‘MAN OF THE match last week so what do you say to him when he comes in and asks why he’s not involved?’
That Leo Cullen was asking this question of himself during today’s virtual press conference would suggest the answers are as difficult to deliver as they are to come by.
But as his team head into the Champions Cup quarter final against Saracens tomorrow, each man knows the value – and the cost – of competition for places.
Cullen is speaking specifically about Josh van der Flier, the destructive ‘red helmet’ that co-commentator Liam Toland repeatedly picked out for praise and then for the man of the match gong during last weekend’s Pro14 final win over Ulster.
A new week, a new competition requires a new man in the seven shirt it seems. Will Connors steps forth for a European debut and the answers for Van der Flier are all provided by the Kildare man’s brilliant form.
“The reality is we probably had a similar question (from Will) the week before,” adds Cullen.
Connors’ insatiable appetite for crunching tackles were enough to thwart CJ Stander in the Pro14 semi-final and Cullen is hoping to put his stopping power to use when Saracens send their big men into contact.
“Will has been exceptional with some of his defence and we’re certainly conscious of some of the ball carriers that Saracens have in their team and hopefully Will do a good job for us and the group in managing some of them.”
Connors replacing a recognised international stalwart is one of four changes for Leinster, but the ideal representation of both their strength in depth and also their ability to use that depth to its maximum potential. Players are continually folded in and rotated out of the starting line-up and the Pro14 champions remain remarkably consistent.
Sean Cronin replacing Ronan Kelleher can be put down to last week’s line-out struggles, but also appears to have been as pre-planned as Johnny Sexton resuming captaincy after occupying the bench last week. Re-jigged starting line-ups serve to undercut fatigue, keeping minds and body fresh while giving opponents some extra combinations to ponder too.
“James Tracy is very unlucky to miss out. Regardless of who we pick out of those three - one to start and one on the bench – the other person is going to be in my office asking why they’re not involved in the 23.”
“We’re in this sequence of very, very big games… it’s potentially a four-game sequence of knock-out matches. Over the entirety of the 15 and the 23 you want to make sure you have some consistency and continuity of selection, but you also want to bring a bit of freshness to it as well.
Because I don’t think it’s realistic to play the same 15 week after week after week. I think you’d come unstuck because you lack a little bit of freshness.”
“Big knock-out games do take their toll on guys, so it’s trying to just manage the group that we have and that’s something we’ve done all the way throughout the season.”
All through a season, lest we forget, in which Leinster have romped through with a 100% winning record. They’re 25 from 25 since losing the Champions Cup final to, the very team waiting for them on Lansdowne Road tomorrow, Saracens.
It’s been a hallmark of this team since Stuart Lancaster arrived that they take defeats personally. Dragging up every error and wayward decision and turning it around to make themselves a better side.
Even without Owen Farrell, doing that against Saracens will be a difficult task. But the lessons have been drilled in. For Cullen, there has been no earth-shattering Eureka moment in analysing his side’s last defeat. Just “all the little moments”.
“(You learn) how you play against Saracens, you need to be smart against them because they’re a very strong defensive outfit, clearly. They put a huge amount of pressure on teams. As the game wears on they put more and more pressure on.
“It’s about making sure we’re smart in how we manage the game, all the little small bits… making sure we communicate where the space is and how we exploit the space that is there.
“On the flip side it’s trying to shut down the power runners they have. The Vunipolas jump off the page straight away, I know they’ve had changes in personnel but how we deal with the kicking and aerial threat they’ll impose.
“All those little battles within the game, staying composed and making sure that, when opportunities come along, you’re ready to pounce and execute in the heat of the battle.
“Lots of soundbites there, but that’s what it comes down to in these big games.”
