If
I'm a coach, doesn't matter for what team and doesn't matter in what
sport, I'd have to be asking myself just how does a team go as many
as fifteen games unbeaten at the highest level, winning fourteen of
them?
Every
Leinster fan knows the run has to come to an end sometime, but even
if it does so as early as next week, it has been quite the
achievement, and I reckon this match at Firhill had a little sample
of everything that has gone to take the streak this far...a tapas of
secrets for success, if you will.
DOING
THE UNEXPECTED – Leinster are the reigning Heineken Cup champions,
and have healthy leads in both their pool this season and the Pro12.
This, quite naturally, puts a giant target on their backs wherever
they go. If you thought for a second the Scots weren't going to do
everything they could to cause an upset in this match, you obviously
haven't seen Braveheart.
I'm
pretty sure Joe Schmidt & Jonny Sexton have seen it, and so they
had to come up with a plan that would confound Sean Lineen's
preparations. Well right off the bat we saw Sexton throw a dummy
deep in his own 22 and before you could say “Quade Cooper”, his
side had an attacking lineout way down the other end of the pitch.
Of course we ended up losing said lineout, and at first I thought it
was down to the Sean Cronin toss, but on second look I think it was an incorrect call to throw deep at that moment.
Another
thing you wouldn't be expected to do on the narrow Firhill Park pitch
is attempt a cross-field kick. So what does Sexton do on more than
one occasion? And more often than not, it paid off, spectacularly of
course in one case as it led to the game's first try courtesy of Rob
Kearney.
LUCK
– There's no doubting that a large slice of luck is required to
string so many good results together, that goes in any sport. Some
might say the Sexton kick to Kearney for the try got a fortunate
bounce. However, I have a feeling that if a similar kick had gone from
O'Gara to Howlett (as it has in the past more than once) then Munster
fans would resort either to “he meant the kick to do that”
or “you make your own luck”.
And
it has to be said that over the past few weeks Leinster have enjoyed
their fair share of good fortune – not only Sunday's bounce but
also a gust of wind or two in Galway and Cardiff. I'll leave it to
yourself to make of those what you will. Personally I'm tempted to
sway towards divine intervention ;-)
COMPENSATION
FOR WEAK AREAS – Of the five front row players used by Leinster on
the day, there was plenty of World Cup, Heineken Cup final, even NPC
final experience on show. Of the five Glasgow front rowers used, all
were Scottish (even though one was named Welsh) yet despite the fact
that there's only two clubs to choose from, not even ONE of the
players were in Andy Robinson's original Six Nations squad. Still, Leinster
struggled in the scrum, not only losing penalties on several
occasions, but also unforgivably losing one against the head from 5m
out near the end of the first half.
Yet
man of the match was awarded to Sean Cronin. Why? Because of an
outstanding performance in the loose that surely had the Glaswegians
wondering if he was the other Sean in disguise. And Cian Healy
wasn't far behind him in the ground-gaining stakes, with a
bone-crunching tackle or two thrown in for good measure.
NOT
RELYING ON STARS – The two names that would normally jump off the
Leinster team-sheet, Sexton and Nacewa, were both happy to take
back-seat roles. Well, when I say “happy”, maybe not so much with our
Number10. Schmidt said he got “grumpy” after he rolled his
ankle, but he still chipped in a penalty shot from inside his own
half to level the scores. As for Isa, although he did give a
masterclass in how to avoid being isolated after the tackle at one
point, he won't be happy to see his name at the top of the Leinster
list of turnovers conceded (4).
But
even when they haven't been firing on all cylinders, not only was
there Messrs Cronin & Healy in the forwards, much credit must
also go to Devin Toner. Is it just me or did he play like he was the
senior lock on the day? Is the apprentice close to over-taking his
master? Whatever it is I'm THIS close to reaching for some Star Wars
metaphors, but not just yet. Still, he owned a lineout that included
Richie Gray and wasn't shabby in the loose either.
DEPTH
OF SQUAD – If the rumours are true and poor Luke Fitzgerald is out
for the season, that is of course a terrible blow for a chap who
can't seem to buy a slice of good fortune. But from Leinster's
perspective, they were still able to field David Kearney for his
first cap in this great competition, and although the lone Glasgow
score came on his wing, it couldn't have been much closer to the
furthest edge of the tryline (worth a look upstairs to confirm the
grounding I thought) and it was all he gave away.
But
one of the most embarrassing set of riches we have is at scrum-half.
Back in Montpellier Isaac Boss didn't have his finest hour but Eoin
Reddan was able to come on and steady the ship. This time the roles
were reversed, which in many ways is poor timing for Reddan with a
Six Nations campaign on the horizon and Paul Marshall doing such
heroics at Ravenhill.
And
although the Glasgow try was scored seconds after Boss took the
field, the first time Leinster actually had possession for him to use (when Toner hauled in a Sexton 22 dropout), he not only marched us down
the field but actually got what proved to be the decisive score (main
pic). It was an excellent cameo all round from him, though I doubt
it will be enough to get on Declan Kidney's radar.
ALWAYS
HAVE A SCORE IN YOUR BACK POCKET – I actually have hard data to
back this one up, but I decided to display it on my “#2amrugbyfact”
feature on twitter – follow this link to see it, it's quite a stat to behold. Basically it means that every time Leinster fall behind they've been able to dig deep and turn things back around.
DEFENCE
– Of course I had to save the best till last. Sean Lineen said
afterwards that Leinster defended “like 15 loose forwards”.
Actually it was 14 for the crucial last 5 minutes after Sean O'Brien
didn't realise what was meant by a tap on the back and some stern
words in a Welsh accent. Yet it was all the Warriors could do to
gain ground let alone get over our line, and whatever about
Leinster's weaknesses this season and there have been several, you'd
be hard pressed to fault their performance when they don't have the
ball. And this a good year and a half after Kurt McQuilkin's
departure.
I'd
like to add one last contributory factor to the result from the day
– although the Monday morning press is full of talk about the
“valiant” Warriors display and this is true to an extent, you
can't deny they were found wanting in some key areas, not least
Duncan Weir's decision-making. No doubt he can boot a ball over the
bar from every angle going, but he has a ways to go to show he can
lead his team out of a Heineken Cup pool, let alone lead his country
at Murrayfield.
So
overall, a third away win on the bounce for Leinster. None of them
have been pretty, but all of them have been satisfying. Now we have
three in a row to come at the RDS, before our next away day – at
Firhill Park, Glasgow, no less. JLP
ELSEWHERE
IN EUROPE
Looking
at the Heineken Cup tables after Round 5, the sight of Leinster as
number one seed and Munster as only team with 100% record would have
you thinking they're the big Irish story in the competition at the
moment. You'd be wrong though.
The
history boffins can say all they want about what has happened in the
past – Ulster still had quite the job to do in Ravenhill on Friday
night and boy, did they do it. Top notch displays all over the park
not least from Andrew Trimble, who by logic should have played his
way into contention for a starting jumper against Wales somewhere on
the park. That's providing logic is used in the decision-making
process.
It
wasn't only him though...Ferris was more of an animal than usual if
that's possible, Ruan Pienaar paid back half of the worth of his new
contract with the ink barely dry and Paul Marshall's cameo could lead
to his name being read out by Kidney on Wednesday. Sure, the Tigers
were found wanting in many areas but still would have run a lesser
side close...hopefully the Ulstermen can do enough in Clermont next
week to get out of the pool because they definitely deserve it.
Meanwhile
at Thomond Park...have you ever heard the crowd there more subdued
when their heroes have won a match? The Castres XV, certainly
nowhere near their first choice selection, didn't come to make up the numbers but still were
comfortably dispatched, but whether it's the standards laid down by
history or the continued success of the brethren at the other end of
the N7 that's demanding more, I'm not sure. With the Northampton
Saints on a high after their win in Llanelli you can be sure they'll
have a hostile reception ready for Paul O'Connell & co next week,
though perhaps the hostility would be a little stronger if it was
actually at Franklins Gardens and not Milton Keynes.
Then
there's Connacht. Never really had a chance in Toulouse did they.
But they were praised by Guy Noves afterwards, and by all accounts brought
a following with them that did them proud. There's no doubt that
it's an enormous flaw in the qualification system that Aironi,
thumped 82-0 at home, are guaranteed a spot in next year's tournament
while Eric Elwood's men have to resort to prayer for one of the other
Irish provinces to taste European success to get back to the top
table.
