LEO CULLEN HAS played down any concerns around Tadhg Furlong’s fitness ahead of tomorrow’s Heineken Champions Cup final meeting with La Rochelle in Dublin.
The tighthead only took a limited part in Leinster’s Captain’s Run today, but has been named to start tomorrow’s final at Aviva Stadium.
Furlong has struggled with calf injuries this year and was taken off at half time in the URC quarter-final win against the Sharks on 6 May as a precautionary measure.
“He’s okay, yeah,” said Cullen.
“There were a few guys who didn’t train today, and that’s the way it would normally be with Captain’s Runs. Some guys step out. James (Ryan) is the captain, so he runs it. Just the normal course of event. He’s good to go.”
Cullen has made 12 changes from last weekend’s URC semi-final defeat to Munster, naming a side with includes 14 Grand Slam winners in the starting XV as the province look to land a first Champions Cup title since 2018.
Leinster have been utterly dominant in Europe on their run to this final but defending champions La Rochelle have made the trip to Dublin full of confidence, having ended the province’s European dreams for the last two seasons running.
Playing on home soil, the pressure is very much on Leinster as they look to avoid going trophyless for the second season in a row.
“Pressure is a good thing,” Cullen continued. “That’s what we want, we want to be here. If you offered us this opportunity after the final last year, knowing there was a final in Dublin, and we’re here now.
It’s a pressure, but the most positive pressure we can ask for. We hope we’ll have a big turnout of supporters; we hope everyone gets behind the team.
“It was very hard to get to Marseille last year for Leinster supporters, we were very appreciative of the group that were there. We were walking through the airport after the game, and the disappointment on so many people’s faces. But we’re here again at this stage, and that’s where we want to be.
“Hopefully everyone gets behind the team, because that relationship is important. There’s been plenty of talk over the last 10 years. I think back to that final in 2013 when we didn’t qualify from the pool stages, so we were playing in the Challenge Cup final, and two French teams were in the final that week, Toulon against Clermont. Everyone was asking the question at the time, would we ever be able to beat these French giants.
“What’s our point of difference? Our point of difference has to be some supporter base that we have, which allows us do certain things. That connection, hopefully, will be there tomorrow. Everyone’s worked so hard to get to this point, so this is exactly the pressure we want. It’s a privilege to be here and not something we take lightly.
“We’ve been knocking on the door in a few different finals which haven’t gone our, way, but it’s about preparing the team as well as we possibly can, and now about delivering on the big day, committing to our plan, being nice and calm and composed.”
Sitting to Cullen’s left, Leinster captain James Ryan echoed the message of his head coach.
“You just know finals are about fine margins and tomorrow will be no different.
“It’s going to be another close final I think, the big thing is we don’t know how it’s going to go tomorrow, but the big thing for us is we prepared really well all week, we’re in a great space and we’re excited to play in a home final.
“All the important parts of the game are still there. Defence is so important in a final, they’ve got a particularly good attack, great width, set-piece is crucial.
“So, it’s just getting those areas right of the game. We’re excited as Leo said to play in front of our supporters, family and friends.
“It’s a very unique, special day and we’re looking forward to.”
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