LEO CULLEN DOESN’T like to give too much away when it comes to discussing his future plans in rugby.
This week he agreed his latest extension with Leinster which adds another year to his current contract. Next season will be his eighth as head coach. Not many stick the hot seat for that long with one team, in any sport, even when they have a good thing going.
Joe Schmidt bowed out after six years as Ireland head coach. Jim Gavin called it a day after seven years with the Dublin footballers. Pep Guardiola felt four seasons was enough with his great Barcelona team.
Yesterday, Cullen was happy to talk about this evening’s URC meeting with the Ospreys, happy to talk about his players and happy to talk about Leinster’s season in general. He was less interested in talking about himself.
The former Leinster and Ireland second row has achieved huge success at his home province in his post-playing career, the type of success which usually generates interesting offers from further afield. At one point during his pre-match press conference yesterday, Cullen was asked if he could ever see himself coaching somewhere that wasn’t Leinster. It prompted his most succinct answer of the day.
“Listen, there are some big decisions that would have to be made around family and all of the rest,” Cullen said.
It would just depend on the circumstances. That’s very hypothetical and I’m not going to get into that too much today.”
It’s possible Cullen doesn’t get the credit he deserves. He’s delivered four league titles as Leinster head coach, a run of success so effortless that those trophies are almost taken for granted by the wider rugby public. Leinster are now expected to win. There’s also been one Champions Cup success in 2018, with that elusive second title the big itch left to scratch.
Leinster have been outmuscled by Saracens and La Rochelle in recent years, but they’ve also put a string of good European teams to the sword during that time, playing some of the best rugby on offer along the way.
On those good days, it’s senior coach Stuart Lancaster, rather than Cullen, who often receives the plaudits. You get the sense it doesn’t bother Cullen too much, and that in itself is the sign of a good coach. He’s been happy to welcome new, strong voices to the environment. Whatever works best for the group.
Crucially, it’s helped him ensure his own presence remains fresh, too. Think of all the dressing rooms around the world where players have grown tired of hearing the same voice and looking at the same face, and vice versa.
“That’s why sharing the load (has been important), even the likes of Robin McBryde who has come in, and what he’s offered in terms of experience, Felipe (Contepomi) before that,” Cullen continues.
“So there has been a change to the voices. Denis (Leamy) has come in as well at the start of this season, he’s been a great addition. You see it more and more in the big games, how important the contact area is now, and Denis coming through as a young coach, sort of finding his feet with the Academy guys, it’s a really good step for him.
I think some of those little tweaks have definitely helped in terms of changing up the voice, and in terms of some of the messages the players are getting. That’s something that we’re always conscious of here, for sure.”
At the moment, it appears an arrangement that suits everyone. Leinster are happy with their head coach, and he’s happy to be there. Until the end of next season, at the very least.
So, why only those short-term deals?
“It’s really about the here and now. This season, we’re talking about something that’s for next season. The way the season works, you’re setting yourself up for a season. Yes, there are eyes to the future in regards to development but we’ve a full Academy staff here that takes care of the younger players.
“In terms of the future success of the club, the club is always investing in good people that are helping bring through good young people. There is this full circle and cycle of throughput of players.
“We’re all focused on this season. We’ll dust ourselves down and see where that goes but at the moment we’re in a period where we’re literally fighting for every single point that’s available.”
With that he’s back to talking about the task at hand, outlining reasons Leinster need to be wary of the Ospreys threat today, adding that tickets are still available for the game.
The long-term goals are there, but it’s all with a short-term focus.
There are a group of us, players and coaches, that have signed up to go again next year, some will be here well beyond that, but that’s just the cycle that we’re on.
“I get the sense there’s a good desire among the group to work hard, to achieve collective success because this thing is not about any one individual. It’s about lots of lots of individuals. It’s just the way the nature of the game is.”
Yesterday may not have been the day to discuss Cullen’s long-term plans, but the time will come. When it arrives, it will be fascinating to see what comes next for both Cullen and this formidable Leinster structure he has built.
Seven seasons in, it’s all still running pretty smoothly.
“It has flown by as well,” Cullen adds. “Even when I say the years you’re like, ‘bloody hell, where did they go?’”
Gavan Casey is joined by Bernard Jackman and Murray Kinsella to discuss the prospect of South Africa replacing Italy in the Six Nations and reflect on Ireland’s performance in Paris, before looking ahead to the URC action this weekend.
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