James Ryan speaking ahead of Leinster v Glasgow Warriors
Leinster lock James Ryan speaking ahead of his side's United Rugby Championship semi-final against Glasgow Warriors.
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RTÉ News
an hour ago
- RTÉ News
Bulls need to keep the rag to beat Leinster
It didn't affect the results of their previous two meetings but Bulls figure they must be more disciplined than ever against Leinster in Saturday's URC final. Jake White's men finished second in the table behind Leinster but are bottom of the log when it comes to discipline. They had 16 players sin-binned and four red-carded, while Leo Cullen's men have had just four yellow cards against them after 20 games. The South Africans also overcame a yellow card in last season's semi-final against Leinster to prevail, while they survived a late red card in this season's round 13 game to win it at the death. In addition, they were also able to see off the Sharks last weekend, 25-13, despite having three players in the bin at various stages. While it may appear that their run-ins with the officials may be more a feature than a bug, Marcel Coetzee reckons improvement in that area is a must if they are to turn Leinster over for a fifth time in seven URC meetings at Croke Park this weekend. "I think it's something we addressed as a squad, you know," said the back row, who played for Ulster between 2016 and 2021. "It just makes things harder for you, and playing against a quality side like Leinster, you can't afford to have one guy in the bin or two guys in the bin. "You need all the feet on the pitch and it's going to take work rate to stop their onslaught, so we don't want to let the guy next to you down by being reckless and stuff. "So yeah, in soft moments we need to up our game and just keep building on our DNA that's been working for us this whole season." Bulls knocked Leinster out at the semi-final stage in 2022 and 2024 and 34-year-old Coetzee says they had a Grand Final meeting with the eight-time champions somewhere in the back of their minds. "It's a winning machine and they back their systems" "They're a championship side so they'll always be in the running, in the play-offs, they are always at the top of the log and you have to respect that," said Coetzee, who has 31 Springboks caps. "It's a winning machine and they back their systems and their structures. "Yes, that was a saying from coach Jake early in the season but you know play-offs, anything could have happened, it just so happens that the first team gets to go to the final and the second team gets to play them in the final. "Look, it's all excitement, it's all enjoyment. "We played each other a couple of times in the seasons prior to this and we know each other very well, and I think that's just going to make the contest more exciting this weekend." The Pretoria-based side will become the second South African team to play at Croke Park, the home of the GAA, after the Springboks lost to Ireland there in 2009. Coeztee said: "From what I've heard it's a very special place. It's got a great atmosphere when the crowds attend. "We talk about a special final, what a special event to play in. We at the Bulls are looking forward to the challenge.
Irish Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Simon Zebo: Leinster's new siege mentality and 'arrogant' approach of the past
Simon Zebo claims arrogance is part of the reason why Leinster are desperate to break a four-year wait for silverware on former Munster and Ireland star doesn't believe that the Blues are over their Champions Cup hangover, despite looking more focused against Glasgow in the URC semi-final last he believes the siege mentality that the province has projected since their unconvincing URC quarter-final victory over Scarlets can work in their favour in the Grand Final showdown with the Bulls at Croke 2021 URC decider was the last time that Leo Cullen's charges lifted a trophy. Since then, they have come so close in the Champions Cup but fell short in two finals and two semi-finals, and that has fed into their failure to reach the URC final until now. "A bit of it would be mental," said former Munster and Ireland star Zebo. "There were a few selection calls in the past. When Munster beat them in that semi-final (in 2023), they rested a lot of the bigger players and it was a very weakened team. "There were a couple of little arrogant things through selection. But when they're fully loaded, they're an incredible team. It's a bit of a headache. Now those players have to play three games back to back to back. "Will the third one sting them? I don't know. They usually rotate quite a lot. It's not all mental, but it's part of it for sure." Speaking after last weekend's semi-final win over Glasgow, Joe McCarthy claimed 'everyone loves to hate Leinster so that definitely drives us on'. Zebo believes such a mindset could benefit Leinster after a succession of play-off failures. "They're probably out to prove people wrong and that will probably help," he said."Their previous mentality hasn't worked so I suppose going in with a fresh mindset, maybe Jack Nienaber might have had some insight there, he's a brilliant motivator and gets the players going."I don't like Leinster, just because they're rivals. Munster dislike them and they dislike Munster, that's no problem. It's like Barcelona and Real Madrid in soccer. Of course you don't like your rivals - but I don't think the general public hate Leinster as much as maybe they believe inside the camp. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong."However Zebo does believe opposition coaches are right to mention the gulf that exists between their clubs and Leinster in terms of finance and resources."There's 15 internationals or maybe more, I don't know how many internationals they have," said the former Ireland star. "They have 12 Lions, the biggest representation ever. They have loads of money, they have private schools. They have everything. "They have a different mindset to other teams who are backs against the wall and underdogs and stuff. I can see why other coaches (say that). "They are favourites in nearly every game for a reason, you know. They have a class team, class players. So yeah, they're not hated - but people want to see the underdogs win and they're never the underdogs."For many, Leinster's 37-19 victory over the defending champions last week was a welcome return to normality after their Champions Cup disappointment. Zebo doesn't agree that the hangover is over. "No, I thought Glasgow were poor," he stressed. "I thought Leinster were good without being great. The Bulls will be very different."I felt Leinster did up their game and Glasgow weren't as good as I thought they would be. Again, the Bulls will definitely be better. Whether or not they win I don't know, but I'm not convinced yet. "I don't think the performances since Northampton from Leinster and those 12 Lions were back to their best rugby. Not yet anyway, but they are all capable of doing that.'When the final is over, the Lions dozen will turn their thoughts to touring - and that initial game against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium."If they were able to win collectively and get the first title over the Bulls, then they'd be walking with a little bit of a swagger into camp as opposed to being on the edge," said Zebo, who toured in 2013 when the Lions were last in Australia."It would boost their confidence a bit but there's other confident lads there too. There's top operators across the board, not just that Leinster contingent. 'For sure it will definitely help the confidence and the momentum, especially with the Lions core being Irish-heavy. If those lads perform and pick up the URC that will bring a lot of confidence back and it will bode well for the squad as a whole. 'So it is a pretty important fixture this week. There is a lot of pressure on Leinster and looking down the line at the Lions and form and getting picked then this match has huge significance, for sure.'
Irish Examiner
6 hours ago
- Irish Examiner
Simon Zebo: Leinster's URC final has big role to play in larger Lions picture
Simon Zebo believes Leinster's experience in this Saturday's BKT URC final at Croke Park will have 'huge significance', both for them and for the entire British and Irish Lions squad, later in the summer. Andy Farrell broke the record for representatives from one club when choosing so many boys in blue for the trip Down Under, but the province as a whole has flattered to deceive yet again at the tail end of a campaign. A Champions Cup semi-final loss to Northampton Saints, bad in its own right, was followed by an obvious hangover in URC ties against Glasgow and Scarlets, before signs of an upswing against the Warriors last week. Farrell will be heavily invested as he watches them take on the Bulls in Croke Park. 'For sure, it will definitely help the confidence and the momentum, especially with the Lions core being Irish-heavy. If those lads perform and pick up the URC, that will bring a lot of confidence back and it will bode well for the squad as a whole. 'So it is a pretty important fixture this week,' Zebo agreed. 'There is a lot of pressure on Leinster and, looking down the line at the Lions and form and getting picked, then this match has huge significance, for sure.' The 37-19 defeat of the Scots at the Aviva Stadium last weekend will have come as some relief to the club's supporters. Leinster claimed six tries against Franco Smith's side and were much more comfortable than that scoreline suggests. And yet. Zebo was in Ballsbridge working on the game for Premier Sports and he watched the second-semi-final between the Bulls and the Sharks in full immediately after. He has no doubt that Leinster aren't humming again yet. 'No. I thought Glasgow were poor. I thought Leinster were good without being great. The Bulls will be very different, but I said that after the Scarlets. I felt Leinster did up their game and Glasgow weren't as good as I thought they would be. 'Again, the Bulls will definitely be better. Whether or not [Leinster] win I don't know but I am not convinced yet. I don't think the performances since Northampton from Leinster and those 12 Lions has been back to their best rugby. 'Not yet anyway, but they are all capable of doing that.' The Lions context aside, this is a huge game for Leo Cullen, his team and the organization at large given the recent history of defeats in big knockout games since winning their last trophy – the last ever PRO14 title – in 2021. Zebo agrees that some of their deficiencies have been mental but added that there 'were a couple of little arrogant things through selection' in there too, most obviously when they rotated so heavily for a URC semi-final against Munster two years ago. Backs are clearly against the wall in the capital. Joe McCarthy all but admitted as much when he spoke to RTÉ after the semi-final and put it out there that everyone hated Leinster. The old siege mentality approach. 'They're probably out to prove people wrong and that will probably help. Their previous mentality hasn't worked so I suppose going in with a fresh mindset, maybe Jacques Nienaber might have had some insight there. 'He's a brilliant motivator and gets the players going. I don't like Leinster, just because they're rivals, so you know what I mean? Munster dislike them and they dislike Munster, that's no problem. It's like Barcelona and Real Madrid in soccer. "Of course you don't like your rivals, but I don't think the general public hate Leinster as much as maybe they believe inside camp. I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.' As for his own province, Munster will have just one player on tour in Australia this summer in Tadhg Beirne. It is the province's lowest representation since the 1997 series win in South Africa. Something to think about before the 2029 trip to New Zealand. 'Individual ambitions for the players? Absolutely. I know Craig Casey would be one of those expecting to go on that next Lions tour. With his form he could have potentially gone on this tour. You have Jack Crowley potentially in the same boat. 'You have someone like Calvin Nash who wants to break back onto the international scene and potentially go on a Lions tour. Then people like Alex Kendellen and Tom Ahern: there could potentially be a big swing in representation from this tour to the next.' Simon Zebo teamed up with BoyleSports to preview the British & Irish Lions Tour. BoyleSports will Pay Out Early if either side goes 17 points ahead at any stage.
