This season’s Champions Cup has been a litany of anger, frustration and disappointment, shared between Leinster’s players, coaches and supporters. In three consecutive defeats, the self-inflicted wounds, particularly the individual errors and the indiscipline, have tended to supersede moments of clarity.
It’s a maddening narrative for all concerned. Toulon visit the Aviva Stadium hoping to make it four wins in a row over the Irish province. Arresting that sequence matters only because to do so would restore a little pride into Leinster rugby.
Jamie Heaslip, speaking at the launch of the GOAL Christmas Miles (130 around the country are listed on goalglobal.org), offered a player's perspective. "People are obviously upset. It's depends on other games now for us, regardless if we go forward and win all our games.
“To be in that position is frustrating. A lot of people are annoyed with how we’ve let the supporters down. The last three games in Europe, for example, there hasn’t been much between winning and losing when we sit down and assess the game, especially the Bath game and Sunday.
“The Wasps game got a little bit ahead of us. But when you look at the stats, they played very little rugby in our half. It was breakaway moments they got their scores. And that’s the frustration that players are feeling.
“We want to get out on Saturday for all the supporters that travelled down yesterday and that are coming this weekend to give everyone something to be proud of.
“I was sitting beside Cian [Healy] and Jack [McGrath] coming home on Sunday and we were chatting about how really excited we were to have another crack at these guys. They are a very good side, don’t get me wrong, but they are very beatable. We’ll have a go at it again.”
Sub-standard
Heaslip argued that while there were some aspects of Leinster’s play were sub-standard, “I don’t think we let ourselves down for the whole game. I think there were times they got in and disrupted certain aspects of it.
“If they attack with quick ball, they’re very hard to defend against. If they slow down your ball, they’re a very good defensive side.
“At times, it went our way where we got quick ball and we disrupted their ball. They got one too many chances to impose themselves on the game.
“We caused lot of problems for them when we got quick ball and we got a lot of return on that. We just didn’t get the chance to do it enough. It’s just the inaccuracies at certain times where we got punished. They don’t need much of an out or an access point into the game. We gave them one too many.”
Sympathy
Heaslip went on the defensive when asked about whether he had any sympathy for
Ian Madigan
only getting three minutes on the basis of Jonathan Sexton’s off colour display.
“I don’t think that’s fair to say that about Johnny, and it wouldn’t be my position to comment regarding Ian. Players want to play, regardless of whether they’re on the field, off the field, injured.
“Frustration comes in all shapes and forms for players throughout your career. These are just things you’ve got to deal with, and get on with.”
Leinster and Ireland’s number eight can see the incremental improvements that the team are making, one that he asserts is backed up by statistics. “Yeah, I do think we have improved. Actually the stats are showing that we are holding onto the ball more and when we do that, we put pressure on others teams.
“That’s the way a lot of the rugby is going, that the good teams are the teams that are able to hold onto the ball, break you down – not with any fancy moves but literally just wear you down, and either force you to get dense in defence and they’ll score on the edge, or you’ll get a team spread thin and you’ll pick soft holes and make easy ground.
“I think that what Leo [Cullen] and Girv [Dempsey] are doing is they have brought some really good, imaginative play and us as players have to execute better at times.”
Saturday would be opportune.
