps right into the mix. It was a pool game, sure, but it mattered because it ended the Top 14 side’s winning streak against Leinster, as well as ending their run of 16 consecutive victories in the Champions Cup.
“Winning away in France, it’s hard to do,” said Leinster boss Leo Cullen. “History shows that.
“It definitely gives us the confidence but it’s turn the page and on to the next one pretty quickly.”
While Leinster immediately turned their focus to welcoming Sale to Dublin this Saturday, the rest of us can dwell on what last weekend means for the bitter rivalry between the Irish province and La Rochelle.
This win in France seemed like a crucial mental step for Leinster after their run of pain against La Rochelle, but Cullen insisted that the outside narrative has had no bearing on his side.
“When you don’t beat a team, then it becomes the narrative, doesn’t it, about all the things that they are great at doing,” said Cullen.
“The reality is that they’re unbelievably tight games; maybe the semi-final here a few years ago wasn’t particularly close in the end, even though we had lots of chances within that game, but there was a period where we had a bit of a wobble midway through the second half.
“With La Rochelle, it’s unbelievably tight. On another day… that’s what we talked about leading into the game, we talked about how we’d manage the last 10 minutes and the pleasing thing is we managed that last 10 minutes much better.
“So, it’s not so much this psychological piece. Let’s break down the game, minute one into the 80th minute of the game and beyond that even as well, and we were just much better at doing that today.
“That’s credit to the players, they’re learning the pieces all the time and if we get into that situation again, we’re better for it.
“It’s the narrative, isn’t it, breaking down what’s in the actual reality versus the media narrative. So it’s important that we understand what’s actually happened in games we’ve lost, and the biggest games we’ve lost, finals and all the rest.
“I don’t buy into the narrative as much as you might think.”
For Cullen, it’s about the next job and in that sense, he hopes to see his men build on their stirring win in La Rochelle by beating English outfit Sale this weekend.
Alex Sanderson’s men had a good win over Stade Français in Round 1 so Leinster know they can’t dip after their trip to France.
And then it’s into the URC inter-pros against Munster and Ulster.
“Down to Thomond on the 26th. Thanks very much whoever organises those fixtures, my family are complaining! Put in a good word for us, please,” joked Cullen.
“It’s a tough schedule of games this time of year, so it’s making sure the lads try and manage themselves well and get excited for the next challenge.”
What happens next at out-half will be of great interest. Ross Byrne is sidelined until January with an arm injury, while Harry Byrne was forced off injured just before half time against La Rochelle.
The younger Byrne had delivered an impressive 39 minutes before Ciarán Frawley came on to show his composure with three penalties, including a monster 60-metre effort with the last kick of the game.
If Byrne joins his older brother on the sidelines, surely Frawley starts at out-half this weekend, even if Leinster also have Sam Prendergast to call on there.
“I thought they managed the game,” said Cullen of Byrne and Frawley. “It was a great piece of skill execution from Harry for the try and he nails the conversion as well, and literally the points meant so much, didn’t they, today?
“We just had our noses in front all the time and La Rochelle are under a bit of pressure to change the game after we score that try. Then Ciarán kicks one from in front of the posts and one from 60, which is a great piece of skill to be able to do that.
“It’s great exposure for the two of them because they are still young 10s. Like, it’s bloody hard to be a top-end 10 because there are so many moving parts. There’s managing the week, particularly from an attacking point, so it’s not just getting yourself ready, it’s making sure you get everybody else around you ready as well.
“I thought Harry did that really, really well this week and then Frawls was ready to step in like he was minutes into the Munster game a couple of weeks ago as well.
“And they came up with a way to win the game last week [against Connacht], being at 10 and 15 and that could have happened today as well. Harry, in terms of play calling and moving the ball to the edge [for Frawley to score] against Connacht at the end and we win another game when we’re behind at the end.
“So, again, going back to that last 10 minutes, we’re better in that situation, when it comes to these tight games in particular. It’s nice that we’ve seen it in the last couple of weeks and even in the Munster game a week before we were able to manage out that tight game as well.”
Leinster could welcome back Jack Conan this weekend, while Tadhg Furlong is close to a return, although wing James Lowe is unlikely to feature against Sale.
“Jack was running before I left and he looked to be running pretty well,” said Cullen.
“Tadgh, we’ll see with him. Not a million miles away.
“Lowey, we’ll see, probably less likely with him I’d say.”
