Dan Sheehan - Leinster need to get physical to beat Bulls

Irish Daily Mirror

a day ago

Leinster star Dan Sheehan is in no doubt what the first requirement needed to play Bulls is, to front up.
If the South Africans pride themselves across world rugby as being the toughest, it is the Bulls that see themselves as the toughest of the South Africans.
"We need our physicality right, set piece right, our team game right and then hopefully bring an energy that they can't deal with.
"They've threats everywhere, obviously a physical pack, they like the set-piece and have very good game managers at no10 and no15, play a good kicking game, pressure you and they go through exit cycles, kind of bore you at times but they're dangerous.
"It's good. It's physical. You have to be brave and put yourself in front of these big fellas. They'll try to test you. They'll push buttons, chat after the ball goes out.
"It's rubbing your head in the dirt but you know they get you both sides of the ball and I think people enjoy it. I think fans enjoy it."
Previous meetings between these two sides have been spicy.
"We've played them a few times and haven't gotten the better of them so it's a tough game but we need to make sure we get our stuff right.
"I think that's probably where we fell off last time not getting our own stuff right rather than dealing with some of their stuff."
Leinster are acutely aware they haven't quite been firing on all cylinders recently but it is a squad with confidence in their individual and collective abilities - a dozen 2025 Lions is some achievement.
"We've obviously put a lot of work over the last 27 games we've played this year into the details.
"Now we'd hope we know a lot of our details. It's just trying to get the mentality right so that was a big focus this morning and I'm sure we'll hear a lot about it throughout the week.
Part of matching the Bulls will be gaining parity at the scrum.
"Obviously, the Bulls have the best scrum in the league stats-wise but that's their rugby, they are very hard to play.
"I'm sure they will have a plan to disrupt our scrum and try and get over the top of us and we'll do similar and bring energy to the scrum and I look forward to Saturday."
Sheehan is hoping to win his first major medal at Leinster, one he says will be all the more welcome for having the chance to do it at Croke Park.
"It's unbelievable, something that we probably wouldn't have even been able to think of or hope for as kids growing up or even over the last few years that it would be a possibility to win a trophy in Croke Park and how cool it is and how it amplifies the occasion.
"Over the last year or so we have played there three times and I think every time it's a great occasion and people get a bit of a lift from it, and I think the opposition also get a bit of lift from it.
"That's because they obviously read into the history of it. They realise that it is a big game for us as well. I think it's a benefit for both sides.
"It's definitely something we'll talk about during the week is trying to lift a trophy in Croke Park and how we do that is sort of our process during the week and how we get the mentality of things right early."
And it's win Leinster needed all the more on the back of previous disappointments - so close and yet so far away has been focussing the mind.
"I think we've done a good job simulating in training or even matches that are not finals, making sure we make the right decisions as if it was a final or a Knockout game.
"This involves making decisions off penalties or making sure we are prepared for extra time so that nothing shocks us. We've lost a few finals recently but we can take a lot of learnings.
"Also, we did a lot of good things on those finals like sometimes you glance over the good things that we did.
"We haven't had the best days, but other days we've been beaten by the last score of the game.
"But this is also a new week, a new challenge and something everyone is looking forward to and not delving too much into the history of what we're doing, trying to stay fresh with our mindset. This is a new group again, we'll go for it."
Leinster's Garry Ringrose and Garry Ringrose are winning their battles to be ready for Saturday. Hugo Keenan and Tadhg Furlong are not expected to make the matchday squad.