Josh van der Flier believes Leinster can end their season on a high
DESPITE THEIR latest disappointment at the Aviva Stadium last weekend, Josh van der Flier believes Leinster are more than capable of ending the current season with some silverware to show for their efforts.
Following three consecutive final losses, Leinster were hoping the 2024/25 campaign would finally see them reclaim the European Champions Cup.
Leo Cullen's side defeated Northampton Saints by three points in the last-four of Europe's top-tier 12 months ago, but in their renewal of acquaintances at the Aviva on Saturday, Phil Dowson's English Premiership outfit produced an outstanding display to overcome the eastern province by the same margin (37-34).
Instead of challenging on two fronts in the coming weeks, Leinster's only shot at winning a major trophy in the present term will now be in the United Rugby Championship.
While the Blues have suffered three successive semi-final reversals since the competition was rebranded as the URC — they were the last winners of the old Pro14 in March 2021 — Van der Flier is confident he and his provincial colleagues can still end the season on a positive note.
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'Certainly, that would be great, to win a trophy. In my head, from a sports psychology point of view, you'd probably get in a bit of trouble if you're putting too much pressure on yourself. If we can perform at our best in a quarter-final, semi-final, final in the URC, in my head that's enough to win a trophy,' Van der Flier said at a Leinster media briefing in UCD on Monday.
'You could also play your best, another team plays their best, and it doesn't go our way, but it's definitely the goal.'
In a frantic finale to Saturday's game, Van der Flier was seemingly on the verge of joining Northampton winger Tommy Freeman in claiming a hat-trick of tries. Yet after the Wicklow native came under intense pressure from Saints lock Alex Coles within inches of the opposition whitewash, the ball broke loose for Leinster replacement Ross Byrne to dot down in the left corner.
While Byrne being off his feet when he grounded the ball was the reason why he wasn't awarded a five-pointer, Leinster did earn a penalty after Coles was yellow carded for what was deemed to be an illegal intervention on van der Flier.
Since the conclusion of Saturday's gripping contest, many commentators have suggested this incident could have led to a game-changing penalty try for Leinster as it was felt Van der Flier would more than likely have grounded the ball only for Coles' indiscretion.
Although he couldn't understand at the time why his side weren't awarded an automatic seven points, Van der Flier acknowledged he was always likely to feel that way and that he couldn't say for certain if he was definitely going to score his third try of the game.
'I actually didn't ask anyone today [Monday] what came back. I couldn't see why it wouldn't be on the field, but obviously, I'm biased because you're in the heat of the moment and everything. I carried and then got tackled. Then, as I was turning, the ball got pulled out of my hands when I was on the ground.
'I don't know which I was going to do, to be honest. Sometimes in the moment, you do what feels right, but I'm not sure. I definitely was thinking of trying to get to the line obviously, when I was carrying, but it's hard to think back to the moment exactly.'
While van der Flier's main focus from a team perspective will be on Leinster's URC round 17 game against Zebre at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, tomorrow's British & Irish Lions squad announcement is also set to be of interest to the openside flanker.
After missing out on trips to New Zealand and South Africa in 2017 and 2021, the Ireland international is expected to be included in Andy Farrell's official selection for the Lions' Tour of Australia later this summer.
He admitted it would mean a huge amount if he were to make the cut tomorrow, and is hopeful the performances he has delivered across 23 appearances for province and country this season will be enough for him to book a seat on the plane to the southern hemisphere.
'It would mean a huge amount to me. I remember watching it since I was a kid. It's obviously the pinnacle in terms of individual selections. I know the Irish internationals are also incredibly special, but it's kind of different that way,' van der Flier added.
'At the start of the season, I put a bit of pressure on myself because I'm 32 now. You never know, but I decided earlier in the season that I'm just going to play my best, try my hardest and try to just forget about it. Take it out of my own control. That's where my head is at. I'm at peace with it, whether I'm involved or not.'
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