THERE ARE MORE than a few similarities between this weekend’s Leinster v Ulster clash and the two provinces’ Champions Cup tie back in 2019.
That was a Champions Cup quarter-final rather than a round-of-16 clash like this Saturday’s, but it was played two weekends after the Six Nations had finished. It was in the Aviva Stadium in front of a raucous crowd, the same as we expect this time.
As is the case now, Johnny Sexton was missing back then and Ross Byrne started at out-half for Leinster.
Leo Cullen’s men had already beaten Ulster twice in the league in that 2018/19 season before they met in Europe. The same applies again this time around.
Back in 2019, Leinster were the firm favourites on home soil and they enjoy the same status for this clash, with a 15-point margin set in many places.
The widespread expectation is that Leinster will have too much class for Ulster on Saturday, but the northern province will be determined to deliver a performance as good as the one they gave in 2019 when they really should have won a thrilling tie.
They made a brilliant start that day when Rory Best blocked down a Garry Ringrose kick to allow Kieran Treadwell to score in the sixth minute.
Ulster led 13-11 at half time, having rocked Leinster with a focused and ultra-physical performance.
McFarland’s men should have extended that lead five minutes into the second half when Jacob Stockdale brilliantly broke through three tackle attempts to cross in the left corner only to lose the ball forward as he stooped to finish.
It was an agonising moment for Ulster and their hopes took a further blow when Jack Conan brilliantly created a try for Leinster team-mate Adam Byrne to help send Leinster 18-13 in front.
The drama continued in the final quarter, although there was a lengthy pause as Dan Leavy received treatment for the horror knee injury that would eventually end his career.
When play resumed, Stuart McCloskey’s beautiful pass out the back allowed Billy Burns to send Luke Marshall hurtling at the Leinster line to level the game.
John Cooney had a chance to nudge Ulster in front with his conversion from just to the right of the posts but the scrum-half watched his effort slip wide to the left.
It was all left on a knife edge.
Leinster won a penalty five metres in from the right-hand touchline and despite struggling badly with cramp in the preceding minutes, out-half Byrne stepped up to calmly slot the winning three points in the 72nd minute.
Byrne had already scored a first-half try, converted Adam Byrne’s try and struck two other penalties in what was a commanding performance in guiding Leinster to their 21-18 win in Sexton’s absence. The 27-year-old will be planning on doing something similar this weekend.
Ulster, meanwhile, will once again be aware of the need to take every single opportunity they get in Dublin.
The northern province have beaten Leinster three times in their 11 meetings since that epic European encounter, including both URC regular-season games last season, but this weekend promises to be a different ball game.
It doesn’t help that captain Iain Henderson is sidelined after fracturing his arm during the Six Nations. Ulster are also without the likes of Marty Moore and Will Addison due to their long-term injuries.
Leinster have their own concerns, with Sexton ruled out and another trio of Ireland stars in Caelan Doris, Garry Ringrose, and Hugo Keenan – who all suffered head injuries during the Six Nations – doubts. Hooker Rónan Kelleher, centres Charlie Ngatai and Jamie Osborne, and lock Joe McCarthy are out of action too. But we know Leinster’s depth is the envy of Europe.
Last weekend’s clash with the Stormers was an ideal warm-up for Leinster, even if their team will be much-changed, but Ulster’s first-choice side also came through a tough contest against the Bulls to win, leaving them battle-hardened for this weekend.
As ever, McFarland’s side will be looking to do damage with their maul, which has been such a potent weapon again this season.
Recent evidence tells us that Leinster have more strings to their bow when it comes to creating tries but Champions Cup knock-out rugby is a different beast to everything that has come so far this season.
Here’s hoping for another epic at the Aviva.
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Leinster team in 2019: Jordan Larmour; Adam Byrne, Garry Ringrose, Rory O’Loughlin, Dave Kearney; Ross Byrne, Luke McGrath; Cian Healy, Sean Cronin, Tadhg Furlong; Scott Fardy, James Ryan; Rhys Ruddock, Sean O’Brien, Jack Conan.
Replacements: James Tracy, Ed Byrne, Andrew Porter, Mick Kearney, Dan Leavy, Jamison Gibson-Park, Noel Reid, Rob Kearney.
Ulster team in 2019: Mike Lowry; Rob Baloucoune, Darren Cave, Stuart McCloskey, Jacob Stockdale; Billy Burns, John Cooney; Eric O’Sullivan, Rory Best, Marty Moore; Iain Henderson, Kieran Treadwell; Nick Timoney, Jordi Murphy, Marcell Coetzee.
Replacements: Rob Herring, Andy Warick, Wiehahn Herbst, Alan O’Connor, Sean Reidy, Dave Shanahan, Luke Marshall, Angus Kernohan.
- This article was updated to correct an error in Leinster’s team sheet.
