Latest news with #ChampionsCup
Extra.ie
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Extra.ie
Why URC failure has huge consequences for Leinster
One of the staples of the entertaining 'Offload' podcast every Friday is Donncha O'Callaghan's rants against Leinster and what he sees as their 'blue media' cheerleaders. It has been a hot topic all season, revolving around the central theme of O'Callaghan believing Leinster enjoy unfair advantages over the other provinces, and it ramped up big time in the wake of the province's shock departure from the European Cup. The good-cop, bad-cop approach alongside Tommy Bowe works well on an entertainment basis over a number of topics, but especially when the former Munster and Ireland stalwart is ripping into his old rivals — as he was last week with the URC up for debate. Leinster head coach Leo Cullen. Pic: INPHO/Tom Maher 'The URC is not the prize Leinster were going for. Andrew Porter has said they are all about Europe. Who gives a s**t if Leinster win the URC?' said O'Callaghan, adding that he would prefer if Leinster's Lions were rested so they could be fresh for the summer tour to Australia. Controversial opinions are the bedrock of popular podcasts but this was still a particularly extreme position to take. Since the Champions Cup defeat by Northampton, a giant heat lamp has been trained on Leo Cullen, Jacques Nienaber and the Leinster squad — and it demands a reaction. Andrew Porter has said they are all about Europe. Pic: Seb Daly/Sportsfile The immediate response to 'who gives a s**t if Leinster win the URC?' is: Leinster do. Indeed, given how this season has panned out (on the back of a trophy drought extending to 2021 and a Champions Cup void going back to 2018) you could say winning the URC title is now non-negotiable for Leinster. Put it this way, picture a scenario where Leinster lose in the next few weeks and imagine the fallout then. Ending yet another season empty-handed, despite having access to Jordie Barrett, RG Snyman and Rabah Slimani (after an initial IRFU ruling on no overseas prop signings), not to mention two-time World Cup-winning coach Jacques Nienaber, would create a toxic fallout — one where there would be intense pressure for heads to roll. Jordie Barrett after Leinster crashed out of the Champions Cup. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile As the chief decision-makers, on and off the pitch, Cullen and Nienaber are most vulnerable but URC capitulation on the back of another Champions Cup flop would put pressure for change on the entire backroom staff. So, rather than be dismissed as an irrelevance, the URC has now assumed monumental importance for Leinster — with dire consequences for failure. And, although Leinster are overwhelming favourites to claim the URC trophy, it is far from a done deal. If they get past the Scarlets tomorrow (which they should do at home with relative ease), Leinster will face the winners of tonight's Glasgow-Stormers quarter-final. Leinster head coach Leo Cullen (right) with senior coach Jacques Nienaber. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy Glasgow are reigning champions, with a squad laced with internationals and should see off the South Africans at home but either side is capable of upsetting Leinster on their day. Then if they do make it to the final, Leinster will face either Munster, the Sharks or the Bulls (it is pretty safe to assume Edinburgh will not make it to the decider). Munster have shown their capacity for pulling out massive performances in knockout matches and if they make it past the Sharks tomorrow at a soldout Kings Park, they will be fuelled by the same levels of confidence and verve that took them all the way a couple of years ago. The Sharks have not been equal to the sum of their parts so far, but their squad is jammed with elite Springboks and, if they click, they can take anyone out. Meanwhile the Bulls, while not carting the same levels of South African stardust as the Sharks, still possess plenty of potency and have an impressive collective spirit — finishing second only to Leinster in the URC table, with 14 wins from 18 outings. Sharks stars Siya Kolisi and Eben Etzebeth. Pic: Steve Haag Sports/REX/Shutterstock Key to all of this is the attitude of the South African sides. Unlike the apathy they reserve for the Champions Cup (South African sides competing in the European Cup has always seemed an ill-fit), they are all-in when it comes to the URC and it makes them extremely dangerous. Lots of pitfalls then for Leinster as they seek to justify their 4/9 favouritism. There is no question that Cullen has the tools at his disposal to reel off three knockout victories to end their trophyless hell. However, if the litany of nearmisses over the last few seasons has taught us anything, it is that Leinster's mental fortitude is questionable on the big stage. The nature of their Northampton defeat could have sent them one of two ways. Either, it has instilled a ruthless determination to put things right that will narrow focus all the way to glory, or it has riddled the squad and coaches with selfdoubt that will kick in whenever pressure comes on. We will not know which until the situation presents itself again but there is no questioning the desire to put things right. This is a rock and hard place situation for Cullen and crew. Win the title and the likes of O'Callaghan and a host of others dismiss it as the least that should be expected from this Leinster operation — fail to win the title, and you get absolutely rinsed with calls for change probably impossible to stave off in the fallout. However, there is one final aspect to all of this that people have overlooked. In 2007-08, Leinster had the same type of 'nearly men' tag that the current side labours under after years of coming up short. Leinster's 2008 league victory proved a springboard to sustained success. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile But under the radar, Michael Cheika was steadily introducing steel to the squad and, after a long tough campaign, they landed the league title. It got lost in the wash of Munster landing their second European Cup around the same time and Leinster's achievement was not seen as a significant step towards closing the gap on their southern rivals. But that is just what it was. Brian O'Driscoll has spoken many times about how that 2008 league win gave Leinster the belief they could go on to bigger and better things — and the following season they established a dominance in Irish rugby they have yet to relinquish. Cullen was part of that journey as a player and he will see similar opportunities now also. Win this title and it could be just the springboard this team is so desperately seeking — whatever others may think of it.
Wales Online
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
'Pretty angry' Henry Pollock breaks silence on Cardiff incident that led to ban
'Pretty angry' Henry Pollock breaks silence on Cardiff incident that led to ban The England international was at the centre of a clash at the end of the Champions Cup final Henry Pollock explained that there was an incident that instigated his altercation with Bordeaux players. (Image: TNT SPORTS ) Henry Pollock has broken his silence on the violence that kicked off after the Champions Cup final in Cardiff. Bordeaux faced Northampton Saints in European rugby's showpiece event in the Welsh capital last weekend, with the French side winning 28-20 and securing their first-ever European trophy. However, shortly after the full-time whistle, attention was drawn to the immediate aftermath, with Pollock getting stuck into it with Bordeaux prop Jefferson Poirot. The Frenchman was subsequently cited for grabbing Pollock's throat and will now miss his side's final two games of the Top 14 regular season. Pollock and team-mate Tommy Freeman appeared as guests on the latest episode of TNT Sports' The Rugby Breakdown Show and touched on the post-match melee. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. The British & Irish Lions bolter was asked about the incident and told the tale from his perspective. "The whistle goes, and obviously it's pretty heated. I think Dingers (Fraser Dingwall) and (Matthieu) Jalibert were pushing and shoving," Pollock told TNT Sports. "I went over to Jalibert, pushed him and got involved, and was like: 'I'm not letting Dingers be on his own here'. "And then as I'm doing this – I didn't know this in the moment, Fin (Smith) was looking around – apparently the loosehead (Poirot) was on the bench and beelined it straight to me. "So we're in this, and he basically grabs my neck and gets his hands on my throat and squeezes my neck," he added. "I wasn't happy with this, I was pretty angry. "I managed to rip his shirt, and then the bit that you see is as he turns away, I push him, and then his friend comes in. "We had to do statements after. It was mad, you've just won the Champions Cup and the first thing you want to do is run on and strangle a 20-year-old." On Bordeaux players mimicking Pollock's celebration after their victory, David Flatman asked Freeman whether he was a fan of it. "I wouldn't say I love it," began Freeman. "I would actually say, if they want to do that, and make you (Pollock) the front line of their celebrations, then fair play. "He's probably got a bit of a target on his back, through no fault of his own." You can watch the clip below. Content cannot be displayed without consent Article continues below Twenty-year-old Pollock has one game left of the regular season with Saints before taking on Australia with the Lions. He will be the youngest Lion on tour, and like Louis Rees-Zammit in 2021, has the responsibility of carrying BIL the stuffed lion for the entirety of the tour. The young English star will get his first opportunity to play for the Lions when they face Argentina in the opening match of the tour on June 20.
The Independent
8 hours ago
- General
- The Independent
Henry Pollock breaks silence on Champions Cup final melee with Bordeaux-Begles prop
Henry Pollock has broken his silence after being involved in a scuffle with Bordeaux-Begles prop Jefferson Poirot after the Investec Champions Cup final. Poirot has been given a two-match ban for grabbing the throat of Northampton 's Pollock when tempers flared following the full-time whistle in Cardiff, where the French club secured a breakthrough European triumph in a captivating 28-20 battle. The veteran prop was cited for an act that Saints boss Phil Dowson described as "uncalled for and out of order", with Pollock getting into it with a number Bordeaux-Begles players. The Lions new boy has now spoken out on the incident, giving his point of view on how things devolved into chaos. 'The whistle goes, and obviously it's pretty heated. I think Dingers (Fraser Dingwall) and (Matthieu) Jalibert were pushing and shoving,' Pollock told TNT Sports. 'I went over to Jalibert, pushed him and got involved, and was like: 'I'm not letting Dingers be on his own here.' 'And then as I'm doing this – I didn't know this in the moment, Fin (Smith) was looking around – apparently the loosehead (Poirot) was on the bench and beelined it straight to me. 'So we're in this, and he basically grabs my neck and gets his hands on my throat and squeezes my neck. I wasn't happy with this, I was pretty angry. 'I managed to rip his shirt, and then the bit that you see is as he turns away, I push him, and then his friend comes in.' Subsequent images shared on social media appeared to show members of the squad at the Top 14 club mocking the expressive Pollock's celebrations. Poirot, capped 36 times by France, is in line to miss the Bordeaux-Begles games against Toulon and Vannes, though will be available for the play-offs with his club currently second in the table.
IOL News
10 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
URC quarter-finals: South African teams aim for glory in thrilling showdown
Tighthead Wilco Louw and the Bulls pack will look to stamp their authority in the scrums early on against Edinburgh in their URC quarter-final on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld. Image: BackpagePix A lot is at stake for the three South African United Rugby Championship (URC) sides in this weekend's quarter-finals. After taking a backseat during the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup to focus on the URC, they must now deliver in the first round of knockouts to justify their decision to put their resources into winning this tournament. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ For the Stormers, it's a repeat of last year's quarters at the Scotstoun Stadium (8.35 pm start) where they'll face defending champions, the Glasgow Warriors, for a place in the semi-final. They've been in Scotland for a full week of training and apart from the suspended Damian Willemse, the Stormers will have a full-strength side to compete. It will be important for the Cape side not to go into their shells, but continue playing their brand of rugby even if they are not at home. They've been training in some cold weather, but fair weather is expected by kick-off. Flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will be a key player, but how the backline goes depends on what the forwards do on the day. The Bulls and Sharks' home playoffs will enhance their chances of booking their spots in the final four when they take on Edinburgh at Loftus Versfeld and Munster at Kings Park, respectively. It's an early start in Pretoria (1.30 pm kick-off) and could benefit the hosts against their less-fancied Scottish visitors. Their scrum, with Wilco Louw at the forefront, should be too much for Edinburgh, but if the Bulls get into a running game against their opponents, the Scotsmen will fancy their chances.
BBC News
10 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Could URC success salvage season for Leinster?
While most eyes in the rugby watching world were trained on the Principality Stadium for the Champions Cup final last weekend, viewing figures around Dublin were likely below the Ireland and soon-to-be Lions wing James Lowe took his young family at the zoo and you imagine he was not alone among his team-mates in finding something else to occupy the hours that saw Bordeaux-Begles crowned European champions. The first time since 2021 that Leinster have not been involved in the decider, defeat by beaten finalists Northampton Saints in the semi-finals ensured their wait to add an elusive fifth star to their crest goes on. It has now been seven years since they won their fourth title against Racing 92 in Bilbao. As Leo Cullen's team regather for the United Rugby Championship (URC) play-offs and Saturday's quarter-final at home to Scarlets, it has left them in something of an awkward in the weeks since the side have recorded their biggest ever domestic victory and secured top seeding for the URC knock-outs, neither achievement was ever going to flush the bitter taste of a seventh straight European exit. It is clear that a side must do an awful lot right to get to where Leinster have been in recent seasons. There are, after all, only a few teams in the world for whom seven years without a Champions Cup would be considered a those years since they have lost a quarter-final and final to Saracens, a quarter-final and two finals to La Rochelle, a final to Toulouse and this year's semi-final against the Saints. Having won plenty of significant games across the period, there was a logic in what lock James Ryan said last year about the "the risk of failing greatly" when trying to achieve greatness. But, like the Buffalo Bills and their losses in four straight Super Bowls between 1991 and 1994, this particular squad are in danger of being remembered for missing out at the sharp end rather than all the good they have done to reach such games. There is little doubt that the longer it goes, the more difficult it becomes, with Josh van der Flier saying this month he believes the side "care too much" about winning the Champions Cup, something his team-mate Robbie Henshaw has previously called an "obsession". When one competition becomes your season's lodestar, all else on offer will feel diminished. Prop Andrew Porter made as much clear in a 2023 interview that pops up again and again on social media after Leinster's European defeats."You don't see many URC or PRO14s or whatever you have on the jersey. You see those stars that are on the jersey," he said in 2023 before the second of those finals against La Rochelle. Yet, there is a sense that this year the domestic bread and butter has taken on a greater significance this a run of four straight titles between 2018 and 2021, Leinster have not won any of the last three, a time period that encompasses the inclusion of South African sides Bulls, Sharks, Stormers and Lions in the competition. Forwards coach Robin McBryde said it would represent "a step in the right direction" and it will not have gone unnoticed that this particular piece of silverware has also proved to be elusive of plenty of their squad have enjoyed successes with Ireland, after three seasons, there would be value simply in the act of winning silverware again."For Ireland we have been able to do that in recent years, but we haven't been able to transfer that with Leinster," said Lowe."It doesn't mean that because you have won with Ireland you are going to win with Leinster."You still have to come back here and perform on the biggest of days and under the most amount of pressure. That's what we want to do." There will be an emotional element too with Lowe noting that long-serving team-mates such as Cian Healy and Ross Byrne are in their final days in Leinster blue."Some of the best days of your life are when you win silverware together," he said."We can't let Cian Healy leave Leinster without another medal around his neck. It's not doing him justice, it's not doing Ross Byrne justice."Winning their domestic trophy may well be viewed as a consolation prize but, as the URC play-offs begin, Leinster will be well aware that it certainly beats the alternative.
