LEO CULLEN WAS quick to give credit to his forwards after Leinster muscled their way past Ulster to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup.

On a miserably wet and grey day in Dublin, Leinster managed the conditions well as they saw off their provincial rivals 30-15 at Aviva Stadium, setting up a quarter-final date with Leicester Tigers back in Dublin next weekend, likely to be played at the same venue on Friday night.

“The conditions were unbelievably tricky,” said Cullen.

“Before the game starts you arrive and you’re like ‘Ooof’ and thinking does it even the contest out, the lottery element of those type of conditions, but I thought the guys prepped week during the week in terms of the plan.

“I thought the forwards did a good job in terms of laying the platform for the team. That’s on the back of a good week’s work. We’re pleased to be through. Ulster put it up to us.

After Ryan Baird scores a try, Ulster hit back and even when Jamison (Gibson-Park) scores they hit back again so they battled away Ulster, as we knew they would and it’s a strange feeling, a 10-week lead-up to a game and now you’ve a six-day turnaround.

“Some positives in the game and overall we’ve come through ok,” Cullen continued.

“It was a good physical contest, you see two teams going full at it. Ulster stuck in it, that sequence before half time where we’re bashing away, Jack (Conan) gets over, just doesn’t quite get down. We score one try (in the first half) but we’re very close on a few other occasions.

“But again, credit to Ulster, they stuck in the game, scrambled well and Leicester will be the same next week.

“So it’s making sure we can do everything we can now in a very short period of time to give a decent performance again.”

In the Leinster pack, Baird built on his strong Six Nations form with a big display in the backrow, scoring the province’s first try and delivering a series of impactful moments in a typically all-action display.

“Ryan played more in the second row with Ireland but played at six (today), great lineout option, you can see how athletic he is in the air, his spring. He came up with some big moments over the course of the game, the try at the start, a big poach turnover in the second half, so pleased with him.”

Most of the Leinster squad came through the game unscathed although Josh van der Flier was forced off after 55 minutes and now could be a doubt for next weekend.

“Josh twisted his ankle so we’ll see how that is,” Cullen said. “I don’t know the full extent of it. He seemed to be moving ok, but obviously he’s had to come off with it.”

Leinster will now have a short turnaround before the meeting with Leicester – the reverse of last year’s quarter-final, which the province won 23-14 at Welford Road.

Cullen knows the English club well having spent two seasons with Leicester during his own playing career.

“A similar type of game (to Ulster) isn’t it?” Cullen added.

“They’ll kick a fair bit off 9, very organised in terms of their kick-chase, so they’ll try to play that pressurised, squeeze type of game.

“They played last night in Edinburgh in pretty horrific conditions. Hopefully it’s a slightly drier day so you can see bit more fluid, running rugby from both teams. You see the way England played here a couple of weeks ago, that sort of Steve Borthwick template.

They’re pretty big into their stats in terms of kicking, that sort of kicking metrics stats that they use to play that game model and Wigglesworth as an ex-9, Sarries as well, so he understands what it takes to be successful at the top end of the game.

“It’s going to be a good challenge for us again. Now, just talking to the guys in the dressing room, it’s all about recovery and trying to turn the page quickly, it’s a very unusual sort of dynamic isn’t it? In the past you’d have a couple of weeks’ lead-in into this game.

“We played against them last season, they’ve a couple of changes in personnel, obviously George Ford is gone, Handre Pollard is there, so they’ve a tonne of experience in their team so it’s going to be a great test isn’t it? A really good test but, again, it’s the occasion.

“The dynamic of the tournament is very unusual but the occasions are still pretty special. We’re very appreciative of the crowd (today) that’s there and if we get a crowd next week as well it would be amazing.”

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