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Irish Examiner
a day ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Jack Conan: ‘People definitely revel in Leinster underachieving at times'
URC semi-final: Leinster 37 Glasgow Warriors 19 Hated, adored, never ignored. The mantra adopted by Manchester United fans has kept many of them going during these recent years of drought and blight. And Leinster clearly leaned into that idea in recent weeks. It was Joe McCarthy who, on RTÉ after this BKT URC semi-final defeat of Glasgow, explained how 'everyone loves to hate Leinster and it drives us on'. It was a line good enough to ignore the fact that he spoke about ignoring all the noise just seconds later. Leo Cullen, Ryan Baird and more will tell you that they don't do social media or read the media, but you can't go through their trials and tribulations since the Champions Cup loss to Northampton Saints and not know which way the wind is blowing outside. Read More Leinster rediscover their mojo to set up URC final tilt at Croke Park 'I don't think everyone hates Leinster,' said Jack Conan, 'but I think people definitely revel in us underachieving at times. We get enough flak and stuff. You try to block out that noise because it's irrelevant, but what we appreciate is the people who come out to see us week in week out, when the days are good and the days are bad. 'Those are the people we are doing it for, the staff, the lads in the changing room, the people that give everything to this club, and you try to block out the noise. It's always nice to prove some people wrong and hopefully we can go again next week and silence a few more critics.' This six-try performance against the reigning champions suggests they are still well capable of doing that next week when they face the Bulls in a Croke Park final. Glasgow were awful here but a lot of that was down to the home team's dominance. This was so much better than the vapid efforts against the Warriors and Scarlets in recent weeks. It was a performance typified by a Ryan Baird man-of-the-match effort that was all grunt and belligerence. It was almost like shouting enough was enough. But it wasn't perfect. The two late tries claimed by the Warriors will be dissected in detail in Monday's video session and the fact is that the Jacques Nienaber defense, though improved for vast stretches, was breached too easily again and three times in total. That's a worry. So is the continued travails of out-half Sam Prendergast who showed more delightful stuff in general attacking play that was balanced out by more defensive black marks and another eleven points that went begging off the tee. The hope is that the collective will be reinforced for the decider. Missing five British and Irish Lions squad members two days ago, Caelan Doris is a long-term loss but it looks as if Josh van der Flier is the most likely to be available this week. Garry Ringrose is another who is looking like a good bet but Hugo Keenan and Tadhg Furlong are less advanced in their journeys back to fitness for what will be the club's shot at a first ever URC title and a first trophy of any stripe since 2021. It will be interesting to see how many tickets are shifted for the final. Less than 16,000 took in this last four tie. It may be that a figure twice that will turn out and find itself lost in the vast expanses of the Croke Park stands. 'We've relished every opportunity to run out there in the last few years,' said Conan, 'so the history and the iconic nature of that stadium isn't lost on us. We want to do right by that and be at our best again.' This trophy wouldn't wipe the slate clean for Leinster after the Saints scuppered their hopes of finally earning that fifth star, but it would ward off a summer beset by endless self-examination and recriminations. Read More Questions linger as Leinster go to the well yet again Three Champions Cup finals have slipped from their grasp in the last four seasons. Getting over the line is an absolute must for this coaching staff and this group of players, but are they ready to go out and grasp it this time? 'I don't know,' said Cullen. 'How do you answer that question, I don't know. I don't look at it like that at all. I look at it like, what are we in control of now? The game has ended, recover well, look after yourself. "What can we control now? We'll control having a really good week and enjoying it.' LEINSTER: J O'Brien; T O'Brien, J Osborne, J Barrett, J Lowe; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, D Sheehan, T Clarkson; J McCarthy, J Ryan; R Baird, S Penny, J Conan. Replacements: C Frawley for Barrett, R Slimani for Clarkson, R Kelleher for Sheehan and RG Snyman for Ryan (all 56); J Boyle for Porter (60); R Byrne for Prendergast (61); M Deegan for Conan (64); L McGrath for Gibson-Park (70). GLASGOW WARRIORS: J McKay; K Steyn, S Tuipulotu, T Jordan, K Rowe; A Hastings, G Horne; J Bhatti, G Hiddleston; F Richardson, A Samuel; S Cummings, E Ferrie, R Darge, H Venter. Replacements: S McDowall for Hastings (HT); J Matthews for Hiddleston, R Sutherland for Bhatti, S Talakai for Richardson and M Williamson for Samuel (all 45); J Dobie for Horne (52); M Duncan for Venter (60); J Mann for Ferrie (73). Referee: A Piardi (FIR).
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Leinster v Glasgow talking point: Leinster lineout steals the show
There were many good things about Leinster's performance against Glasgow in Saturday's URC semi-final at the Aviva. The energy was up, the aggression and physicality was elevated and there was no sense of weakness or frailty in defence as they suffocated Glasgow and freely scored. The scrum was dominant and from scrum penalties Leinster were able to kick for the corners. There, it was the Leinster lineout that stole the show for the home side, where Ryan Baird, Jack Conan, Joe McCarthy and James Ryan seemed to be in complete control and were able to make it a dangerous attacking platform. It was a welcome return of their attacking set piece. Three of the Leinster tries came from the lineout, either directly or after a few phases of play. The first try that arrived in the third minute came after multiple phases. Outhalf Sam Prendergast kicked a turnover penalty to touch deep in the Glasgow half. Ryan Baird secured the ball and after multiple phases Jamison Gibson-Park drilled a pass to a running Dan Sheehan, who muscled over for the opening score. The decision to kick for touch set up Leinster in an attacking pose early in the match and it was an instant pay-off. READ MORE Which Ireland players will step up for the summer squad while the Lions are away? Listen | 27:53 In the 32nd minute a dominant Leinster scrum earned another penalty and Prendergast was again called to kick for territory and an attacking lineout. Sheehan hit the rising Baird who delivered the ball directly back to him. Sheehan took off on an arching run and popped it for James Lowe, who took it to the line. A couple of phases later prop Tom Clarkson muscled his way over for Leinster's second try. Jordie Barrett went over in the 48th minute following phased play after a lineout but spilt the ball forward in contact as he got over the line and it was disallowed. But again the platform was working well for Leinster and offering them scoring opportunities. A silly offside from Tom Jordan on 54 minutes and Prendergast again opted for the offensive set piece. Sheehan hit Conan at the front and the pack drove towards the Glasgow danger zone. Four phases later, with Sheehan twice taking the ball up, Gibson-Park spotted Jamie Osborne infield by the near post. The scrumhalf's laser pass found his centre in motion, and Osborne flew over by the post for Leinster's fifth try, making it 30-5. It was fantastic awareness from Gibson-Park, who saw the space inside him and again the lineout was the trigger for Leinster to essentially put the match to bed. After some weeks of what Jamie Heaslip described as 'wibbly wobbly' lineouts, Leinster finally got all the pieces to fit together as they should and turned it into a lethal weapon.
BreakingNews.ie
3 days ago
- Sport
- BreakingNews.ie
Leinster overcome champions Glasgow to reach URC final
Leinster will host next week's United Rugby Championship final at Croke Park after dishing out a 37-19 beating to last year's winners Glasgow Warriors. The province, who had endured three straight URC semi-final defeats, regained their mojo to set up a Dublin decider against the Bulls or Sharks. Advertisement Dan Sheehan started and finished the first half's try-scoring to give Leinster a 25-5 lead as Jamie Osborne and Tom Clarkson also crossed at a rain-hit Aviva Stadium. Osborne and Ciaran Frawley made it six tries to one before closing scores from Jamie Dobie and Sione Tuipulotu added to George Horne's fourth-minute effort. The hosts hit the ground running with Jamison Gibson-Park pulling the trigger for Sheehan to raid over in the second minute. Glasgow swiftly cut the gap to 7-5 when Kyle Rowe's inviting kick infield was dotted down by Horne. Advertisement Crossing from James Lowe denied Leinster a second try before Sam Prendergast slotted over a 21st-minute penalty. A Gibson-Park forward pass ruled out an Osborne score but the young centre duly scored out wide from a slick Lowe offload. Leinster turned a scrum penalty into five more points when Clarkson rumbled over and Sheehan's maul try came on the stroke of half-time. Despite Tom Jordan switching to fly-half for the Warriors, Leinster, aided by Ryan Baird's player-of-the-match performance, remained in full control. Following a penalty miss from Prendergast, who had a disappointing day with the boot, Gibson-Park clinically played in Osborne in the 53rd minute to make it 32-5. Replacement Frawley followed him over the line just four minutes later, with Lowe's initial aerial take igniting a sweeping move. Sprung from the Scots' bench, Dobie raced over in the 71st minute and Tuipulotu displayed his dancing feet with a superb solo try from the edge of Leinster's 22.
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- Sport
- RTÉ News
Leinster's Ryan Baird: 'You'll find out if you are a man or a mouse'
Leinster back row Ryan Baird says the province will find out this weekend if they are men or mice. Leo Cullen's side face defending BKT URC champions Glasgow Warriors in the semi-final at Aviva Stadium on Saturday (2.45pm, live on RTÉ). Leinster won 16 games in a row from the start of the season but have lost three times since March, to Bulls and Scarlets in the URC, and the devastating defeat to Northampton Saints in the Champions Cup semi-final. They've managed to put three wins in a row together since their European exit but looked far from their best in victories over Glasgow and Scarlets. Baird, who was yesterday named in the Ireland squad for the summer tour, has played 80 minutes in each of the last three matches and feels that the real measure of the Leinster team will be revealed in the final stages of Saturday's clash. "It's very easy at the start of the game to be very clear, present and understanding exactly what you are trying to execute but once the fatigue comes on, that's the challenge and that's when you see the best teams win," the 25-year-old (below) told RTÉ Sport's Michael Corcoran. "It's when they have the ability to execute the fundamentals of the game under pressure, under fatigue, the last 10 minutes of game. "By no means we'll be taking that part of the game for granted. There'll be visualisation done. "Even in the way we train, putting yourself under fatigue to mimic it, even if it's only for a minute or two during the week. "It's all those moments that you've accumulated over the whole season, it's what you'll have to trust. "When the pressure comes on, you'll fall back on what your habits are. "It's incredibly exciting when you put yourself in a position where you don't really know what's going to happen and you'll find out if you are a man or a mouse." Baird also revealed that, unlike some of his team-mates, he opted to watch the Champions Cup final, where Bordeaux Begles beat the Saints 28-20. He says they can use that feeling as motivation when they face Franco Smith's side, who impressed in their quarter-final win over Stormers. "I was sitting in a pub, with a Mi-wadi, just to be clear, watching the Champions Cup final and you just have this sick feeling in your stomach," said the Dubliner, who has 27 Ireland caps. "We were there for three years in a row and you don't get that taste so to have another opportunity to get a trophy, we're incredibly fortunate. "Some teams don't get that second chance and we have that second chance. "We haven't won the URC since it was reformatted, so there's no shortage of motivation."
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Time has to be now for Baird and Leinster to silence the doubters
The clouds over Leinster are darkening. There's no denying it. Eliminated from the Champions Cup at the semi-final stage, fitful in their last two games against Glasgow and Scarlets, their attendances are far from where anyone wants them to be. The pressure is on as what appears to be a rejuvenated Warriors return to Dublin for the third time in as many months for Saturday's BKT URC semi-final. Get through that and Leinster would still face tough South African opposition in the final. Ryan Baird is sitting in the boardroom at UCD to talk about the task to come. A collage of multiple trophy-winning teams decorates the wall behind him. Trophies and trinkets sit in a glass case, more again down the hallway in the main lobby. It's put to him that this is a club that needs trophies. 'Need? That's a strong word. Objective? That's our objective…. Yeah.' It is clear that Baird is not interested in the popular narrative: that Leinster have lost their mojo at a point in the season where they need it most. And that the loss to Northampton might have produced a hangover that is even now lingering. 'That shocks me, that question. I feel like the team that's playing at the moment… I feel the same level of enthusiasm and energy as when we were playing in a final in Europe last year.[It's] the same Leinster to me.' A follow-up query on the merits and minuses from last weekend's stuttering quarter-final defeat of the Scarlets elicits a similar response. This is knockout rugby. Mistakes will happen. Leinster had a 12-point buffer in a game they needed to win by one. Fans will hope that this is just the public face and not any private thoughts because it's hard to see the province win a first URC title at the fourth attempt of trying by playing their current level of rugby. It seems like an eternity, rather than mid-April, since Glasgow were routed 52-0 in Ballsbridge in the quarter-final of the Champions Cup - and that coming just a week after Harlequins had been nilled and hit for 52 points in the round of 16. The edgy, eight-point win against Glasgow in May seems a far more relevant touchstone. 'That's a sign of a good team,' said Baird who played all 80 minutes of the most recent meeting. 'They had like five injuries for that game in the Champions Cup and the last one was a tight game. 'Was it 13-5? That was a real test. It felt like Test-level intensity and physicality. They are reigning champions, they beat Munster in Ireland in a semi-final last year, they are coming over with a lot of confidence.' Named this week in the second-string Ireland squad that will play Georgia and Portugal next month, Baird has played all 80 minutes of Leinster's last three games on the back of a season that he admits has been challenged by injuries and selection calls against him. He will be 26 in July, an age when players are deemed to be entering his prime, and Baird is a big man with a rare athleticism. All that said, he has still to fully convince over an extended timeframe and cement himself into the starting XV for either club and country. Baird reels off the old Stuart Lancaster line about the need to 'keep pounding the rock' when talking about the ups and downs of a career, while at the same time offering a more elastic framework for his body of work this term. 'Are they actually downs in the grand scheme of things? They are lessons to be learned. It's time to focus on other aspects of your life. It's very much how you perceive them. 'If you ask me, how has my year been compared to last year when I would have played a lot more games, Ryan Baird has had as good of a year as a person than he has had last year. As a rugby player, I've grown, I've learned loads.' It has, he claimed, been another 'great year'. Leinster fans may be forgiven for thinking differently.
